Can fieldwork driven by predictive species distribution models yield new rare or relevant geographic records? A case study with Neotropical snakes

Author(s)

Entiauspe-Neto, Omar M. ; Dervanoski, Darlan ; Abegg, Arthur Diesel

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: AUSTRAL ECOLOGY; v. 49, n. 12, p. 16-pg., 2024-12-01.

Abstract

Understanding species distribution patterns has been a major quest in biodiversity research. Due to their secretive habits and rarity, snakes have been historically underrepresented in assessments of geographic distribution range. In this work, we employ a pipeline for predictive model-based species sampling, using Neotropical snakes as a model organism. We employ species distribution models based on verified point records for five candidate snake species of probable occurrence to Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil: Apostolepis dimidiata (Jan 1862), Erythrolamprus aesculapii (Linnaeus 1758), Helicops leopardinus (Schlegel 1837), Lygophis meridionalis (Schenkel 1901), and Micrurus corallinus (Merrem 1820). Based on the resulting models, we conducted fieldwork on areas with higher overlap of suitable ranges and probability of new records. Our study yields a new state record of A. dimidiata to Rio Grande do Sul and highlights the usefulness of species distribution models in eliciting priority areas for faunal assessments. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 16/50127-5 - Dimensions US-BIOTA São Paulo: scales of biodiversity: integrated studies of snake venom evolution and function across multiple levels of diversity
• Grantee: Inácio de Loiola Meirelles Junqueira de Azevedo
• Support Opportunities: BIOTA-FAPESP Program - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 21/13671-7 - Fieldwork assistance for specimen collection, venom and glands - focused in extreme southern Brazil
• Grantee: Omar Machado Entiauspe Neto
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Technical Training Program - Technical Training
• FAPESP's process: 22/12660-4 - Recovering, modernizing and expanding the collection of herpetology at Butantan Institute through integrative studies on systematics and evolution of neotropical snakes
• Grantee: Felipe Gobbi Grazziotin
• Support Opportunities: BIOTA-FAPESP Program - Young Investigators Grants