Amphibians and Reptiles, Luzon Island, Aurora Province and Aurora Memorial National Park, northern Philippines: new island distribution records

By

Siler, Cameron D
Welton, Luke J.
Siler, Jessi M.
Brown, Joseph
Bucol, Abner
Diesmos, Arvin C
Brown, Rafe M.

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2011-3-1

Original Publication

Check list : journal of species lists and distribution

Volume

7

Series / Issue

Issue: 2

Pages

182--195

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

[São Paulo, Brazil] Luís Felipe Toledo 2005-

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.15560/7.2.182

 

Abstract

We report 35 new amphibian and reptile distribution records for two regions within the southern Sierra Madre Mountain Range, Aurora Province, central Luzon Island, Philippines. Together with results of our previous survey work in Aurora, our new data result in a total of 82 amphibian and reptile species for the area. These results highlight the degree to which the island’s biodiversity continues to be underestimated and poorly understood. We report on observations of rarely encountered species including the skink Sphenomorphus leucospilos, the forest gecko Luperosaurus cf. cumingii, and a sensational new species of monitor lizard, Varanus bitatawa. Our recent collections clarify the conservation status of the “critically endangered” Polillo Island forest frog Platymantis polillensis, now known to be widespread, abundant, and common throughout Camarines Norte, Quezon, and Aurora Provinces on the adjacent mainland of Luzon Island. These results add to our growing understanding of many species’ distributions in the region.