Fulgent P. Coritico

• Biodiversity Journal, 10 (3): 237-248

  Alma B. Mohagan, Olga M. Nuñeza, Angel C. Alcala, Jose A. Escarlos Jr., Arturo G. Gracia Jr., Eric Claire T. Selpa, Leonil Jun B. Baguhin, Fulgent P. Coritico & Victor B. Amoroso
  Species richness and endemism of Reptilian Fauna in four Long-Term Ecological Research sites in Mindanao, Philippines
  https://doi.org/10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2019.10.3.237.248

  ABSTRACT
  Reptiles are highly sensitive to environmental change and are vulnerable to habitat disturbance. This study was conducted to determine the species richness and endemism of reptiles using the modified cruising method in 12 randomly selected plots inside a 1-hectare plot in four Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) sites in Mindanao, namely: Mts. Apo, Kitanglad, Hamiguitan, and Malindang. Twenty-two reptile species belonging to eight families and 16 genera were documented in the four LTER sites. The level of reptile endemism was 64% where three out of 14 endemic species are found only in Mindanao. Mt. Hamiguitan had the highest species diversity (H’=2.4972) and species richness (n=18) with 11 (72%) endemic species, while the rest of the sites had very minimal number of species (n≤2). Among the recorded species, Psammodynastes pulverulentus had the highest number of individuals which was only recorded in Mt. Hamiguitan while the Philippine endemic, Parvoscincus decipiens was the most distributed species. Two threatened species, Hydrosaurus pustulatus and Ophiophagus hannah with vulnerable conservation status were recorded. Seriation analysis showed that high- elevation areas such as Mts. Apo and Kitanglad only host endemic and restricted species while Mt. Hamiguitan, a low-elevation forest, hosts endemic, non-endemic, and threatened species. Results suggest that the Mindanao LTER sites are good habitats for endemic and vulnerable species of reptiles and protection is needed.

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