The Terrestrial Reptiles of the Gulf of Guinea Oceanic Islands

Ceríaco, Luis M. P.; Marques, Mariana P.; Bell, Rayna C.; Bauer, Aaron M.

doi:10.1007/978-3-031-06153-0_19

Cited by 9 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 46 publications

(92 reference statements)

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“…In recent years, careful reviews combined with intensive island surveys and advances in molecular analyses have led to the description of several new endemic species. Terrestrial vertebrates are certainly the best-studied taxa, but since 2000 two amphibians (Uyeda et al 2007; Bell 2016), six reptiles (Ceríaco et al 2022a), and one mammal species (Ceríaco et al 2015) have been newly described as endemic to the islands. Many widespread species have also been reported for the first time, including plants (Stévart et al 2019), land snails (Holyoak et al 2020), fishes (Costa et al 2022), and birds (Lima and Melo 2021).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Species Ecology in the Gulf of Guinea Oceanic Islands: Distribution, Habitat Preferences, Assemblages, and Interactions

Soares

Hancock

Palmeirim

et al. 2022

Biodiversity of the Gulf of Guinea Oceanic Islands

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The oceanic islands of the Gulf of Guinea (Príncipe, São Tomé, and Annobón) are an exceptional centre of endemism for flora and fauna. Remarkable progress has been made in biological research during the last few decades: from species being described and reported for the first time, to general patterns of species-habitat associations found across terrestrial, coastal, and marine taxa. Despite this increase in knowledge, key aspects of Gulf of Guinea species ecology remain poorly understood. This chapter reviews existing knowledge on the biodiversity of the islands, focusing on species distributions, population abundance estimates, traits, habitat associations and interactions. To promote these islands as ecological models, and to ensure the future of their endemic-rich biodiversity, it is essential to overcome current knowledge gaps and reduce existing taxonomic, spatial, and temporal biases in the information available. Therefore, future studies should favour systematic island-wide surveys and prioritize understudied areas and taxonomic groups. Moreover, long-term monitoring studies are urgently needed to assess biodiversity trends and to advise conservation actions. The future of ecological research and conservation of the unique biodiversity of these islands must increasingly rely on the development of local biodiversity-focused scientific expertise, through outreach, capacity building, and advanced training, paired with international collaborations and the development of local organizations.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Species Ecology in the Gulf of Guinea Oceanic Islands: Distribution, Habitat Preferences, Assemblages, and Interactions

Soares

Hancock

Palmeirim

et al. 2022

Biodiversity of the Gulf of Guinea Oceanic Islands

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“…The chapter provides a detailed overview of species biology, ecology, and biogeography. Chapter 19 (Ceríaco et al 2022c) presents the 29 species of established terrestrial reptiles, reporting also historical and recent records of vagrant, doubtful, or introduced species. The five species of sea turtles that occur on the islands are reviewed in Chap.…”

Section: Book Structurementioning

confidence: 99%

Biodiversity in the Gulf of Guinea Oceanic Islands: A Synthesis

Ceríaco

Lima

Bell

et al. 2022

Biodiversity of the Gulf of Guinea Oceanic Islands

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The Gulf of Guinea oceanic islands (Príncipe, São Tomé, and Annobón) are among the most endemic-rich regions of the planet. Historical scientific studies of the islands’ unique biodiversity are scattered in a variety of publications, many of which are difficult to access. More recently, there has been a growing interest in the islands, which is reflected in a burst of new studies, reports, and ongoing projects. Here we aim to provide an updated and comprehensive synthesis, covering all the key information and references on the biodiversity of these islands. The goal of the book is to be a comprehensive reference for students, researchers, and conservationists dedicated to the study and preservation of this unique biodiversity. It also intends to serve as a basis for local stakeholders to make informed decisions, namely regarding conservation actions. The book is divided into three main sections: (1) a general overview of the islands and their biodiversity, including aspects of natural and human history (six chapters); (2) detailed accounts on different taxonomic groups (16 chapters); and (3) the conservation, environmental education, and research challenges that lie ahead (three chapters).

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“…The history of amphibian research in the Gulf of Guinea oceanic islands is closely linked to the history of reptile research, as most authors have worked with both groups. Ceríaco et al (2022) provide a comprehensive summary of the herpetological surveys and studies carried out on the islands. Hence, we focus on the primarily amphibian-focused studies and refer to Ceríaco et al (2022) for more general studies.…”

Section: History Of Amphibian Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Ceríaco et al (2022) provide a comprehensive summary of the herpetological surveys and studies carried out on the islands. Hence, we focus on the primarily amphibian-focused studies and refer to Ceríaco et al (2022) for more general studies.…”

Section: History Of Amphibian Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The presence of these enigmatic and secretive amphibians on an oceanic island is especially captivating given their presumed low vagility and dispersal potential (Taylor 1968). Caecilians are not the only fossorial vertebrates that have reached the archipelago, however, as there are also several endemic fossorial squamates on both São Tomé and Príncipe (Ceríaco et al 2022). This high level of endemic diversity among vertebrates with low dispersal potential provides strong support for the overseas rafting hypothesis proposed by Measey et al (2007) and described in further detail in Melo et al (2022).…”

Section: Gymnophionamentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Amphibians of the Gulf of Guinea Oceanic Islands

Bell

Ceríaco

Scheinberg

et al. 2022

Biodiversity of the Gulf of Guinea Oceanic Islands

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This chapter reviews the diversity, evolutionary relationships, ecology, and conservation of the Gulf of Guinea oceanic islands’ endemic caecilian and anuran fauna. A total of nine amphibian species (representing five families) are known from São Tomé and Príncipe islands, all of which are endemic. No amphibians have been reported from Annobón. Taxonomic research on this group of animals began in the second half of the nineteenth century with subsequent refinement following the advent of molecular techniques. The presence of several amphibians from distinct evolutionary lineages is unexpected for oceanic islands and has motivated several biogeographic studies to reconstruct the evolutionary histories of these enigmatic species. Yet, the continental source for many of the islands’ amphibians remains unknown. The amphibians of São Tomé and Príncipe also exhibit intriguing phenotypic diversity for addressing long-standing hypotheses in evolutionary biology, including body size evolution and gigantism on islands, intraspecific variation and interspecific divergence in coloration, and reproductive and dietary niche partitioning. Recent studies have confirmed the presence of the fungal pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in amphibian communities on both São Tomé and Príncipe, but it is unclear whether this pathogen is negatively impacting local populations. Most of the Gulf of Guinea oceanic island endemic amphibians are incredibly abundant and widespread, occurring in primary forest, secondary forest, and agricultural habitats across the islands. Three anuran species (Hyperolius thomensis, Leptopelis palmatus, Ptychadena newtoni) have more limited distributions and/or more specialized ecologies; consequently, additional land-use change poses a threat to the long-term persistence of these taxa.

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The Terrestrial Reptiles of the Gulf of Guinea Oceanic Islands

Cited by 9 publications

References 46 publications

Species Ecology in the Gulf of Guinea Oceanic Islands: Distribution, Habitat Preferences, Assemblages, and Interactions

Species Ecology in the Gulf of Guinea Oceanic Islands: Distribution, Habitat Preferences, Assemblages, and Interactions

Biodiversity in the Gulf of Guinea Oceanic Islands: A Synthesis

The Amphibians of the Gulf of Guinea Oceanic Islands

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