Herpetofaunal diversity and community structure at Lake Nabugabo and surrounding Ramsar area wetlands in southern Uganda
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Abstract
Community ecology patterns are poorly understood in Uganda, as well as in the rest of East Africa. Therefore, the aim of the study was to determine the patterns of diversity and distribution of reptiles and amphibians in selected wetland sites in the greater Nabugabo-Ramsar area, Uganda, with contributions to the understanding of their ecology and conservation status. A baseline survey of the herpetofauna of Lake Nabugabo and surrounding wetlands was carried out from 9-18 November 2016. We used visual encounter surveys, pitfall trapping with drift fences, dip-net sampling and opportunistic surveys to sample the herpetofauna. Twenty-seven amphibian species belonging to nine families and 12 genera were recorded. Species richness for amphibians was highest at the landing sites of Kaziru, Lambu, Bukakata and Namirembe. The most frequently encountered amphibian species were Hyperolius kivuensis, H. cinnamomeoventris, Ptychadena nilotica, P. porosissima, Hoplobatrachus occipitalis, Sclerophrys vittata and S. regularis. We did not detect any species threatened with extinction based on their conservation assignment in the IUCN Red List. Twenty-four reptile species belonging to eleven families and 16 genera were recorded. The most species-rich sites for reptiles were Namirembe landing site, Lake Nabugabo Wetland system, Jubiya FR, Kawoko-Bigasa in the Katonga wetland system, and Kaziru landing at the shores of Lake Victoria. The most frequently encountered reptile species were Naja melanoleuca, Trachylepis maculilabris, T. striata, Python sebae, and Varanus niloticus. For either the amphibian or reptilian fauna, there was no one particular site or habitat that we identified as very unique from the others or critical for one species or taxon.
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