title: Herpetofauna of the Northwest Amazon forest in the state of Maranhão, Brazil, with remarks on the Gurupi Biological Reserve.
abstract: Understanding the biodiversity of an area is the first step for establishing effective interventions for conservation, especially when it comes to herpetofauna, since 4.1% and 9.2%, respectively, of Brazilian amphibians and reptiles are endangered. The aim of this study is to identify the composition of the herpetofauna occurring in the Northwest Amazonian state of Maranhão, with a focus on the Gurupi Biological Reserve and surrounding areas. Samples were collected between May 2012 and October 2013 (18 months), through pitfall traps, time constrained active search, and opportunistic encounters, and these records were supplemented by specimens collected by third parties and by bibliographic records. A total of 131 species were recorded: 31 species of amphibians and 100 species of reptiles (six testudines, 30 lizards, two amphisbaenas, 60 snakes and two alligators), including some species new to the state of Maranhão and the northeast region of Brazil. This inventory contributes to the knowledge of the herpetofauna for the Belém Endemism Center, the most devastated region of the Brazilian Amazon, and considered poorly sampled.
authors.affiliation: Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade (ICMBio), PARNA Catimbau, Vila Catimbau, CEP 56537-000, Buíque, PE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marco Antonio
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: de Freitas
authors.affiliation: Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade, (ICMBio). REBIO Gurupi, BR 222-KM 12. CEP 65930-000. Pequiá, Açailândia, MA, Brasil.
authors.forename: Ruhan Saldanha
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Vieira
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Rio Grande, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Laboratório de Vertebrados, Av. Itália Km 8, CEP: 96203-900, Vila Carreiros, Rio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: Omar Machado
authors.initials: OM
authors.lastname: Entiauspe-Neto
authors.affiliation: Universidade de Ensino Superior do Sul do Maranhão (UNISULMA), Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Rua São Pedro, 11, Jardim Cristo Rei, CEP 65907-070, Imperatriz, MA, Brazil.
authors.forename: Samantha Oliveira E
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Sousa
authors.affiliation: Centro Universitário do Estado do Pará (CESUPA), Unidade José Malcher, Departamento de Biologia, Avenida Governador José Malcher, 1963, CEP 66060-230, Belém, PA, Brazil.
authors.forename: Tayse
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Farias
authors.affiliation: Universidade de Ensino Superior do Sul do Maranhão (UNISULMA), Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Rua São Pedro, 11, Jardim Cristo Rei, CEP 65907-070, Imperatriz, MA, Brazil.
authors.forename: Alanna Grazieli
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Sousa
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco (UFRPE), Departamento de Biologia, Laboratório de Estudos Herpetológicos e Paleoherpetológicos - LEHP, Rua Don Manuel de Medreiros S/N, Dois Irmãos, CEP 81840-000, Recife, PE, Brazil. Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia-UFRPE. Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciência Animal Tropical-UFRPE.
authors.forename: Geraldo Jorge Barbosa
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: de Moura
keywords: Amphibians; Belém Center of Endemism; inventory; new records; reptiles