HERPETOFAUNAL ENDEMISM AND DIVERSITY IN TROPICAL FORESTS OF MT. HAMIGUITAN IN THE PHILIPPINES

We conducted a survey of the amphibians and reptiles found in lowland dipterocarp forest of the Philippines. We used line transect and visual encounter surveys to study eight sites located in dipterocarp, montane, and mossy forests. We found 15 reptiles (one order and six families) and nine amphibians (one order and five families). Endemicity in lower elevations reached 80% for reptiles and 77.8% for amphibians. Reptiles endemic to Mindanao Island constituted 13.3% of the Reptilia we identified. The species found in lowland dipterocarp forest face threats from anthropogenic disturbances such as habitat conversion, and may be good indicators of biotic integrity. We suggest that lowland forest habitats are critical for endemic species because these areas have significantly higher species richness and diversity than found in the tropical forests at higher elevations.