Atlas of Brazilian Snakes: Verified Point Locality Maps to Mitigate the Wallacean Shortfall in a Megadiverse Snake Fauna

NOGUEIRA C.; ARGOLO, A..; ARZAMENDIA V.; BERNILS R.; BORGES-MARTÍNS M. ; CISNEROS HEREDIA, D.; FRANCO, FRANCISCO L,; GIRAUDO, ALEJANDRO R.

South American Journal of Herpetology

Sociedade Brasileira de Herpetologia

Año: 2019

1808-9798

Accurate and detailed species distribution maps are fundamental for documenting and interpreting biological diversity. For snakes, an ecologically diverse group of reptiles, syntheses and detailed data on distribution patterns remain scarce. Herein we present the first comprehensive collection of detailed, voucher-based point-locality range maps for all described and documented Brazilian snakes, with the major aim of mitigating the Wallacean shortfall and as a contribution towards a better understanding of this rich, threatened and poorly studied megadiverse fauna. We recorded a total of 412 snake species in Brazil based on an extensive and verified point-locality database, made freely available.Our results reveal previously undocumented patterns of distribution, sampling effort, richness and endemism levels, resulting in a much more objective view ofsnake diversity in the Neotropics. Apart from these achievements, we understand that the most relevant and enduring contribution of the present Atlas is tostimulate researchers to publish corrections, additions, and new discoveries.