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Amphibians and Reptiles, Luzon Island, Aurora Province and Aurora Memorial National Park, Northern Philippines: New island distribution records
Brown, Rafe M.
Brown, Rafe M.
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Abstract
We report 35 new amphibian and reptile distribution records for two regions within the southern Sierra Madre
Mountain Range, Aurora Province, central Luzon Island, Philippines. Together with results of our previous survey work in
Aurora, our new data result in a total of 82 amphibian and reptile species for the area. These results highlight the degree
to which the island’s biodiversity continues to be underestimated and poorly understood. We report on observations of
rarely encountered species including the skink Sphenomorphus leucospilos, the forest gecko Luperosaurus cf. cumingii, and
a sensational new species of monitor lizard, Varanus bitatawa. Our recent collections clarify the conservation status of
the “critically endangered” Polillo Island forest frog Platymantis polillensis, now known to be widespread, abundant, and
common throughout Camarines Norte, Quezon, and Aurora Provinces on the adjacent mainland of Luzon Island. These
results add to our growing understanding of many species’ distributions in the region.
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2011
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Check List
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Citation
Siler, C. D., L. J. Welton, J. M. Siler, J. Brown, A. Bucol, A. C. Diesmos, and R. M. Brown. 2011. Amphibians and Reptiles, Luzon Island, Aurora Province and Aurora Memorial National Park, Northern Philippines: New island distribution records. Check List 7: 182–195.