Open AccessThe Herpetofauna of the Tsitsikamma Coastal and Forest National Parks
Author(s) -
William R. Branch,
N. Hanekom
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
koedoe
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.419
H-Index - 29
eISSN - 2071-0771
pISSN - 0075-6458
DOI - 10.4102/koedoe.v30i1.502
Subject(s) - geography , national park , habitat , ecology , species diversity , global biodiversity , national nature reserve , nature reserve , biology
An annotated check list of the herpetofauna of the Tsitsikamma National Parks is given. A total of 38 species, comprising 6 chelonians (2 tortoises, 4 sea turtles), 8 lizards, 11 snakes and 13 amphibians have been collected within the parks. The diversity of the Tsitsikamma Coastal National Park is greater than that of the Tsitsikamma Forest National Park. This is due to a number of factors, including more intensive collecting, greater area and habitat diversity, and the presence of 5 marine species. The parks are important reserves for a number of species endemic to the southern coastal region, including Bradypodion damaranum, Cordylus coeruleopunctatus, Breviceps fuscus and Afrixalus knysnae. An appendix lists a number of additional species that can still be expected to occur within the parks