Journal of Animal Diversity
مجله تنوع جانوری
JAD
Basic Sciences
http://jad.lu.ac.ir
1
admin
2676-685X
2676-685X
10.61186/JAD
en
jalali
1400
3
1
gregorian
2021
6
1
3
2
online
1
fulltext
en
Annotated checklist of the snakes of Bengaluru Urban District, Karnataka, India with notes on their natural history, distribution, and population trends over the last 150 years
Species Diversity
مقاله پژوهشی اصلی
Original Research Article
<div style="text-align: justify;">Systematic and thorough studies of snake populations across large areas are rare in the tropics. Bengaluru city in southern India has not had a thorough checklist of snakes in over a century, during which time land-use changes, taxonomic revisions, and fluctuating reptile populations have left the current status of snakes of this region unclear. We combine data from snake rescues, visual encounter surveys, and other reliable records to generate a contemporary checklist of 33 snake species (15 of which are novel) present within the Bengaluru Urban District with comments on their apparent habitat preferences. We also provide evidence and insight on six additional species that have not been recorded but potentially occur within the limits of the district. Compared with the earlier checklist, all but 4 species (<em>Naja naja</em>, <em>Ptyas mucosa</em>, <em>Daboia russelii</em>, and <em>Fowlea piscator</em>) have shown considerable decline within city limits. Additionally, all of India’s “Big Four” medically significant venomous snake species (<em>Naja naja</em>, <em>Bungarus caeruleus</em>, <em>Daboia russelii</em>, and <em>Echis carinatus</em>) are found within the district. <em>Naja naja</em> and <em>Daboia russelii</em> appear to be well-adjusted to urbanization with serious ramifications for human-wildlife conflict and healthcare in the future as the majority of Indian snakebite deaths can be attributed to these two species. The population trajectory of <em>Daboia russelii</em> is of particular interest as it was classified as “not common” in the previous checklist, but it is presently one of the most abundant snake species in the area. Our study provides a new baseline that can be used to monitor ophidian population trends going forward.</div>
Habitat change, Indian snakes, inventory, Ophidiofauna, population trends, Serpentes, Southern India, Squamata, tropics
26
41
http://jad.lu.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-135-1&slc_lang=en&sid=1
Yatin
Kalki
yatin.kalki@gmail.com
10031947532846001917
10031947532846001917
Yes
Madras Crocodile Bank Trust & Centre for Herpetology, Mamallapuram, Tamil Nadu, India
Chayant
Gonsalves
me@chayant.net
10031947532846001918
10031947532846001918
No
C-01, Good Earth Malhar Footprints, Kambipura Taluk, KengeriHobli, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
Daniel B.
Wylie
wylie.dan@gmail.com
10031947532846001919
10031947532846001919
No
Illinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research Institute, Champaign, Illinois 61820, USA
Karthik A. K.
Sundaram
akkagks@gmail.com
10031947532846001920
10031947532846001920
No
Wildlife Conservation Group, Bannerghatta, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
Tristan D.
Schramer
tristan.schramer@gmail.com
10031947532846001921
10031947532846001921
No
Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, USA