The amphibians of Pará, Brazil

Abstract

Pará is the second largest state in Brazil, with all its territory within the Amazonian rainforest. The state has a wide variety of habitats and bioregions and is home to a large diversity of species. In the race to uncover this diversity and to provide support for future research, we have compiled the first list of amphibian species occurring in Pará, based on the identification of specimens deposited in scientific collections and analysis of primary literature. We recorded 195 species of amphibians, 30 of which are endemic to the state, and five represented new occurrence records. Despite its large territory, high number of endemic species and very intense levels of deforestation, only five species are officially considered threatened with extinction. We discuss reasons as to why so few species are threatened and why this number is likely to increase soon. We also discuss issues related to taxonomy, such as the occurrence of multiple unnamed species that have already been discovered in Pará. Finally, we highlight some opportunities and challenges for future research areas with amphibian diversity and taxonomy in the state of Pará.