Richness and distribution of reptiles and amphibians in the tropical lowland habitats of Mt. Agad-Agad, Iligan City, Southern Philippines

Abstract

Knowledge of Philippine herpetofauna is progressively increasing. However, there are still areas in the country that are poorly understood and remain unexplored, particularly in the southern Philippines. Mt. Agad-Agad in Iligan City (Lanao del Norte Province) is a secondary lowland evergreen tropical rainforest in the southern portion of the northern Mindanao region, popular with the general public and a biologically important mountain ecosystem. Herein, we present the species richness and distribution of herpetofauna using standardized sampling methods. We documented 37 species of amphibians and reptiles, recording 20 Philippine-endemic species, three exotic anurans, two threatened reptiles, and one unidentified species of lizard. Species richness was higher in a mixed agricultural area (18 species, n = 108 individuals) compared to secondary growth forest (17 species, n = 86 individuals). This research provides baseline information on the herpetofauna from Mt. Agad-Agad, and additional herpetological knowledge on the distribution and ecology of amphibians and reptiles from the northern Mindanao region.