Who notices Gymnophiona? Google Trends data reveal interesting trends for recent amphibian species

Abstract

Gymnophiona (caecilians) are inconspicuous, wormlike amphibians that are often hidden from human sight due to their aquatic or fossorial lifestyles. While Google Trends data have been widely used within conservation biology to provide information about the relative interest in species, and therefore of their flagship-making potential, as well as to identify current taxonomic biases. This study aimed to evaluate public interest in amphibians, with a particular focus on caecilians, and possible taxonomic biases of and within the class Amphibia. Google Trends data from amphibians, reptiles (sauropsids, excluding aves), and fishes (chondrichthyans + osteichthyans, excluding tetrapods) were analyzed and compared. In addition, a framework for a representation index and web representation index is presented. The introduced relative representation index was able to confirm taxonomic bias concerning Amphibia. Differences in worldwide public interest could also be evaluated within amphibians, indicating severe underrepresentation in public interest for caecilians.