Reptiles in municipality of Duque de Caxias, Baixada Fluminense, Rio de Janeiro, southeastern Brazil

Abstract

Duque de Caxias municipality is located in the Fluminense lowland, Rio de Janeiro state, in the Ombrophilous Atlantic Rain Forest domain. The local herpetofauna was widely studied in the 40’s, but a general list of the species for the municipality was never made. From August 2006 to October 2009, we carried out field expeditions, searching for and collecting reptiles mainly at night time. Besides the visual active search method, we also verified records of species in scientific literature and of specimens housed in zoological collections. Altogether, 53 species of reptiles of the Orders Crododylia, Squamata and Testudines occur within the borders of Duque de Caxias municipality.

Keywords

• Atlantic Rainforest lowland
• inventory
• reptiles