Amphibians of the Parque Nacional da Restinga de Jurubatiba, a sandy coastal environment in southeastern Brazil

Abstract

Abstract: We provide an inventory checklist of the amphibians from Parque Nacional da Restinga de Jurubatiba (PNRJ), a sandy coastal environment in southeastern Brazil. As a result of three years of surveys, from August 2013 to June 2016, a total of 36 amphibians species were recorded - one Gymnophiona (Typhlonectidae) and 35 species of five anuran families: Bufonidae (2 species), Craugastoridae (1), Hylidae (21), Leptodactylidae (8), and Microhylidae (3). One specie is reported for the first time for the restinga ecosystem (Chthonerpeton braestrupi) and 24 species were recorded for the first time to the PNRJ. This result reinforces the importance of long-term studies for accurate knowledge of the biodiversity. Considering that the biodiversity of the fragments of the sandy coastal environments in the state of Rio de Janeiro is poorly known, the present study provided a more detailed knowledge about different aspects of the biodiversity in the PNRJ, contributing to the preservation of this threatened ecosystem.