Herpetofaunal diversity and distribution in Kalugala

This study reports species richness, abundance and diversity of herpetofauna in the Kalugala Proposed Forest Reserve (KPFR). KPFR is a primary lowland tropical rain forest, surrounded by secondary and disturbed vegetation due to human activities like cultivation, logging and collecting firewood. Herpetofaunal communities of these different habitats (closed forest, ecotone, home gardens and cultivations) were assessed using visual encounter surveys, transects, quadrates and pitfall traps, and distribution patterns were compared. A total of 24 amphibian species (~63% endemic and ~33%threatened) and 53 reptile species (~38% endemic and ~30% threatened) were recorded. Herpetofaunal Diversity of KPFR (Shannon Wiener Index, H= 1.668) is considerably high. Overall 742 individual amphibians were recorded and Fejervarya limnocharis was the most abundant while Ramanella variegata, Philautus abundus, P. cavirostris, P. reticulatus and P. stictomerus show the least abundance.
In total 1032 individual reptiles were recorded and Hypnale hypnale showed the highest abundance while Ahaetulla pulverulenta, Balanophis ceylonensis, Geckoella triedrus, Ramphotyphlops sp., Typhlops sp. and Rhinophis sp. showed the least. Reptilian distribution patterns are similar to the amphibian distribution patterns, with the highest diversity being in the closed forest and the lowest diversity in cultivations as expected. We did not observe an affect of ecotone (edge effect) in amphibian and reptile diversity except for ecotone and cultivations for reptiles (Mann-Whitney U-test: Z = 2.01, P =0.044).
Adverse human activities especially illegal encroachment in forest for agriculture practices, logging and garbage dumps of the Kalugala Monastery which located inside the forest are major growing threat to the local biodiversity in KPFR.

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