Herpetofaunal Surveys of the Greater Antilles

西印度群岛的生物多样性是新世界中最脆弱的，因为森林砍伐迅速，森林覆盖水平极低，人口密度高。在许多地区，天然林基本上已经消失，除了一小片次生林，其中许多物种，包括一些尚未命名的物种，仍然存在。在这些岛屿上现有的生物多样性消失之前，迫切需要记录下来。所获得的资料将有助于查明物种多样性高的热点地区，并为最需要保护的地区确定优先事项。该项目涉及对大安的列斯群岛鲜为人知和偏远地区的两栖动物、爬行动物和一些无脊椎动物群体进行调查和清点。东道国科学家和学生参与了调查和清查工作，包括合作分类学研究。组织样本被收集和保存，用于遗传关系的研究，新物种被描述，检查清单，钥匙和现场指南被制作出来。目前正在为互联网开发一个全面的电子数据库，其中包含关于西印度两栖动物和爬行动物的许多方面的信息。

9525775 Hedges The biodiversity of the West Indies is the most fragile in the New World because of rapid deforestation, very low levels of forest cover, and a high human population density. In many areas, natural forests essentially have disappeared except for small patches of secondary forest in which numerous species, including some not yet named, still exist. There is an urgent need to document the existing biological diversity on these islands befoer it disappears. The information gained will be valuable in efforts to identify hot spots of high species diversity and set priorities for those areas in greatest need of protection. This project involves surveys and inventories of amphibians, reptiles, ans some invertebrate groups in poorely known and remote regions of the Greater Antilles. Host country scientists and students are involved in the survey and inventory work, including collaborative taxonomic studies. Tissue samples are collected and maintained for genetic studies of relationships, new species are described, and checklists, keys, and field guides are produced. A comprehensive electornic database is being developed for the internet that contains information on many aspects of West Indain amphibians and reptiles.