Systematics and Biogeography of the Guatemalan Herpetofauna

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9705277 Campbell Guatemala has an extremely diverse herpetofauna, but most regions of this country remain poorly explored, and new species continue to be discovered frequently in this country. It is estimated that at least 10% of the species occurring in this country remain unknown to science. This project will emphasize field investigations in the most poorly known regions, and will produce extensive new collections, including whole specimens, tissues, and photographs. Additionally, this comprehensive survey of the herpetofauna of Guatemala will provide a unique opportunity to gain information on their parasites. The number of parasite species can be expected to be more numerous than their hosts by at least an order of magnitude. Internal and external parasites will be collected from amphibians and reptiles using traditional techniques and prepared in a manner consistent with long-term museum preservation and study. The biology of some of these parasites will be studied and reported by parasitologist colleagues and their students. Other parasitological material resulting from these field investigations will be made available to a range of other specialists. As a direct result of the research proposed, a comprehensive National Herpetological Reference Collection will be developed within Guatemala that will be a valuable aid to persons working in that country in many diverse areas of research including systematics, ecology, and conservation. Also, a computerized database will be developed and made available online. This database will be used to produce a checklist, distribution maps, and identification keys for the herpetofauna of Guatemala and will correlate their parasites with the host species.