Systematics and Biogeography of the Guatemalan Herpetofauna

9705277坎贝尔危地马拉有一个非常多样化的爬虫动物区系，但这个国家的大部分地区仍然缺乏探索，新物种继续被发现频繁在这个国家。据估计，该国至少有10%的物种仍不为科学所知。该项目将强调在最不为人知的地区进行实地调查，并将产生广泛的新收藏，包括完整的标本，组织和照片。此外，这次对危地马拉爬虫动物的全面调查将提供一个独特的机会，以获得有关其寄生虫的信息。可以预期寄生虫种类的数量比它们的宿主多至少一个数量级。将使用传统技术从两栖动物和爬行动物中收集体内和体外寄生虫，并以符合长期博物馆保存和研究的方式制备。其中一些寄生虫的生物学将由寄生虫学家同事和他们的学生研究和报告。从这些实地调查中获得的其他寄生虫学材料将提供给一系列其他专家。作为拟议研究的直接结果，将在危地马拉建立一个全面的国家爬虫参考资料库，这将对在该国从事系统学、生态学和保护等许多不同研究领域的人员提供宝贵的帮助。此外，还将开发一个计算机化数据库，并在网上提供。该数据库将用于制作危地马拉的爬虫动物区系的清单、分布图和识别键，并将其寄生虫与宿主物种相关联。

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.