Peru hosts a rich amphibian fauna with approximately 571 species described to date. Many of these species have been formally described only recently, and many more remain to be discovered and recognized. Despite the increase in the number of known species, some reports indicate recent, and in some cases enigmatic, loss of species richness at several sites in the Peruvian Andes. Similar population declines have been observed in neighboring Andean countries. The pathogenic fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis is associated with some of these declines, and we include a timeline of records of this pathogen in Peruvian amphibians. However, the paucity of standardized, long-term surveys limits our ability to understand the causes of declines and to assess the conservation status of Peruvian amphibians. Here we provide updated information on the conservation status of amphibians in Peru, and we discuss the possible causes of the observed declines. Furthermore, we discuss present and future threats to amphibian biodiversity, and we outline actions needed to promote the survival of this globally endangered group. We include a list of candidate sites for long-term surveys.

We present a detailed description of the type specimens of amphibians (frogs and salamanders) held in the scientific research collections of the Museo Civico di Storia Naturale in Milan, Italy. These collections are historically important because of their rich sampling from the early 20th Century of present-day Libya, Somalia, Ethiopia, and Eritrea, countries for which scientific collections are generally uncommon. Further, in the mid-19th Century the scientist Giorgio Jan amassed in Milan a diverse collection of amphibian and reptile specimens from institutions across Europe and the United States. There is a long history in the scientific literature stating that these specimens, brought together by Jan, were lost or destroyed due to the Allied bombing of Milan in 1943. We report the results of a thorough survey of the amphibian collection, revealing many type specimens previously thought lost, as well as several specimens from Jan's mid-19th Century collection believed to have been destroyed. Among the latter are specimens corresponding to three nomina nuda created by Jan in an 1857 catalog. We provide details for all type specimens as well as a short synopsis of the history and taxonomic status of each. The scientific collections of amphibians in Milan contain type specimens of one salamander, Hydromantes italicus bonzanoi, and 17 frog species of which three are not currently considered synonyms of older names: Arthroleptis elegans, Arthroleptis–Phrynobatrachus sciangallarum, Arthroleptis–Phrynobatrachus zavattarii, Bufo gardoensis, Bufo incertus, Bufo sibilai, Fichteria somalica, Hyperolius zavattarii, Kassina somalica, Megalixalus parkeri, Rana (Pyxicephalus) cimmarutai, Rana cornii, Rana fichteri, Rana oxyrhynchus migiurtina, Rana somalica, Rana zavattarii, and Rappia rossii.

In the past decades, herpetologists have studied intensively the amphibians of Bolivia, increasing dramatically the number of species known for the country. There are currently 266 species recorded, but this number will increase with the addition of many new country records and the description of species new to science, especially within Andean Craugastoridae. Deforestation, habitat destruction (mostly due to agriculture), water pollution, and chytridiomycosis are the main causes of amphibian declines in Bolivia. Andean frogs are much more affected than lowland species. Infection by the chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis is widespread. Forest species of the Andean genus Telmatobius have disappeared from known sites and some other Andean taxa have declined severely. Here, we revise the International Union for Conservation of Nature conservation status categories for some species of anurans. Public awareness is increasing thanks to different local initiatives addressing projects to protect Bolivian amphibians.

We surveyed an area of ∼260 km² in the western Mojave Desert to evaluate relationships between condition of Agassiz's Desert Tortoise populations (Gopherus agassizii) and habitat on lands that have experienced three different levels of management and protection. We established 240 1-ha plots using random sampling, with 80 plots on each of the three types of managed lands. We conducted surveys in spring 2011 and collected data on live tortoises, shell-skeletal remains, other signs of tortoises, perennial vegetation, predators, and evidence of human use. Throughout the study area and regardless of management area, tortoise abundance was positively associated with one of the more diverse associations of perennial vegetation. The management area with the longest history of protection, a fence, and legal exclusion of livestock and vehicles had significantly more live tortoises and lower death rates than the other two areas. Tortoise presence and abundance in this protected area had no significant positive or negative associations with predators or human-related impacts. In contrast, the management area with a more recent exclusion of livestock, limited vehicular traffic, and with a recent, partial fence had lower tortoise densities and high death rates. Tortoise abundance here was negatively associated with vehicle tracks and positively associated with mammalian predators and debris from firearms. The management area with the least protection—unfenced, with uncontrolled vehicle use, sheep grazing, and high trash counts—also had low tortoise densities and high death rates. Tortoise abundance was negatively associated with sheep grazing and positively associated with trash and mammalian predator scat.

Hatchling emergence patterns were studied in a community of six species of freshwater turtles in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, USA, including: Chelydra serpentina, Chrysemys picta, Clemmys guttata, Glyptemys insculpta, Glyptemys muhlenbergii, and Sternotherus odoratus. Data were collected every year from 1965–1985 on estimated date of emergence, carapace length, April–May precipitation, August–September precipitation, annual precipitation, and low temperature and occurrence of precipitation during the 24 h prior to the time of each hatchling detection (n  =  806). Chelydra serpentina, Ch. picta, and Cl. guttata hatchlings have a facultative delayed emergence strategy. The other species (G. insculpta, G. muhlenbergii, and S. odoratus) appear to be obligate early emergers, with the exception of one hatchling G. muhlenbergii that delayed emergence. Early emergence occurred in some species every year. However, the majority of hatchlings delayed emergence until the year following oviposition, except in 1973, the year following intense flooding and nest destruction associated with a major hurricane. Mean estimated calendar day of emergence varied annually in C. serpentina and Ch. picta. The same variable also differed among species for comparisons of both early and delayed emergence. Chelydra serpentina hatchlings emerged earlier than all other species whether they used an early or delayed strategy. Carapace length of Ch. picta hatchlings varied significantly among years, and C. serpentina hatchlings that delayed emergence were significantly larger in carapace length than those that emerged early. Seasonal and previous 24-h precipitation had varying effects on the number of emerging hatchlings, but August–September precipitation in one year had a strong correlation with the number of hatchlings that delayed emergence until the following spring. The number of hatchlings detected peaked at a previous 24-h air temperature of about 12°C for both early and late emergence. Small species like G. muhlenbergii and S. odoratus may emerge early to limit potential hatchling competition in diverse communities of freshwater turtles with primarily delayed emergence.

Le motif d'émergence d'une communauté de 6 espèces de tortue d'eau douce a été étudié, dont Chelydra serpentina, Chrysemys picta, Clemmys guttata, Glyptemys insculpta, Glyptemys muhlenbergii, et Sternotherus odoratus, dans le comté de Lancaster, en Pennsylvanie, É.-U. Les données telles que l'estimé de date d'éclosion, la longueur de la carapace, les précipitation aux mois d'avril et mai et ensuite août et septembre, les précipitations annuelles, et la présence de basses températures et de pluie pendant les 24 h avant la détection d'éclosion de tortues (n  =  806) ont été mesurées annuellement de 1965–1985. Les jeunes tortues des espèces C. serpentina, Ch. picta, and Cl. guttata semblent pratiquer une stratégie d'émergence tardive facultative, leur permettant d'émerger plus tard dans la saison si nécessaire. Les autres espèces (G. insculpta, G. muhlenbergii, et S. odoratus) semblent plutôt contraintes à émerger tôt dans la saison, sauf dans le cas d'une tortue G. muhlenbergii qui a été observé en émergence tardive. Au moins une espèce de tortue a été observée à émerger hâtivement à chaque année, à l'exception de 1973, année précédée d'un sévère ouragan causant l'inondation et la destruction de plusieurs nids. Par contre, la majorité des jeunes tortues ont repoussé leur émergence à l'année suivant l'oviposition. Le jour hebdomadaire moyen d'émergence a varié annuellement pour C. serpentina et Ch. picta. La même variable varie entre espèces lors de comparaisons entre l'émergence hâtive et tar

Recent phylogenetic analysis of false geckos, genus Pseudogekko, revealed unrecognized diversity within these exceedingly rare and enigmatic Philippine forest geckos. Newly available genetic datasets revealed that two of the four currently recognized species are complexes of multiple, deeply divergent evolutionary lineages. In this paper we evaluate species diversity in the Pseudogekko compresicorpus Complex and describe three new species in this unique clade of endemic Philippine geckos. For nearly a century, P. compresicorpus has been recognized as a single, “widespread” species with a geographic range spanning three major faunal regions and several isolated islands. This perception of the species' wide geographic range has persisted due to the rarity of this species. We evaluate morphological data, in light of a recent phylogenetic study on the genus, to define species limits in P. compresicorpus, finding character-based evidence that unambiguously supports the recognition of four unique evolutionary lineages within the complex, three of which we describe as new species. These evolutionary species correspond to monophyletic lineages supported in recent molecular studies. We also address the historically controversial generic affiliation of Pseudogekko labialis and conclude that this poorly known species is a member of the genus Lepidodactylus. All species recognized in this study possess allopatric geographic ranges and differ from congeners by numerous diagnostic characters of external morphology and, therefore, should be recognized as full species in accordance with any lineage-based species concept. This study nearly doubles the known diversity of Philippine false geckos.