Species diversity and distribution of amphibians and reptiles in Sardinia, Italy

From Firenze University Press Journal: Acta Herpetologica

Claudia Corti, Museo di Storia Naturale dell’Università di Firenze

Marta Biaggini, Museo di Storia Naturale dell’Università di Firenze

Valeria Nulchis, Sezione Sardegna della Societas Herpetologica Italica

Roberto Cogoni, Sezione Sardegna della Societas Herpetologica Italica

Ilaria Maria Cossu, Sezione Sardegna della Societas Herpetologica Italica

Salvatore Frau

Manuela Mulargia, Sezione Sardegna della Societas Herpetologica Italica

Enrico Lunghi, Sezione Sardegna della Societas Herpetologica Italica

Lara Bassu, Sezione Sardegna della Societas Herpetologica Italica

Sardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediter-ranean and, together with Corsica, with which it shares its paleo-origin, it is one of the most relevant biodiversity hotspots in the Mediterranean (Blondel et al., 2010). Due to its long isolation (24–20 Mya), the complex geological history, the geographical position, the climat-ic and historical events, Sardinia is home to numerous endemic herpetological species, eight amphibians and five reptiles, some of which derive from ancestors present on the Sardinian-Corsican microplate before its detach-ment from the main European plate (Alvarez, 1972; Lanza, 1983; Carmignani et al., 1995, 2001, 2016; Corti et al., 1999; Speranza et al., 2002; Rodríguez et al., 2017). Sardinia is home to 11 amphibian and 18 reptile species (SHI, 1996; Bassu et al., 2010). The current herpetologi-cal composition of the Island can be mainly referred to a) the Messinian salinity crisis which occurred in the Miocene (~5 Mya) when important climatic variations occurred with consequent impact on flora and fauna, b) sea level oscillations due to the alternation of recurrent glacial and interglacial periods that have repeatedly sep-arated and connected the island with Corsica and with the continent, c) the arrival of man (Corti et al., 1999; Duggen et al., 2003; Senczuk et al., 2019).

In the “Provisional atlas of Italian amphibians and reptiles” (Atlante provvisorio degli Anfibi e Rettili italiani, as part of the atlas project of the Italian Society of Herpetology, SHI, 1996) preliminary distribution maps of the Sardinian species were reproduced, subsequently pub-lished with some updates in the “Atlas of Italian amphib-ians and reptiles” (Sindaco et al., 2006). In the last three decades, the scientific interest in Sardinian herpetological species has intensified. In addition to some updates on the species distribution, an increasing number of arti-cles have been produced focusing on phylogeography, ecology and conservation which have also contributed to provide data on the distribution of amphibians and reptiles on the Island (Corti et al., 2000, 2010; Vascon-celos et al., 2006; Van der Meijden et al., 2009; Salvi et al., 2010, 2011, 2017; Salvi and Bombi, 2010; Vamberger et al., 2011; De Pous et al, 2012; Fritz et al., 2012; Bombi and Vignoli, 2014; Biaggini et al., 2016; Rodríguez et al., 2017; Cossu et al., 2018; Ficetola et al., 2018; Lunghi et al., 2020; Mulargia et al., 2018; Sillero et al., 2018; Bellati et al., 2019; Senczuk et al., 2019; further references are given as supplementary material L1). At the same time, recent paleontological investigations (see Zoboli et al., 2019, 2022, and literature therein) are providing interesting baseline information testifying for the presence of taxa that are present in Sardinia since a relatively deep past (as green toads, Emys orbicularis, Testudo hermanni, Natrix) or went locally extirpated (as Speleomantes, Dis-coglossus, Salamandrina, Mauremys, giant tortoises, soft-shell turtles, worm lizards, agamid lizards, Timon, Vipera) or even globally extinct (‘Tomistoma’ calaritanus, Trachyaspis lardyi, Testudo pecorinii, pleurodiran turtles, Sardophis elaphoides).With this work, we aim to provide updated distribu-tion data collected from literature and direct field obser-vations, together with a critical comment on the diversity of the Sardinian herpetofauna.

Although distribution databases are a dynamic tool constantly updated, we still believe it is important to take “snapshots” of the distribution of the various species from time to time to promptly identify potential critical issue and intervene with appropriate conservation measures. A particular focus was also made on the fauna of satellite islands, with an updated list of amphibians and rep-tiles of the circum-Sardinian islands that actively contribute to the herpetological diversity of Sardinia.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/a_h-13627

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