Amphibians and Reptiles in Protected Areas in Ilocos Norte Province, Luzon Island, Northern Philippines

Study Extent

Herpetofaunal surveys were conducted in Paoay Lake National Park (PLNP), Metropolitan Ilocos Norte Watershed and Forest Reserve (MINWFR), and Kalbario-Patapat Natural Park (KPNP), including the sand dunes of Municipality of Paoay.

Sampling

We conducted systematic herpetofaunal surveys following the protocol of timed visual encounter survey (transect and patch sampling method; Crump & Scott 1994). We established a total of thirty 10 X 100m standardized transect strips, spaced 100m apart, in different habitat types (e.g., along the road, parallel to lake shoreline, along streams in secondary growth forests, trail and non-trail transects in secondary growth forests), in an effort to avoid sampling bias. Moreover, we established 10 X 10m habitat patches (i.e., sampling plots) in cave habitats and one-hectare habitat patches were established in agricultural areas. We surveyed transect and habitat patches for approximately 45 minutes during day-light (07:00–10:00 h) and at night (18:00–23:00 h). To avoid disturbance, we made sure that transects surveyed during the day were not traversed at night, and vice-versa, on successive days/nights. We also conducted general observations and opportunistic sampling around the camp and trails to maximize information collected from the study areas. We searched for animals by visually scanning the ground, over rocks and boulders, in pits, cavities, and crevices of limestone karsts, and vegetation, while raking the forest floor litter, probing epiphytes and tree hollows, upturning dead logs, debris, rocks, and man-made items. The animals that we encountered during the surveys were recorded, as were associated data, including their habitat and activity upon first notice (e.g., calling, foraging, mating, etc.). We collected a limited number of voucher specimens for each species that was encountered and were preserved following McDiarmid (1994) and Gotte et al. (2016). We include below whenever possible the catalog numbers corresponding to voucher specimens deposited at the Philippine National Museum of Natural Hisotry (PNM). We followed the field survey protocols as outlined in an existing active Wildlife Gratuitous Permit to Collect (GP) No. 277 (c/o Arman N. Pili, University of Santo Tomas) and 282 (c/o Mae Lowe L. Diesmos, HerpWatch Pilipinas, Inc., provided by the Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources). We followed Brown & Alcala (1978), Brown & Alcala (1980), Alcala and Brown (1998), and Alcala (1986) for initial species identification. These identifications were verified by A.C. Diesmos. We adopted the taxonomic arrangements of AmphibiaWeb (2019), Amphibian species of the world (Frost 2019), and the Reptile Database (Uetz et al. 2019).

Quality Control

The dataset was cleaned and validated using OpenRefine and Species Name Resolver. The dataset was standardized to Darwin Core format.

Method steps

1. Sampling and survey method -- Systematic herpetofaunal surveys following the protocol of timed visual encounter survey (transect and patch sampling method; Crump & Scott 1994). We established a total of thirty 10 X 100m standardized transect strips, spaced 100m apart, in different habitat types (e.g., along the road, parallel to lake shoreline, along streams in secondary growth forests, trail and non-trail transects in secondary growth forests), in an effort to avoid sampling bias. Moreover, we established 10 X 10m habitat patches (i.e., sampling plots) in cave habitats and one-hectare habitat patches were established in agricultural areas. we surveyed transect and habitat patches for approximately 45 minutes during day-light (07:00–10:00 h) and at night (18:00–23:00 h). To avoid disturbance, we made sure that transects surveyed during the day were not traversed at night, and vice-versa, on successive days/nights. We also conducted general observations and opportunistic sampling around the camp and trails to maximize information collected from the study areas. We searched for animals by visually scanning the ground, over rocks and boulders, in pits, cavities, and crevices of limestone karsts, and vegetation, while raking the forest floor litter, probing epiphytes and tree hollows, upturning dead logs, debris, rocks, and man-made items. The animals that we encountered during the surveys were recorded, as were associated data, including their habitat and activity upon first notice (e.g., calling, foraging, mating, etc.).
2. Preservation method -- We collected a limited number of voucher specimens for each species that was encountered and were preserved following McDiarmid (1994) and Gotte et al. (2016). We include below whenever possible the catalog numbers corresponding to voucher specimens deposited at the Philippine National Museum of Natural Hisotry (PNM).
3. Permits -- We followed the field survey protocols as outlined in an existing active Wildlife Gratuitous Permit to Collect (GP) No. 277 (c/o Arman N. Pili, University of Santo Tomas) and 282 (c/o Mae Lowe L. Diesmos, HerpWatch Pilipinas, Inc., provided by the Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources).
4. Identification and taxonomic reference -- We followed Brown & Alcala (1978), Brown & Alcala (1980), Alcala and Brown (1998), and Alcala (1986) for initial species identification. These identifications were verified by A.C. Diesmos. We adopted the taxonomic arrangements of AmphibiaWeb (2019), Amphibian species of the world (Frost 2019), and the Reptile Database (Uetz et al. 2019).
5. Database management -- field sheets were transcribed into excel files by field members one week post-survey. Specimens were deposited to the Philippine National Museum of Natural History and the identities were authenticated by the resident curator. The dataset was cleaned and validated using OpenRefine and Species Names Validator. The dataset was standardized to Darwin Core format.

The taxonomic coverage of this dataset includes 16 species of frogs and toads (Class Amphibia: Order Anura: six families), 21 species of snakes, lizards, and geckos (Class Reptilia: Order Squamata: 8 families), and one species of turtle (Class Reptilia: Order Testudines: Family Bataguridae).

1. Ahaetulla prasina
   rank: species
2. Boiga philippina
   rank: species
3. Bronchocela marmorata
   rank: species
4. Coelognathus erythrura
   rank: species
5. Cuora amboinensis
   rank: species
6. Cyrtodactylus philippinicus
   rank: species
7. Draco spilopterus
   rank: species
8. Dryophiopis philippina
   rank: species
9. Eutropis multicarinata
   rank: species
10. Fejervarya vittigera
    rank: species
11. Gekko gecko
    rank: species
12. Gekko kikuchi
    rank: species
13. Hemidactylus bookii
    rank: species
14. Hemidactylus frenatus
    rank: species
15. Hemidactylus platyurus
    rank: species
16. Hoplobatrachus rugulosus
    rank: species
17. Kaloula kalingensis
    rank: species
18. Kaloula picta
    rank: species
19. Kaloula pulchra
    rank: species
20. Kaloula rigida
    rank: species
21. Lamprolepis smaragdina
    rank: species
22. Limnonectes macrocephalus
    rank: species
23. Limnonectes woodworthi
    rank: species
24. Malayopython reticulatus
    rank: species
25. Occidozyga laevis
    rank: species
26. Oligodon anchorus
    rank: species
27. Otosaurus cumingi
    rank: species
28. Oxyrhabdium leporinum
    rank: species
29. Platymantis cagayanensis
    rank: species
30. Polypedates leucomystax
    rank: species
31. Psammodynastes pulverulentus
    rank: species
32. Pulchrana similis
    rank: species
33. Rhacophorus pardalis
    rank: species
34. Rhinella marina
    rank: species
35. Sanguirana igorota
    rank: species
36. Sanguirana luzonensis
    rank: species
37. Trimeresurus flavomaculatus
    rank: species
38. Varanus marmoratus
    rank: species

The general geographic scope of the dataset is Ilocos Norte Province, the Philippines. Herpetofaunal surveys were conducted in Protected Areas and their environs in Ilocos Norte Province, Northern Luzon Island, the Philippines. -- Paoay Lake National Park (PLNP), Metropolitan Ilocos Norte Watershed and Forest Reserve (MINWFR), and Kalbario-Patapat Natural Park (KPNP), including the sand dunes of Municipality of Paoay.