Brazilian Journal of Enviromnent
Open Access Journal
CiteScore
0.5
Indexada na
SCOPUS
QUALIS
B3
2017-2021
quadriênio
Open Access Journal
0.5
Indexada na
SCOPUS
B3
2017-2021
quadriênio
Despite being recognized as the most biodiverse semi-arid biome in the world, the Caatinga still presents significant knowledge gaps regarding its fauna, including the herpetofauna group. Biodiversity surveys conducted in the context of environmental licensing offer opportunities to expand knowledge of species distribution and diversity, despite methodological and technical limitations. The present study aimed to document the snake assemblage in the Boqueirão da Onça Environmental Protection Area, Bahia, based on a short-term sampling conducted as part of the environmental licensing process. This protected area holds high environmental significance, as it is located within a region that encompasses one of the last continuous and well-preserved remnants of Caatinga. The survey covered a 30-hectare area in the municipality of Sento Sé and was conducted through two field campaigns. Active Visual Search methodology was employed across 10 sampling units, totaling 20 days or 80 hours of effort. A total of 25 individuals were recorded, distributed across 10 species and three families, with Colubridae showing the highest richness (7 species), followed by Viperidae (2) and Elapidae (1). The species accumulation curve did not reach an asymptote, suggesting that further species may yet be detected in the area. These results demonstrate that fauna surveys associated with environmental licensing provide valuable data to reduce knowledge gaps regarding the regional herpetofauna. We conclude that continuous studies, with improved methodological standardization and broader data dissemination, can significantly enhance the scientific understanding, management, and conservation of the Caatinga.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Copyright (c) 2025 Ana Teresa Caldas, Bruno Valente, Marcela Imamura, Nathan Souza, Ricardo Magalhães, Jéssica Oliveira, Brenda Pita