Taxonomic Composition, Diversity, and Conservation Status of Reptilian Fauna at Sekayu Lowland Forests, Terengganu, Peninsular Malaysia

Abstract

Lowland forests of Terengganu are still lacking in extensive studies on reptiles, and Sekayu lowland forest is one such example. We assess the composition, diversity and conservation status of reptiles in this area based on seven years (2013 – 2019) of data collection via Visual Encounter Survey and pitfall traps as the collecting methods. We also compiled a checklist by combining the data from our surveys and previous studies done at this area. We discovered a total of 84 species of reptiles belonging to 15 families and 50 genera. Of these, lizards were the most abundant whereas snakes had the highest number of families, genera and highest species richness. Approximately 71% of the sampled reptiles are categorised as «Least Concern» based on the IUCN Red List Categories. Overall, reptile species richness is high and these records highlight the importance of lowland forests in Terengganu as a source of significant reptile diversity.