Page 28 - Thola Issue 17

26 Herpetology Department
REPTILIAN AND
AMPHIBIAN
RESURRECTION
Four years of hard work have begun to pay off and the Department of Herpetology is rising, cobra-like, from the basket of moribund inactivity. Angelo Lambiris, Honorary Curator, reports.
There is still much to be done, of course, but we can now report on two major hallmarks of progress.
Firstly, the Museum received
two large donations of reptiles and amphibians from Richard Boycott
in Swaziland. Richard is an eminent herpetologist who has had a long
and distinguished career in nature conservation and education, and has done much important work on the lower vertebrates of Swaziland – a country which is still, in many respects, poorly known.
Richard’s first donation was a collection of 39 reptiles; the second donation was of 88 reptiles and
84 amphibians sent last year – an impressive total of 211 specimens altogether. Even more impressive, though, is the taxonomic diversity represented by these specimens.
The amphibians are represented by 28 different species in 18 genera, which accounts for the vast majority of species known to occur in Swaziland.
With regard to reptiles, we have 56 specimens of lizards, 28 of snakes, and
That such a tiny country should have so many reptilian and amphibian species is astonishing enough, and a clear indication of the biological and ecological complexity of the area, but it also adds greatly to the scientific value of these magnificent donations.
four terrapins. These include 27 species of lizards in 19 genera, 27 species of snakes in 24 genera, and one genus and species of terrapin – again, representing the vast majority of species occurring in that country.
That such a tiny country should have so many reptilian and amphibian species is astonishing enough, and a clear indication of the biological and ecological complexity of the area, but it also adds greatly to the scientific value of these magnificent donations. There are many remarkably interesting species
BELOW: Herpetology wet collection specimens.
thola: VOLUME 17. 2014/15