Amphibians and reptiles found in caves in Gabon, western Equatorial Africa

Abstract

An update is provided of current knowledge of the herpetofauna and batrachofauna recorded from caves in Gabon, western Equatorial Africa. No systematic field survey of reptiles and amphibians in Gabonese cave environments has yet been made, and data are available for only 19 (complexes of) caves. This compilation of published records and new observations includes seven reptile and at least nine amphibian species. None of them is restricted to cave environments, and most of the species are adaptable ecologically, being known from pristine as well as from highly degraded environments. All of them can be regarded as trogloxenes. Dedicated surveys, using appropriate methods, will certainly increase this species list considerably