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Pian-Upe Wildlife Reserve: biological and socio-economic survey 41 4.6.4 Results Lines of pitfall traps were set at the sites depicted in Figure 4.1. Sampling intensity was 340 trap nights. Fifteen reptiles were captured, giving a capture rate of 4.4/100 trap nights. Four reptiles were captured opportunistically. Eight species of lizard (from four families) and three species of snake (from two families) were identified, as listed in Table 4.4. Table 4.4 Checklist of the reptiles of Pian-Upe Wildlife Reserve Vernacular name Specific name Typical habitat Range Order Sauria Family Gekkonidae: geckos Chevron-throated dwarf gecko Lygodactylus gutturalis - KUT NE Family Scincidae: skinks NE Subfamily Scincinae Burrowing skink sp. Scelotes sp. - - - Subfamily Lygosomatinae Rainbow skink Mabuya quinquetaeniata KUT NE Common stripped skink M. striata - KUT NE Family Agamidae: agamas Common agama Agama agama KUT NE Family Chamaeleonidae: chameleons Chameleon sp. Chamaeleo sp. - - - Family Lacertidae Scrub-lizard sp. Nucrus sp. Family Varanidae: monitors SE savannah monitor lizard Varanus albigularis - KUT NE Order Serpentes Family Boidae: pythons & boas Subfamily Pythoninae African rock python Python sebae s KUT NE Subfamily Viperinae Puff adder Bitis arietans s KUT NE Family Colubridae: colubrid snakes Subfamily Lamprophiinae Water snake sp. Lycodonomorphus sp. - - - Nomenclature and taxonomy follow Broadley & Howell (1991). Typical habitat from Branch (1988) and Broadley & Howell (1991). Key Habitat f forest interior g grassland m moist fe forest edge s savannah c cultivation w woodland sw swamp h human habitation Range (East African countries from which the species is recorded by Howell (undated)) K Kenya U Uganda T Tanzania Status (Mathius Behangana, pers. comm.) LR Low Risk LC Least Concern DD Data Deficient NE Not Evaluated Status Unfortunately, some specimens remain unidentified at the time of writing. Sampling in additional habitats is likely to reveal further species. Frontier-Uganda Wildlife Protected Areas Project January 1998 Baseline Surveys Programme Report No. 13
Pian-Upe Wildlife Reserve: biological and socio-economic survey 42 4.6.5 Discussion Lizards Skinks were the most commonly recorded reptile. Mabuya become accustomed to human activity quickly, and are common in areas of human habitation (Capula, 1989). Snakes Python sebae, Africa’s largest snake, is understandably feared by local people, being the only snake to consider humans edible (Branch, 1988). Bitis arietans, Africa’s most poisonous snake, is also widely feared (Hedges, 1983). The reptiles are typical of the locality and habitat types. None have been evaluated with regard to conservation status. 4.7 Amphibians 4.7.1 Introduction Amphibians have not been comprehensively studied in Uganda (Mathius Behangana, pers. comm.), and the status of the majority of East African amphibians has not yet been evaluated. Amphibians are ecologically important, being predators of insects, some of which are pests to crops or vectors of disease. Amphibians are also now recognised as sensitive environmental indicators: impact on their habitat is reflected by a change in abundance and diversity in a short time (Behangana, 1995). 4.7.2 Aim To survey and document the amphibian diversity of the reserve. 4.7.3 Methods Lines of pitfall traps were established to catch ground dwelling fauna (see section 4.4.3). Amphibians were also collected opportunistically by hand, particularly when calling in the evenings. Field identification was carried out using Schiøtz (1975) and Stewart (1967). Voucher specimens were sent for confirmation of identification to Mathius Behangana at the Department of Zoology, Makerere University. 4.7.4 Results Lines of pitfall traps were set at the sites depicted in Figure 4.1. Sampling intensity was 340 trap nights. Unfortunately, all of the specimens remain unidentified at the time of writing. Frontier-Uganda Wildlife Protected Areas Project January 1998 Baseline Surveys Programme Report No. 13
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