The high diversity and complex distribution of megadiverse faunas have attracted scientific attention since the early stages of biogeography and evolutionary biology. Despite the early progress in documenting global biotic regionalization patterns, megadiverse regions of the globe remain relatively poorly studied, regardless of the urgency in documenting biogeographical patterns in times of rampant biodiversity crisis. Most available data for global biodiversity analyses are based on coarse avian, mammalian and amphibian distributions. Persistent knowledge gaps in global reptilian distribution hamper broader analyses and general conclusions on biogeographical and macroecological patterns within tetrapods. Moreover, detailed, verified point-locality distribution datasets are scarce or nonexistent even for the best studied vertebrate groups. Despite many recent advances in mapping squamate faunas within large cis-andean ecoregions, there are no syntheses and broad analyses on diversity and endemism patterns of Neotropical squamates. Thus, general distribution patterns and their underlying evolutionary processes remain poorly investigated in the richest squamate faunas on the planet.

       The first aim of this project is to map cis-andean squamate species, filling a persistent gap in global biodiversity knowledge. Based on these revised and detailed distributions, we will document and interpret spatial varations in endemism and phylogenetic diversity, testing if these key biogoegraphical patterns are properly represented in the current protected area system. At broader scales, cis-andean squamate megadiversity will be analysed within the context of global reptilian distributions, testing general biogeographical and macroecological patterns within tetrapods.

Major Goals:

- Map and interpret broad scale distribution patterns in cis-andean Squamates
- Analyse regionalization patterns and their overlap with habitat loss and protected area systems
- Test congruence among major biodiversity currencies: richness, endemism, phylogenetic diversity and threat.

Research Team: 

Cristiano de Campos Nogueira - Universidade de São Paulo - project coordinator 

Marcio R. C. Martins - Universidade de São Paulo - project supervisor

Ricardo J. Sawaya - Universidade Federal de São Paulo

Richard Grenyer - University of Oxford

Shai Meiri - Tel Aviv University

Dan Rosauer - Australian National University

Hussam E. D. Zaher - Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de São Paulo 

Fausto E. Barbo - Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de São Paulo

Marco A. Ribeiro Junior - Post doc candidate

Josué A. R. Azevedo - University of Gothemburg