First herpetological appraisal of the Parque Nacional de Banhine, Gaza Province, southern Mozambique

Abstract

The herpetofauna of Mozambique remains poorly documented despite recent surveys. We present here the first report on the herpetofauna occurring in Parque Nacional de Banhine in Gaza Province.Four chelonian, 13 snake, one amphisbaenid, 16 lizard and 15 frog species were recorded in the park, while an additional six snake, five lizard and two frog taxa have been recorded in close proximity and probably also occur in the park. Numerous range extensions are recorded, and these are discussed in the light of our present knowledge of the distribution of herpetofauna in Mozambique.