Tracking the Spread of Six Invasive Amphibians and Reptiles Using the Geographic Distribution Records Published in Herpetological Review

摘要

Historically, documenting the presence and the impacts of invasive amphibians and reptiles have generally received little attention due to their cryptic nature and the lack of large and demonstrable impacts on humans and their economic activities. Here we use the term "invasive" as defined by Richardson et al. (2000): species that "produce reproductive offspring in areas distant from sites of introduction." Additionally, much of the associated literature on invasions by amphibians and reptiles is widely scattered and difficult to synthesize (Kraus 2009). Rapid detection of new invasions is important because the most efficacious time to stop invasions is early in the invasion process (Seebens et al. 2018). Attention to the presence of invasive amphibians and reptiles began to increase towards the end of the 20~(th) century with the clearly observable and destructive effects of invasive amphibians and reptiles such as the Brown Tree Snake (Boiga irregularis) on Guam, the Cane Toad (Rhinella marina) in Australia, and the Burmese Python (Python bivittatus) in Florida. Alien reptiles and amphibians have been introduced through several major pathways, such as biocontrol (deliberate), stowaways in cargo transport (accidental), the nursery plant trade (accidental), and the pet trade (both deliberate and accidental). Cargo stowaways and the pet trade are responsible for the greatest number of amphibian and reptile introductions globally, and lizards and frogs are the most frequently introduced taxa, with lizards having the highest rate of establishment (Kraus 2009).