Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
species are restricted to small areas of seasonal forests, others are temporary visi-
tors, and still others are distributed worldwide.
Reptiles and Amphibians
Snakes, turtles, lizards, caiman, frogs, and toads are among the many reptiles and
amphibians that inhabit the Neotropical seasonal forests. In coping with the long
dry season, some species become dormant in the dry season living in burrows
underground. Venomous pit vipers and coral snakes, constrictors, and other non-
venomous snakes can be found in this region. Pit vipers, the most deadly snakes in
the world, range from North America into Central and South America. Pit vipers
have sensory depressions or pits between their nostrils and eyes that they use to
sense warm-blooded prey, mostly small mammals and birds. They have sharp nee-
dle-like fangs that can deliver a lethal dose of poison and affect the blood tissue or
nervous system. The fer-de-lance, one of the most notorious of pit vipers, is found
in the seasonal forests as well as the rainforest. Other pit vipers include forest pit
vipers, palm pit vipers (also called eyelash pit vipers), and hognose pit vipers. Rat-
tlesnakes are found in the drier forest and scrublands of Mexico and Central Amer-
ica. Constrictors are a large group of nonvenomous snakes within the Neotropics
forests; they are called boas in this region. Boas have long wide heads with pointed
snouts and wide bodies. They capture their prey by attacking and biting it, coiling
around it and tightening their grip until they suffocate the victim.
Other reptiles in the Neotropical seasonal forest include lizards, geckos, tor-
toises, and turtles. Iguanas are a common lizard throughout the Neotropics (see
Figure 5.10) and one of the larger lizards to inhabit the tropics. They can be green-
ish-brown when young, but become darker brown as adults. Male iguanas change
color with the season, becoming brighter during the dry season when mating
begins. They are nonpoisonous, feeding on insects when young, and mostly fruits
and leaves as adults. Iguanas are found in trees and on the forest floor. Anoles are
another type of iguanid. They are great at climbing trees and can be found perched
on tree branches at great heights. They also hunt on the forest floor. Anoles eat
mostly insects. Crocodiles and caiman commonly can be seen along riverbanks of
seasonal forest. Caimans can be found from southern Mexico through northern Ar-
gentina. American crocodiles are restricted to Central America and the Caribbean.
Both of these reptiles are listed as endangered in this region.
Amphibians of the Neotropics belong to three orders: salamanders and newts,
caecilians, and the largest group, frogs and toads. Amphibians are less plentiful in
the seasonal forest because many require water to reproduce and typically lay eggs
in a gelatinous sac in ponds or streams. However, several frog and toad species can
be found. Members of the large Neotropical frog family include coquis, chirping
frogs, horned frogs, and the Chacoan burrowing frog. These frogs inhabit trees and
shrubs, as well as leaf litter on the forest floor. Some have direct developing eggs;
that is, the tadpole stage is skipped and a fully formed frog emerges from the egg.
Microhylid frogs occur in the Americas from the southern United States to
