2.3. Reptile species composition of tropical rainforest

Reptiles are carnivorous in nature and play a significant role in controlling various pests present in the forest, such as beetles, arthropods, caterpillars, termites, bugs, rats, mice, etc.,

Figure 7. Red-eye tree frog—Agalychnis callidryas (Male).

damage to forest, and replacement of native vegetation by exotic species [70] are the main problems, which affect the fauna species. Loss of forested areas is responsible for the loss of

Family Scientific name Common name Habitat Authors

Oligodon maculatus Barred ShortHeaded Snake Tropical Rainforest

Calamaria gervaisii Gervais' Worm Snake Tropical Rainforest

Lycodon dumerili Dumeril's Wolf Snake Tropical Rainforest

Tropidolaemus sp. Wagler's Pit Viper Tropical Rainforest

Phyton reticulatus Reticulated Phyton Tropical Rainforest

Sphenomorphus beyeri Beyer's Sphenomorphus Tropical Rainforest

Lipinia pulchella Yellow-Striped Slender Tree Skink Tropical Rainforest

Eutropis englei Six-Striped Mabouya Tropical Rainforest

Gekkonidae Gekko mindorensis Mindoro Narrow-Disked Gecko Tropical Rainforest

Scincidae Sphenomorphus variegatus Black-Spotted Sphenomorphus Tropical Rainforest

Dark- Spotted Mock Viper Tropical Rainforest

(Philippine)

(Philippine)

(Philippine)

(Philippine)

(Philippine)

(Philippine)

(Philippine)

(Philippine)

(Philippine)

(Philippine)

(Philippine)

(Philippine)

(Philippine)

(Philippine)

Northern Two-Striped Mabuya Tropical Rainforest

Tropical Rainforest (Philippine)

[94]

[94]

[94]

[94]

[94]

[94]

[94]

[94]

[94]

[94]

[94]

[94]

[94]

[94]

[94]

Agamidae Gonyocephalus semperi White-Spotted Angle head Tropical Rainforest

36 Tropical Forests - The Challenges of Maintaining Ecosystem Services while Managing the Landscape

Colubridae Boiga dendrophilia Mangrove Blunt-Headed Snake Tropical Rainforest

Oxyrhabdium leporinum Banded Philippine Burrowing Snake

Psammodynastes pulverulentus

Eutropis multicarinata

borealis

Tropical rainforest had harbored rich mammal diversity and density due to richness of plant communities and higher productivity (Figures 5 and 6; Table 2). Mammals are a versatile group of animals and a major component of the tropical rainforest ecosystem, i.e., they serve a wide range of ecosystem functions; such as pollination, seed dispersal, pest control, herb control, food source for other animals and nutrient cycling. In addition to ecological

2.2. Mammal species composition of tropical rainforest

Table 3. List of reptile species that occur in tropical rainforest.

biodiversity.




Bufonidae

Scientific Name

Ingerophrynus

Ansonia muelleri

Dicroglossidae

Limnonectes

Limnonectes

Limnonectes

Limnonectes

Occidozyga baluensis

Occidozyga laevis

Chaperina fusca

Kalophrynus

Kaloula baleata

Metaphrynella

Microhyla borneensis

Kalophrynus

Hylarana erythraea Hylarana glandulosa Hylarana nicobariensis

Hylarana raniceps

Staurois natator Rana grandocula

Limnonectes

Platymantis

 corrugata

 magnus

Ranidae

 pleurostigma

 sundana

 pleurostigma

Microhylidae

 malesianus

 leporinus

 ingeri

 finchi

 divergens

Common Name Malayan Dwarf Toad

Mueller's Toad Finch's Wart Frog

Inger's Wart frog Giant River Frog

Malaysian Frog Balu Oriental Frog

Puddle Frog

Brown Thorny Frog

Black-spotted

Smooth-fingered

Borneo Tree-hole Frog

Matang Black-spotted

Common Green Frog

Rough-sided

Cricket Frog White-lipped

Rock Frog Big-eyed Frog Mindanao Fanged Frog

Rough-backed

 Forest Frog

 Frog

 Frog

Narrow-mouthed

 Frog

Narrow-mouthed

 Frog

Narrow-mouthed

 Frog

 Lowland Tropical Rainforest (Malaysia) Lowland Tropical Rainforest (Malaysia) Lowland Tropical Rainforest (Malaysia)

Tropical Rainforest (Philippine) Lowland Tropical Rainforest (Malaysia) Lowland Tropical Rainforest (Malaysia) Lowland Tropical Rainforest (Malaysia) Lowland Tropical Rainforest (Malaysia)

Tropical Rainforest (Philippine) Tropical Rainforest (Philippine) Tropical Rainforest (Philippine) Tropical Rainforest (Philippine)

 Sticky Frog

Habitat Lowland Tropical Rainforest (Malaysia)

Tropical Rainforest (Philippine) Lowland Tropical Rainforest (Malaysia) Lowland Tropical Rainforest (Malaysia) Lowland Tropical Rainforest (Malaysia) Lowland Tropical Rainforest (Malaysia) Lowland Tropical Rainforest (Malaysia) Lowland Tropical Rainforest (Malaysia) Lowland Tropical Rainforest (Malaysia) Lowland Tropical Rainforest (Malaysia)

Authors

 [106]

[94]

 [106]

 [106]

 [106]

 [106]

 [106]

 [106]

 [106]

 [106]

38 Tropical Forests - The Challenges of Maintaining Ecosystem Services while Managing the Landscape

 [106]

 [106]

 [106]

[94]

 [106]

 [106]

 [106]

 [106]

[94]

[94]

[94]

[94]

Table 4. List of amphibian species that occur in tropical rainforest.

which may cause severe loss, such as defoliation, seed, and wood damage. Even though they are crucially important for tropical forest ecosystems (Table 3), they are facing critical threats from human induced factors such as land-use change (i.e., deforestation, fragmentation and degradation) that have altered the natural habitat of the reptile species that directly or indirectly depend upon tropical rainforests for their survival and reproduction.

Reptiles are highly sensitive species compared to other fauna species, i.e., they become more vulnerable due to land use change, i.e., habitat alteration [95]. This might be because they have a small home range, which is adversely affected by habitat loss and degradation [96, 97]. For example, deforestation may cause severe habitat loss, fragmentation, and degradation which adversely affect the population, community parameters of reptiles inhabiting in a tropical rainforest ecosystem [98–100].

Anthropogenic activities had altered the reptilian intact habitat through land-use change, their habitats becomes degraded and lost thus ultimately becoming unsuitable for them. This is because forested reptile prefers dense and moist habitat, which provides them shelter and rich food resources for their survival, protection, and reproduction. Deforestation may disturb their breeding sites, reduce home range, and increase visibility for predators. Likewise, fragmentation reduced their home range, while degradation reduced their food resources and breeding behavior. Furthermore, land-use changes such as deforestation, fragmentation, and degradation may alter microclimatic conditions of particular dwelling habitats such as temperature, relative humidity, rainfall, and sunlight that ultimately modify the vegetation structure and composition.

## 2.4. Amphibian species composition of tropical rainforest

Amphibians are cold-blooded vertebrates and are carnivorous in nature. They play a key role to control the various pests, thus balancing the nature [101]. Amphibians are a significant component of the tropical rainforest ecosystem (Figure 7; Table 4) and play an important role in pest control. Habitat loss due highest deforestation is responsible for one-third population decline of the amphibians [10, 102–104]. One-fifth amphibians of Southeast Asia are reported as threatened species [105]. This is because they have small home ranges, i.e., specific aquatic habitat, higher vulnerability to habitat change, and visibility to predators. In addition, over-harvesting from natural habitat for food supply (human consumption), medicine (traditional use), and pet trade also had exerted great pressure on the population of amphibians [104].
