Herpetofauna from a Caatinga’s Brejo de altitude in Northeast Brazil

Inventories are essential because they can assist in decision-making about the protection of species, communities, and ecosystems. They also play a crucial role in engaging human populations, whether by involving them in citizen science initiatives or by providing a foundation for conservation actions. We provide an inventory of herpetofauna species from the Environmental Protection Area Serra de Maranguape and compare its diversity of herpetofauna with other Caatinga conservation units. The Serra de Maranguape is a pre-coastal residual massif considered a priority area for herpetofauna conservation. However, this residual massif has been subject to intense degradation and replacement of forests with crops. We found 33 species of amphibians and 52 Squamata species. The Serra de Maranguape herpetofauna consists of Caatinga’s typical species, well-distributed species, and some restricted species to the altitudinal humid forests. In addition, this herpetofauna composition is more similar to other ‘Brejos de Altitude’ rather than Caatinga. Our study’s data on richness and composition suggest that Serra de Maranguape is an area of extreme biological importance and unique because of some endemic and threatened species. This mountain range is one of the most critical areas for conserving herpetofauna in Northeastern Brazil.