Reptiles of Santa Catarina Island, Southern Brazil

The Atlantic Forest is a biodiversity hotspot and one of the most threatened ecosystems in the world. Still, its reptile fauna is poorly known, especially in its southern portion. We present here for the first time a compiled list of land and freshwater reptiles of the Island of Santa Catarina, the largest continental island off the Brazilian coast. The list was based on field observation, literature, and preserved material from herpetological collections. We recorded 36 autochtho-nous reptile species, including one crocodylian, one turtle, two amphisbaenians, nine lizards, and 23 snakes. We also recorded introduced populations of two exotic emydid turtles. Species composition is strongly influenced by the presence of Atlantic Forest species, but there are also some non-forest species associated with the fauna of southern South America.