Comparison of the Herpetofaunal Species Richness on Negros and Cebu Islands, Philippines

Abstract

The terrestrial herpetofaunas of Negros and Cebu Islands, Philippines, are compared. The same non-forest
species occur on both islands, except for two species recorded from Negros only. Cebu has half of the forest
species recorded from Negros, virtually all of them found on both islands. This very close correspondence
of species is most probably due to the origin of the Cebu fauna in the late Pleistocene, when Cebu and Negros
were part of a hypothetical large island which also included Masbate and Panay. The smaller size of Cebu is
probably net the primary factor in accounting for the smaller number of forest species on Cebu, since Bohol
Island, nearby and about the same size as Cebu, has almost the same number as Negros. Also, no evidence is available to indicate that the forest species on Cebu have had any advantage in dispersal capabilities. Deforestation is proposed as the probable cause of the low number of forest species on Cebu Island.