Led by Dr. Smith, an international team of researchers from the University of Texas at
Arlington, the Indonesian Institute of Sciences, Broward College, and 15
other institutions in 11 countries, will fill in a massive gap in
global biodiversity awareness through a large scale inventory of
reptiles (snakes, lizards, crocodiles and turtles) and amphibians (frogs
and caecilians) from the Javan and Sumatran montane forests of
Indonesia. As of today, the biodiversity of these tropical montane
highlands is very poorly known. Previous work hints that these areas may
be some of the most species rich on earth, and may contain vast numbers
of endemic species with restricted ranges.
These species
represent the largest number of vertebrate animals yet to be discovered
and described by scientists.The survey will likely discover hundreds of
new species from this poorly known area of the world and will result in
educational and research partnerships between Indonesia and the USA. As a
benefit to the scientific community, the project will produce modern
specimen repositories and web-based resources for identification and
conservation management, and for genetic and biodiversity work.
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