Anuran amphibians of a protected area in the northern Atlantic Forest with comments on topotypic and endangered populations

Over 600 species of amphibians occur in the Atlantic Forest, 80% of which are endemic. Among the eight recognized biogeographic regions of the Atlantic Forest, the Pernambuco Biogeographic Sub-Region, north of the Sao Francisco River, has been the most deforested and least studied. Here we provide a list of anuran amphibians from the Environmental Protection Area of Catole and Fernao Velho, state of Alagoas, Brazil, located in the northern Atlantic Forest. We provide habitat utilization data for all recorded species and discuss the conservation status of topotypic and endangered populations. Forty species of 20 genera and nine families of anurans were registered. Hylidae was the richest family with 19 species followed by Leptodactylidae with nine, Bufonidae with four, Microhylidae and Phyllomedusidae with two each, and Aromobatidae, Craugastoridae, Hemiphractidae and Odontophrynidae with one each. Three anuran species were originally described from this conservation unit (Chiasmocleis alagoana, Phyllodytes edelmoi and Ololygon skuki), four are threatened (Allobates olfersioides, Chiasmocleis alagoana, Hylomantis granulosa and Ololygon skuki) and two are Data Deficient for conservation assessment (Gastrotheca fissipes and Pithecopus nordestinus). This anuran species list should prove useful to decision makers when planning conservation strategies.