PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON 125(4):317–620. 2013. Amphibians and reptiles of Guyana, South America: illustrated keys, annotated species accounts, and a biogeographic synopsis Charles J. Cole*, Carol R. Townsend, Robert P. Reynolds, Ross D. MacCulloch, and Amy Lathrop (CJC, CRT) Division of Vertebrates (Herpetology), American Museum of Natural History, 200 Central Park West, New York, New York 10024, U.S.A., e-mail:
[email protected],
[email protected]; (RPR) Biological Survey Unit, United States Geological Survey, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, National Museum of Natural History, P.O. Box 37012, MRC 111, Washington, D.C. 20013-7012, U.S.A., e-mail:
[email protected]; (RDM, AL) Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, Royal Ontario Museum, 100 Queen’s Park, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 2C6, Canada, e-mail:
[email protected],
[email protected] Abstract.—Guyana has a very distinctive herpetofauna. In this first ever detailed modern accounting, based on voucher specimens, we document the presence of 324 species of amphibians and reptiles in the country; 148 amphibians, 176 reptiles. Of these, we present species accounts for 317 species and color photographs of about 62% (Plates 1–40). At the rate that new species are being described and distributional records are being found for the first time, we suspect that at least 350 species will be documented in a few decades. The diverse herpetofauna includes 137 species of frogs and toads, 11 caecilians, 4 crocodylians, 4 amphisbaenians, 56 lizards, 97 snakes, and 15 turtles. Endemic species, which occur nowhere else in the world, comprise 15% of the herpetofauna.