Evaluating The Species Diversity Of The Family Scincidae Reptilia Squamata From Nam Dong Conservation Area Thanh Hoa Province

MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT VIETNAM

NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF FORESTRY

STUDENT THESIS

EVALUATING THE SPECIES DIVERSITY OF THE FAMILY SCINCIDAE

(REPTILIA: SQUAMATA) FROM NAM DONG CONSERVATION AREA, THANH

HOA PROVINCE

Major: Natural Resources Management

Code: D850101

Faculty: Forest Resource and Environmental Management

Student: Luong Thi Khanh Linh Student ID: 1553090655

Class: K60 - Natural Resources Management Course: 2015 – 2019

Advance Education Program

Developed in collaboration with Colorado State University, USA

Supervisor: Dr. Luu Quang Vinh

Ha Noi, 2019

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I am really pleasure to have a chance to send my acknowledgments to people who helped

me a lot in the study, without whom this research would have never completed.

First and foremost, I would like to express my great appreciation to my respected

supervisor Dr. Luu Quang Vinh from Forest Resources and Environment Management Faculty,

Vietnam National University of Forestry (VNUF), who was patient to me and gave me useful

guidance and enthusiastic encouragement throughout my research work. His great experience

and knowledge is heavily embedded in this study..

I would love to thank Mr. Lo Van Oanh, Mr. Ha Van Ngoan, Mr. Ha Van Nghia, for their

assistance and sharing data in the field.

Therefore, I would like to thank E. Sterling (New York) and K. Koy (Berkeley) for

providing the map.

I would also like to thank local people in Nam Dong CA for their participating in this

survey, hospitality and for providing information.

Finally, I own my gratefully to my parents for their love, support and encouragements to

me throughout all my life. Even though difficulties, ado, they always help me as more as

possible for my dream.

This research is supported by the National Foundation for Science and Technology

Development (NAFOSTED, Grant No. 106.06−2017.18).

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ABSTRACT

This research was conducted to provide the update species in the family Scincidae in

Nam Dong Conservation Area, Thanh Hoa Province, Vietnam. Six skink species of four genera

of the family Scincidae were found during the field surveys in May, June 2017 and in April,

May 2018. Two recent research in 2019 were carried out, the first was from 17 May to 20 May

and the second fieldtrip was from 24 June to 27 June 2019. Together with two skink species from

the previous study, the number of species in the family Scincidae has increased to seven.

Remarkably, this study described 5 newrecorded skink species for the first time from Nam Dong

Conservation Area. The species composition of the skink species in Nam Dong is the most

similarity to that of Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, and the lowest similarity with Van Long

Nature Reserve. The distribution of skink species in family Scincidae are almost ground of the

karst and the species Scincella reevesii and Sphenormophus cryptotis have a narrow distribution

habitats. The most abundant elevation ranges from (500–600 m a.s.l.), or in the slope areas (700–

800 m a.s.l) and species Sphenomorphus indicus has the most narrow distribution followed

elevations to. In terms of food ecology, the most abundant prey of family Scincidae in Nam

Dong CA was Hymeoptera and the lowest prey was Lepidoptera. Finally, habitat loss and

degradation and over-havesting for human consumption were main threats to the family

Scincidae especially for Scincella reevesii, Sphenormophus cryptotis, Sphenomorphus indicus

species and herpetofauna in general in the study site so a specific monitoring and supervision

program, strengthening forest protection, and minimize the illegal exploitation, controlling the

conversion of forest land into agricultural, popularizarion and education in the direct bad effects

of loss biodiversity to local people should be set up.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 1

ABSTRACT Error! Bookmark not defined.

TABLE OF CONTENTS 4

ABBREVIATIONS 5

LIST OF FIGURE 7

LIST OF TABLE Error! Bookmark not defined.

CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION Error! Bookmark not defined.

CHAPTER II. GOAL, OBJECTIVES 11

2.1 Goal Error! Bookmark not defined.

2.2 Objectives Error! Bookmark not defined.

CHAPTER III. MATERIAL AND METHODOLOGY 12

3.1 Study site Error! Bookmark not defined.

3.1.1 Geographic location Error! Bookmark not defined.

3.1.2 Climate and hydrology Error! Bookmark not defined.

3.1.3 Topography Error! Bookmark not defined.

3.1.4 Flora and Fauna 14

3.1.5 Economic – Society Error! Bookmark not defined.

3.2 Line transect surveys Error! Bookmark not defined.

3.3 Collecting method 17

3.4 Preservative of specimens Error! Bookmark not defined.

3.5 Determine distribution characteristics of the species followed by habitat types and

biogeographic relationships. Error! Bookmark not defined.

3.6. Determine morphological character of these species Error! Bookmark not defined.

3.7 Determine the diet composition of Scincidae in Nam Dong CA 21

CHAPTER IV. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Error! Bookmark not defined.

4.1 Species diversity of skinks in Nam Dong Error! Bookmark not defined.

4.1.1 Species composition 23

4.1.2 New records of skinks from Nam Dong 24

4.2 Distribution characterisics for skink species in Nam Dong CA Error! Bookmark not

defined.

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4.2.1 Distribution of skink species across microhabitats in Nam DongError! Bookmark not

defined.

4.2.2 Distribution of skink species across elevations 34

4.3 Biogeographic relationships of Scincidae in Nam Dong and Scincidae among neighboring

areas 35

4.4 Diet composition of Scincidae in Nam Dong CA 37

4.5 Threats to skink speciess and propose solutions for conservation measuresError! Bookmark

not defined.

4.5.1 Threats to the skink fauna Error! Bookmark not defined.

4.5.2 Threatened species in Nam Dong Conservation Area 43

4.5.2 Solutions for conservation measures Error! Bookmark not defined.

CHAPTER V.CONCLUSIONS Error! Bookmark not defined.

REFERENCES 47

PUBLICATION

ANNEX

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ABBREVIATIONS

IUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature

CA Conservation Area

a.s.l Above sea level

FPD Forest Protection Department

VNUF Viet Nam National University of Forestry