Anurans of the Ñeembucú department (Paraguay): diversity in a wetland mosaic
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32480/rscp.2026.e3101Keywords:
Amphibians, biodiversity, composition, conservation, species richnessAbstract
Wetlands are key ecosystems that provide multiple ecosystem services essential to human well-being. In Paraguay, more than 25% of the territory consists of wetlands associated with the large Paraguay and Paraná river basins. In the department of Ñeembucú, despite the high proportion of wetlands in its territory, the information available on its biodiversity is limited, and systematic studies on its anuran fauna are practically non-existent. This study presents information on the richness and composition of amphibian species in three locations in the department of Ñeembucú. Sampling was carried out between February 2020 and July 2021, totaling 40 nights of effort, through visual and auditory searches for amphibians. Twenty-eight species belonging to five families were recorded, representing 31% of the species documentedfor Paraguay. Analysis of the sample coverage indicated that the effort was adequate to capture most of the species present at the study sites. Although the identified species currently have a favorable conservation status according to available categorizations, the rapid transformation of these wetlands, especially due to the expansion of large-scale agriculture, represents a growing threat. Therefore, it is essential to increase conservation efforts through the establishment and proper management of protected areas, and to promote economic practices that are responsible toward nature.
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