Checklist of the herpetofauna of Pulau Langkawi, Malaysia, with comments on taxonomy

Abstract

A checklist of amphibians and reptiles based on vouchered material (specimens and/or photographs) from Pulau Langkawi, located 38 km off the northwest coast of Kedah, peninsular Malaysia, is presented for the first time. Comments are provided to rectify errors in the literature concerning the composition and taxonomy of this island’s herpetofauna. Although Pulau Langkawi is approximately three times larger than Pulau Tioman off the southeast coast of peninsular Malaysia, it currently has only 78% of the number of amphibian and reptile species. We interpret this as a strong indication that the species composition of Pulau Langkawi is not yet fully understood.