Feral Populations of Amphibians and Reptiles in the Ryukyu Archipelago, Japan

Abstract

　The Ryukyu Archipelago is an assemblage of many continental islands and a few oceanic islands scattered between Kyushu of Japan, and Taiwan. Recent changes in geographic ranges were reviewed for feral amphibian and reptile populations in this archipelago, chiefly on the basis of data and informa­tion becoming available after 1995. Six species of amphibians (Rana catesbeiana, Fejervarya sp., Poly­pedates leucomystax, Microhyla ornata, Bufo gargarizans miyakonis, B. marinus) and 14 reptiles (Chinemys reevesii, Cuora flavomarginata, Mauremys mutica, Trachemys scripta elegans, Pelodiscus sinensis, Hemidactylus frenatus, Hemiphyllodactylus typus typus, Lepidodactylus lugubris, Anolis caro­linensis, Ramphotyphlops braminus, Elaphe quadrivirgata, E. taeniura, Protobothrops elegans, P. mucrosquamatus) are considered to have one or more feral populations in the Ryukyu Archipelago at present. Some biological aspects of these populations are also reviewed. Possible effects of such feral am­phibians and reptiles upon the indigenous biota, including a number of endemic and endangered taxa, are briefly discussed.