Comparative composition of the snake assemblage from Sierras de Ventania mountain range, east-central Argentina

Abstract

The composition of a snake assemblage from an orographic island in east-central Argentina, the Sierras de Ventania mountain chain, was analyzed. The aim was to determine the biogeographic resemblance to other snake assemblages from neighboring regions. Species composition of each region was obtained from an exhaustive review of the literature, and both fieldwork and museum records. The higher biogeographic resemblance of the Sierras de Ventania occurred with the Sierras de Tandilia and the Coastal Dunes. These regions formed a well-defined group according to their snake assemblages. On the other hand, the Sierras de Lihué Calel linked to the Sierras de Ventania, and also to the rest of the compared regions, at very low values of biogeographic resemblance. The results obtained in this study contrasted with the classic zoogeographic scheme. Snake assemblages allowed recognizing a more significant division between Central and Pampean domains. In this scheme, the limit between these two regions moved to the southwest of the classical scheme; therefore the Sierras de Ventania was part of the Pampean domain. Also, the recognition of the Subtropical domain was evident, as well as its faunistic link with the Pampean domain.