Annotated checklist of the herpetofauna (Amphibia, Reptilia) of Lefkada Island (Ionian Islands, Greece)

Abstract

The island of Lefkada is a popular and easily accessible tourist destination; nevertheless, there is no comprehensive checklist of its interesting herpetofauna. Indeed, most records are old, scattered in different papers, and lacking precise locality data. In order to summarize the knowledge on the herpetofauna of the island, we critically reviewed literature, we looked for reliable records in the web and we carried out a field survey in May 2019. The herpetofauna of Lefkada amounts to 28 species (six amphibians and 22 reptiles). The occurrence of Testudo graeca on the island is considered unlikely, while an additional species, Testudo marginata, is here reported based on web sources. Among the species recorded on the island, 25 have been recently confirmed, two of them (Rana dalmatina and Anguis graeca) over a century. For three species (Lissotriton graecus, Chelonia mydas, and Podarcis tauricus) the last records date back to over 30 years ago.