Assessment of the conservation state of New World vipers using the IUCN categories and criteria

Abstract

There is a growing global concern about the state of biodiversity, so that a major focus of conservation strategies is to identify patterns of biodiversity and conserve the greatest number of species possible. The lists of endangered species, also known as Red Lists, emerge as a tool to assess the state of conservation of biodiversity, and subsidize conservation strategies in several countries. The destruction and fragmentation of habitat, and the introduction of invasive species are the main causes of vulnerability of various groups of species, including snakes. The family Viperidae (the vipers) is a cosmopolitan group with a wide distribution in both the Old World and the New World, except in polar regions and Australia. The Crotalinae is the only subfamily that occurs in the New World, where it underwent a remarkable radiation and is found in all types of terrestrial habitats. This study aims to assess the conservation status of this group using the categories and criteria proposed by IUCN. Its results will then be compared with an assessment of rarity patterns in the group, as a way to detect species that may be endangered but were not detected by the IUCN system. (AU)