Scientific production on herpetology in Colombia: perspectives from research topics towards biological conservation

Colombian herpetology has more than 200 years of research, but so far, the state of the art of scientific publications that have shaped this discipline is unknown. Through a systematic review of the literature between 1741 and 2020, we found 2199 papers, of which 70,3 % have been published since 2000. Of the 394 scientific journals that have contributed to new knowledge on Colombian herpetofauna, those that have made the greatest contributions are Revista de la Academia Colombiana de Ciencias Exactas, Fisicas y Naturales, Caldasia, Catalogo de Anfibios y Reptiles de Colombia, and Zootaxa. Most of the publications are contributions to natural history, geographic distribution, systematics, and taxonomy, mainly in Anura and Squamata. More studies are needed on the ecology and conservation of groups such as caecilians, salamanders, and amphisbaenids. We highlight the need to strengthen taxonomic lists with quantitative analyses of community ecology, and conservation studies with long-term population studies. It is urgent to compile data on the geographic localities of species to be able to project distribution models to evaluate the risk of extinction of species periodically, determine their representativeness in protected areas, and prioritize networks of conservation areas. More studies on ethnobiology and environmental education are needed to change people's negative perceptions of herpetofauna and to generate local community ownership of habitat conservation initiatives. It is also essential to consolidate a line of research on governance systems in the country to generate the appropriation of scientific knowledge for decision-making processes.

Automated summary

Colombian herpetology has a long history of research, with a notable increase in scientific publications since 2000. The most influential journals in this field are Revista de la Academia Colombiana de Ciencias Exactas, Fisicas y Naturales, Caldasia, Catalogo de Anfibios y Reptiles de Colombia, and Zootaxa. The majority of studies focus on natural history, geographic distribution, systematics, and taxonomy, primarily in Anura and Squamata. Further research is needed on the ecology and conservation of caecilians, salamanders, and amphisbaenids, as well as the development of conservation strategies based on quantitative analyses of community ecology and long-term population studies. Additionally, studies on ethnobiology and environmental education are crucial to change public perceptions and foster local community engagement in habitat conservation. It is also important to advance research on governance systems to effectively utilize scientific knowledge in decision-making processes.