The challenge in detecting risk areas of snakebite when case rates are low: the case of Amazonian coral snakes.

Identifying risk areas for envenomation by animals is relevant for public health, such as strategic distribution of antivenoms. Coral snakes are highly diverse in the Amazon, inhabit natural and human-modified environments, and the outcome of the cases tends to be serious and potentially lethal due to their neurotoxic venom. By integrating species' geographical records and environmental variables, we used species distribution modeling to predict the distribution of coral snake species in the Brazilian Amazonia.

Functional traits and phylogeny explain snake distribution in the world's largest dry forest ecoregion, the Gran Chaco.

Macroecological studies describe large-scale diversity patterns through analyses of species distribution patterns and allows us to elucidate how species differing in ecology, physical requirements, and life histories are distributed in a multidimensional space. These patterns of distributions can be explained by vegetation, and climatic factors, and are determined by historical and current factors. The continuous accumulation of information on the distribution patterns of species is essential to understand the history and evolution of the biota.

Use of geospatial analyses to address snakebite hotspots in mid-northern Brazil - A direction to health planning in shortfall biodiversity knowledge areas.

Knowing the distribution of venomous snakes of medical importance is essential to identify areas at risk for snakebites. Thus, we used an integrative approach based on the application of geographic distribution data of venomous snakes, species distribution modeling (SDM), spatial organization of snakebites, and information on human population density for mapping the potential distribution of snakes and identifying areas at risk of snakebites in the state of Maranhão (mid-northern Brazil). From a compiled database of venomous snake records deposited in biological collections and the literature, we predict the potential distribution of venomous snakes in Maranhão, a state whose diversity and geographic distribution of venomous snake species are poorly known.

Morphological variation of the rare psammophilous species Apostolepis gaboi (Serpentes, Dipsadidae, Elapomorphini).

Apostolepis gaboi was described based only on the holotype found in the Queimadas, state of Bahia, northeastern Brazil. Since its original description, no additional specimens were reported in literature and the species was considered to be rare and poorly known. Here, we provide a detailed description for the species based on the examination of the holotype and 34 additional specimens from the type locality and adjacent areas.