THE TERRESTRIAL VERTEBRATES OF THE BAZARUTO ARCHIPELAGO, MOZAMBIQUE -A BIOGEOGRAPHICAL PERSPECTIVE

Data on the birds, amphibians, reptiles and mammalian species of the B azaruto Archipelago, Mozambique are presented. Species diversity was c ompared to island size and with data for other East African Islands. T here was a low degree of endemism and the different faunas (particular ly for mammals and the herpetofauna) were mainland in origin and a nes ted subset of that on the mainland. Several mammal and bird families w ere absent from the islands suggesting a process of relaxation on thes e relatively young islands with little colonization. Reasons for the o bserved diversity are discussed.