O tráfico de faunasilvestre exótica e não-nativa do Rio Grande do Sul

O Rio Grande do Sul, por fazer fronteira com países do MERCOSUL, possui posição estratégica para contribuir com o tráfico, tendo rotas que passam pelo estado para países vizinhos ao Brasil. Sendo assim, o estudo do tráfico das espécies não-nativas do estado, é importante para entender um ponto chave no comércio ilegal: quais dessas espécies estão sendo passadas a terceiros com frequência pelo estado. O CETAS possui grande importância pois recebe animais apreendidos de várias cidades do Rio Grande do Sul, tendo assim abundância de dados sobre animais silvestres traficados no estado e, em razão disso, é onde foi realizado este estudo. Dos três grupos de vertebrados, que apareciam nos dados dos relatórios anuais do CETAS-RS de janeiro de 2014 à agosto de 2019, o mais predominante (tanto de espécies exóticas quanto de não-nativas do estado) foi o de aves. Nas duas análises (não-nativas e exóticas) a entrega voluntária e a apreensão pela PATRAM foram as ocorrências mais registradas no período, podendo evidenciar uma maior conscientização da população com o trabalho do IBAMA e uma maior intensidade de fiscalizações pela PATRAM nos últimos dois anos. Sendo as ocorrências também mais originárias no leste do estado, provavelmente por uma certa facilidade de transporte até o CETAS-RS que se localiza na capital, Porto Alegre. Essas informações e recursos são de grande importância para entendermos melhor os efeitos que a pressão do tráfico está causando e para que se possa fazer programas de preservação e fiscalização mais efetivos.Because of the localization of the State of Rio Grande do Sul (having borders with other countries of the MERCOSUL), has an advantage that contributes to the trafficking of wildlife. Thus, thestudy of the illegal trade of non-native species is highly important to understand a key element in that area: what species are being commercialized illegally thru the state. CETAS is of great importance because it receives animals seized from various cities of Rio Grande do Sul, thus having abundant data on wildlife trafficked in the state and, therefore, this was where this study was conducted. Of the three vertebrate groups that appeared in CETAS-RS annual report data from January 2014 to August 2019, the most predominant (both exotic and non-native species of the state) were birds. In both analyzes (non-native and exotic), voluntary delivery and seizure by PATRAM were the most frequent occurrences in the period, which may show a greater awareness of the population with IBAMA's work and a higher intensity of inspections by PATRAM in the last two years. The occurrences also originate more in the east of the state, probably due to the ease of transportation to CETAS-RS, which is located in the capital, Porto Alegre. These information and resources are of great importance in order to better understand the effects that trafficking pressure is having and to make more effective preservation and enforcement programs

Paragominas: a quantitative baseline inventory of an eastern Amazonian avifauna.

We present the results of a five-month survey of the birds of Paragominas, Pará, a municipality in eastern Brazilian Amazonia that lies within the Belém center of endemism. We recorded 440 species, sampling habitats across a gradient of disturbance, ranging from ?undisturbed? primary forest, through logged and burnt forest, patches of varyingly aged secondary forest, cattle pastures and intensive mechanized agriculture. Given the potential for species miss-identifications in avian inventories, we paid special attention to obtaining voucher documentation (photographs and sound recordings) and here provide a unique collection of publically-accessible digital vouchers for 418 species recorded (95% of the total). Many of the species reported here are poorlyknown or represent notable range-extensions, and we present data on their status and distribution, both within the municipality and elsewhere in the Belém center of endemism. Notable amongst these include the first records for Pará and Amazonia of Spotted Piculet (Picumnus pygmaeus), trans-Tocantins range-extensions for Large-headed Flatbill (Ramphotrigon megacephalum) and Yellowshouldered Grosbeak (Parkerthraustes humeralis) and multiple observations of the threatened paraensis subspecies of Cinnamonthroated Woodcreeper (Dendrexetastes rufigula)

Aves de rapina diurnas em Llanos de Moxos, Bolívia

Raptor abundance has been poorly documented in the Neotropics. Here we describe the abundance and composition of the diurnal bird raptor community of Llanos de Moxos, one of the largest and less studied Neotropical savannah. During four consecutive breeding seasons (i.e., August 2007 to February 2008, August 2008 to January 2009, August 2009 to January 2010, and August 2010 to January 2011), we monitored 11 transects and 30 points, searching for raptors’ activity. We detected 29 diurnal bird raptor species in the region, which represented almost half of diurnal bird raptor species of Bolivia. As expected, scavengers and generalists were most frequent and abundant diurnal bird raptors. The Llanos de Moxos shared 83% of raptor species with Venezuelan Llanos and 67% with Chaco wetlands. The Llanos de Moxos is an important migratory and conservation region for some species as Swainson’s hawk, Chaco eagle, osprey and peregrine falcon. The lack of effective protected areas in the region is concerning, and, thus, the establishment of such areas should be a conservation priority.A abundância de aves de rapina tem sido pouco documentada na região Neotropical. No presente trabalho, descrevem-se a abundância e a composição da comunidade diurna de aves de rapina de Llanos de Moxos, uma das maiores e menos estudadas savanas neotropicais. Durante quatro períodos de reprodução consecutivos (agosto de 2007 a fevereiro de 2008, agosto de 2008 a janeiro de 2009, agosto de 2009 a janeiro de 2010 e agosto de 2010 a janeiro de 2011), foram monitorados 11 transectos e 30 pontos, buscando atividades de aves de rapina. Detectamos 29 espécies de aves de rapina diurnas na região, que representaram quase metade das espécies dessas aves diurnas da Bolívia. Como esperado, os detritívoros e generalistas foram as aves de rapina diurnas mais frequentes e abundantes. Os Llanos de Moxos compartilharam 83% de espécies de aves de rapina com Llanos venezuelanos e 67% com áreas úmidas de Chaco. Os Llanos de Moxos representam uma importante região migratória e de conservação para algumas espécies, tais como o falcão de Swainson, a águia cinzenta, a água pescadora e o falcão peregrino. A falta de áreas protegidas efetivas na região é preocupante, de forma que o estabelecimento de tais áreas deve ser considerado uma prioridade de conservação.Fil: Daniele, Gonzalo. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Departamento Científico Zoología Vertebrados; ArgentinaFil: Kacoliris, Federico Pablo. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División Zoología de Vertebrados. Sección Herpetología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Berkunsky, Igor. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Birds, Nangaritza River Valley, Zamora Chinchipe Province, southeast Ecuador: update and revision

The remote Nangaritza Valley of southeast Ecuador has high bird diversity, combining Amazonian birds with species typical of eastern Andean slopes and foothills, a small number of taxa endemic to the Cordillera del Cóndor region of southern Ecuador and northern Peru, as well as a few forms from the dry Marañón valley region. Here, we update and review avifaunal records from the Nangaritza Valley, comparing them with the bird fauna of the Cordillera del Kutukú and making a brief assessment of bird conservation in the area. To date, 535 species are known to occur in the Nangaritza Valley, including eight species endemic or near endemic to the outer ridges and adjacent Andean slopes in southeast Ecuador and northeast Peru. Conservation perspectives in the area are not favorable owing to increasing deforestation, expansion of the agricultural frontier and mining concessions, which threaten eight regional endemic species

No universal support for solar glare as an evolutionary driver of malar stripes in falcons

The paired dark malar or moustachial stripes of falcons (Falco spp.) are putatively adaptive plumage features whose function and evolutionary significance are poorly understood, and have rarely been investigated in published literature. A popular hypothesis for the function of falcon malar stripes is that they serve as antiglare devices, with the dark pigment absorbing visionimpeding solar glare and thereby improving the falcon's ability to visually detect and target prey in bright conditions. Correlative evidence from Peregrine Falcons (Falco peregrinus) provides support for this hypothesis, with a previous study finding that the size and prominence of malar stripes in this species correlate positively with solar radiation across the species' geographic range. In the present study, I extend the methodology used in this previous research to all extant species in the genus Falco, to determine both whether other falcon species display similar intraspecific trends, and whether differences in solar radiation conditions, in conjunction with species ecology, explain interspecific variation in falcon malar stripe characteristics. My results indicated that malar stripe characteristics were not positively related to solar radiation in the majority of species, with only the Peregrine Falcon showing reliable trends towards larger and darker malar stripes in individuals inhabiting regions of higher solar radiation. Likewise, solar radiation was not positively related to interspecific variation in falcon malar stripe characteristics, even after accounting for differences in body size, agility, prey base, and habitat between species. These results suggest that falcon malar stripes do not universally function as antiglare devices, at least in species other than the Peregrine Falcon. Malar stripes thus likely evolved in falcons for a different purpose (such as crypsis or social signaling), but may have become exapted for solar glare reduction in Peregrine Falcons owing to the species' cosmopolitan distribution and high degree of specialization on agile bird prey

Mind the Gap: Effects of Habitat and Climate on Northern Water Snake (Nerodia Sipedon Sipedon) Distribution in Maine

Northern water snakes (Nerodia sipedon sipedon) have a disjunct geographic range in the northeastern part of their distribution, specifically in Maine with one occupied region about 125 kilometers from any other known population. This gap could be due to a number of factors with some currently affecting the species including dispersal and habitat characteristics, while some factors may have historically affected their distribution, such as retreating glaciers and climate change. We assessed the effects of lake characteristics and bioclimatic variables on the range of N. s. sipedon within Maine using a logistic regression built from a generalized liner model. Lake characteristics (e.g. pH, surface temperature, and area) did not affect snake presence within their range, but bioclimatic variables did show statistical significance. In particular, lakes where the snakes were present were warmer than lakes where they were absent. When the bioclimate of the eastern range of N. s. sipedon was compared to the range gap the best model based on AIC scores showed that mean temperature of the warmest quarter, annual precipitation, and annual mean temperature were different between the areas. Bioclimatic variables also explained the restriction on N. s. sipedon expanding their range northwards. We conclude that bioclimatic variables have a large effect on the current distribution of N. s. sipedon within Maine and can help explain why the range gap persists

Territoriality in diurnal raptors: relative roles of recent evolution, diet and nest site

Animal territoriality, defined here as defence of well-delimited breeding areas to exclude competitors, has beenwidely studied. However, the phylogenetic and ecological characteristics influencing the variation in the expressionof this behaviour are poorly understood. We evaluated the effect of phylogeny and key ecological factors on territorialbehaviour and territory size in diurnal raptors from the western Palearctic and New World. To our knowledge, ourwork is the first comparative analysis of raptor territorial behaviour and territory size that accounts for phylogeneticrelationships. One important finding is that territorial behaviour has not been strongly conserved across evolutionarytime, but differences in territoriality of diurnal raptors have been influenced by recent evolution, which has ledto variations of this behaviour in response to changes in climate and habitat. Raptor current ecology is also associatedwith the expression of these traits. Species that capture more agile prey and nest in more protected sites weremost likely to be territorial. Additionally, territorial species that are bigger and capture more agile and bigger preydefended larger territories than species feeding on more vulnerable and smaller prey. We discuss potential mechanismsfor these patterns and the implications of our findings for future research on avian territoriality.Comisión Interministerial de Ciencia y Tecnología-CICYTREMEDINALMinisterio de Educación y Cienci