Para que servem os inventários de fauna?

Inventories of fauna directly access the diversity of a locality in a certain period of time. The primary data generated by these inventories comprise one of the most important steps in decisions making regarding the management of natural areas. However, several problems have been observed at different levels related to inventories of fauna in Brazil, and range from the training of humans to the lack of standardization of experimental design and selection of inappropriate methods. We present case studies of mammals, reptiles, amphibians and fishes, where they discussed issues such temporal variability and methods for detection of terrestrial fauna, suggesting that both inventories and monitoring programs should be extended for longer terms and that inventories should include different methodologies to ensure that their goals are fully achieved.Inventários de fauna acessam diretamente a diversidade de uma localidade, em um determinado espaço e tempo. Os dados primários gerados pelos inventários compõem uma das ferramentas mais importantes na tomada de decisões a respeito do manejo de áreas naturais. Entretanto, vários problemas têm sido observados em diversos níveis relacionados aos inventários de fauna no Brasil e vão desde a formação de recursos humanos até a ausência de padronização, de desenho experimental e de seleção de métodos inadequados. São apresentados estudos de caso com mamíferos, répteis, anfíbios e peixes, nos quais são discutidos problemas como variabilidade temporal e métodos para detecção de fauna terrestre, sugerindo que tanto os inventários quanto os programas de monitoramento devam se estender por prazos maiores e que os inventários devem incluir diferentes metodologias para que os seus objetivos sejam plenamente alcançados

Microteiid lizard

27 p. : ill. ; 26 cm.Includes bibliographical references (p. 20-21).A new genus and species of microteiid lizard is described from a series of specimens obtained in the leaf litter at Una (15°10′S, 39°03′W) in the Atlantic forest of southern Bahia, Brazil. It is characterized by the presence of prefrontals, frontoparietals, parietals, and interparietal; parietals longer than wide; distinct ear openings and eyelids; two pairs of genials, absence of collar and occipital scales; dorsal scales anteriorly smooth and becoming gradually lanceolate and mucronate posterior to the forelimb; and four regular transverse series of smooth ventrals that are longer than wide, identical in size. A phylogenetic analysis based on external morphology, osteology, and molecular data confirms this new lizard as a member of the Heterodactylini radiation of Gymnophthalminae. The topology recovered by maximum parsimony (MP) analyses reveals that its closest relatives are the sister taxa Colobosaura modesta and Iphisa elegans (BS = < 50%; Bremer value = 2) and the partitioned Bremer indexes indicated that the largest contribution to this relationship comes from morphology; Colobosaura mentalis, for which a new generic name is here proposed, is basal to this radiation. Our analyses confirm a previous hypothesis suggesting Stenolepis as a member of the Heterodactylini radiation and that the clade composed of Colobodactylus and Heterodactylus is the sister group of the clade formed by Colobosaura mentalis-Stenolepis (BS = 100; Bremer value = 18), Colobosaura modesta-Iphisa (BS = < 50%; Bremer value = 1), and the new genus here described. The support for Heterodactylini monophyly, on the basis of combined MP analyses is higher (BS = 96, Bremer value = 11) than that previously found in molecular-based studies only. Partitioned Bayesian methodology combining molecular and morphological data sets recovered the new genus as the sister taxon (PP = 0.94) of the clade (PP = 0.94) formed by I. elegans-C. modesta (PP = 0.51) and C. mentalis-S. ridleyℝ (PP = 1.0). An alternative topology demonstrating a paraphyletic Heterodactylini is only weakly supported (PP = 0.63). Based on the MP topology we discuss tentative scenarios for the evolution of Heterodactylini

Para que servem os inventários de fauna?

Inventários de fauna acessam diretamente a diversidade de uma localidade, em um determinado espaço e tempo. Os dados primários gerados pelos inventários compõem uma das ferramentas mais importantes na tomada de decisões a respeito do manejo de áreas naturais. Entretanto, vários problemas têm sido observados em diversos níveis relacionados aos inventários de fauna no Brasil e vão desde a formação de recursos humanos até a ausência de padronização, de desenho experimental e de seleção de métodos inadequados. São apresentados estudos de caso com mamíferos, répteis, anfíbios e peixes, nos quais são discutidos problemas como variabilidade temporal e métodos para detecção de fauna terrestre, sugerindo que tanto os inventários quanto os programas de monitoramento devam se estender por prazos maiores e que os inventários devem incluir diferentes metodologias para que os seus objetivos sejam plenamente alcançados.Inventories of fauna directly access the diversity of a locality in a certain period of time. The primary data generated by these inventories comprise one of the most important steps in decisions making regarding the management of natural areas. However, several problems have been observed at different levels related to inventories of fauna in Brazil, and range from the training of humans to the lack of standardization of experimental design and selection of inappropriate methods. We present case studies of mammals, reptiles, amphibians and fishes, where they discussed issues such temporal variability and methods for detection of terrestrial fauna, suggesting that both inventories and monitoring programs should be extended for longer terms and that inventories should include different methodologies to ensure that their goals are fully achieved

Anurans and Lizards, Rio Preto da Eva, Amazonas, Brazil

This study presents a list of anurans and lizards of a Central Amazonian terra-firme rainforest site at Rio Preto da Eva, Amazonas, Brazil sampled for 38 days from December 2003 to February 2004. The study area is located close to highway AM-010 (Manaus-Itacoatiara), where deforestation represents the main threat to the local biota. Using two complementary sampling methods, active search and pitfall traps with drift fence, we recorded 23 anuran species in 12 genera and six families and 20 lizard species in 16 genera and seven families. Relative to other sites in Central Amazon, our study site presented a similar number of species of lizards but fewer amphibians

Are leaf-litter frogs and lizards affected by edge effects due to forest fragmentation in Brazilian Atlantic forest?

FAPESP Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao PauloFundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)CNP

Herpetofauna de serrapilheira da Reserva Florestal de Morro Grande, Cotia (SP)

Apresentamos uma lista comentada de anuros, lagartos e serpentes registrados na Reserva Florestal de Morro Grande, Cotia, São Paulo. Essa lista inclui 27 espécies de anuros, cinco de lagartos e três de serpentes, capturados principalmente em armadilhas de interceptação e queda, mas também em encontros ocasionais no campo. Dezoito espécies de anuros capturadas em armadilhas de interceptação e queda foram utilizadas para a comparação de seis áreas da Reserva, três situadas em áreas de vegetação predominantemente secundária e três em áreas de vegetação predominantemente madura. As análises indicam que existe diferença significativa entre esses ambientes. Nós também comparamos a similaridade entre a anurofauna da Reserva Florestal de Morro Grande à de outras seis localidades do estado de São Paulo. A anurofauna da Reserva é mais similar àquela encontrada em outras localidades do planalto Atlântico, que àquela de localidades da baixada litorânea. O pequeno número de espécies de répteis amostrados não permitiu realizar as mesmas análises feitas para os anuros. A baixa abundância desses animais na floresta tornou a comparação entre áreas problemática. Existe uma evidente falta de informações sobre a biologia, distribuição e conservação da herpetofauna brasileira que poder ser mitigada através de inventários e monitoramento da fauna. O conhecimento da história natural, resultantes desses esforços, podem trazer argumentos sólidos para um planejamento eficiente de medidas conservacionistas

Are corridors, fragment size and forest structure important for the conservation of leaf-litter lizards in a fragmented landscape?

To investigate the implications of forest fragmentation for conservation of leaf-litter lizards the importance of fragment size, corridors and forest structure was examined in 20 forest fragments and six localities within a continuous forest in the Atlantic Plateau of Sao Paulo state, Brazil. The fragments were 2-276 ha in area and had different degrees of connectivity depending on the presence or absence of corridors. Two species of lizards were dominant, Ecpleopus gaudichaudii and Enyalius perditus. Variation in forest structure among sites was important only in explaining the abundance of E. perditus. Regardless of variation in forest structure, lizard species composition, total lizard abundance, number of species and abundance of E. perditus were sensitive to fragmentation per se but not to fragment size or corridor linkage. The inhospitable matrix surrounding fragments is probably what determines the presence and abundance of E. perditus and the high er lizard richness in continuous forests. These conditions may have prevented lizard species from recolonizing the forest fragments. Our results emphasize that the conservation of this leaf-litter fauna depends on the maintenance of large tracts of continuous forests and not on the size of fragments or on the presence of forest connections. Strategies for conservation of leaf-litter lizards in such highly fragmented Atlantic Forest landscapes should consider the enlargement of landscape connectivity between fragments and continuous forest, allowing the latter areas to act as a source of individuals for fragments.FAPESP Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao PauloFundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Brazilian Council for Research and Technology (CNPq)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Bundesministeriums für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF)German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)Fundacao O Boticario de Protecao a NaturezaFundação Grupo Boticário de Proteção à Naturez

Integrating life-history traits and amphibian upland habitat use in a Neotropical hotspot

Effective management of semi-aquatic animals requires detailed information on upland habitat use around aquatic habitats. Quantifying the amount of habitats needed to sustain local animals’ populations is a crucial criterion when setting protective buffers to water bodies, especially for amphibians, which depend on these upland habitats for breeding and development. Differences in upland habitat use can emerge among amphibian species with distinct life-history traits, including reproductive-strategy (pond-breeding vs. non-pond breeding anurans), life-stage (adults vs. juveniles), and sex (males vs. females). To date there has been no quantitative study of upland habitat use in the Neotropics, which can provide a baseline for quantifying the amount of upland forested habitats needed to sustain local amphibian populations. We monitored three ponds for over two sampling year using drift fences with pitfall traps to investigate how reproductive-strategy, life-stage, and sex affect anuran upland habitat use in a forest remnant in the Atlantic Forest hotspot. We found no differences in upland habitat use between adult and juvenile anurans. However, we found that although the species richness of pond-breeding and non-pond breeding anurans was similar near wetlands, there was greater abundance of pond-breeding compared to non-pond breeding anurans. We also found a strong difference between the sexes in pond-breeding anurans, with males remaining closer to wetlands than females. Thus, the sex ratio of amphibian populations can be strongly skewed toward males if only small protective terrestrial buffers (50-m) are enforced during land development. Our findings also point to the inadequacy of current Brazilian policies to protect small wetlands and the fauna that depend on them. We recommend that policymakers adjust regulatory criteria to set hierarchical protective buffers around wetlands allowing different levels of land-use intervention