Ecologia da jaguatirica (Leopardus pardalis) na Floresta Atlântica do sul do Brasil

The ocelot Leopardus pardalis is a medium-sized Neotropical spotted cat with a wide geographic range. The present study was conducted in a reserve in an Atlantic Forest area in southern Brazil, and provided information on ocelot ecology through photographic records. Density estimated by the half of the mean maximum distance moved method resulted in 0.04 ocelots per km2. The minimum home range sizes were obtained by the minimum convex polygon method and were in agreement with other studies for the males recorded. Our female’s home range size was smaller than ranges reported elsewhere. The nocturnal pattern recorded is probably related with prey activity, since it is suggested that ocelots adjust their movements to the probabilities of encountering local prey, or with an evolutionary factor, aiming to avoid competition/predation with larger cats. The low density observed could be a consequence of the conditions of the study area, small and isolated, which indicates the necessity for larger reserves and mechanisms to connect isolated populations. Key words: camera trap, Felidae, individual recognition, spot pattern, activity pattern.A jaguatirica Leopardus pardalis é um gato pintado neotropical de porte médio e com ampla distribuição geográfica. O presente estudo foi conduzido em uma reserva em área de Floresta Atlântica no sul do Brasil e forneceu informações a respeito da ecologia da espécie, por meio de registros fotográficos. A densidade estimada pelo método do HMMDM (metade da média das máximas distâncias percorridas) resultou em 0,04 jaguatiricas por km2. As áreas de vida mínimas foram obtidas pelo método do mínimo polígono convexo e corroboraram com outros estudos quando se analisaram os registros dos indivíduos machos. Os registros para as áreas de vida das fêmeas foram menores do que as previamente reportadas. O padrão de atividade noturno está provavelmente relacionado com a atividade das presas, já que as jaguatiricas tendem a ajustar os padrões de movimento com a probabilidade de encontro com as mesmas, ou até mesmo com um fator evolutivo, objetivando evitar a competição/predação com felinos de maior porte. A baixa densidade observada pode ser consequência das condições da área de estudo, pequena e isolada, o que indica a necessidade por reservas maiores e por mecanismos visando conectar populações isoladas. Palavras-chave: armadilhas fotográficas, Felidae, individualização, padrões de manchas, padrões de atividade

Record of Masked Gnatcatcher Polioptila dumicola (Aves: Muscicapidae, Sylviinae) in Santa Catarina state, southern Brazil

A male-female pair of Masked Gnatcatcher, Polioptila dumicola (Aves: Muscicapidae, Sylviinae) were observed for the first time in Santa Catarina state (Brazil) on 11/06/200, near the banks of the Chapecó River, between the municipalities of Ipuaçu and São Domingos in the west of Santa Catarina state (26º37’38”S and 52º31’52”W). Although it had been quoted in the literature of Paraguay, Bolivia, Argentina and Uruguay, and also in literature of the Brazilian states of Paraná and Rio Grande do Sul, this was the first record of the species in the state of Santa Catarina

Serpentes encontradas mortas em rodovias do estado de Santa Catarina, Brasil

http://dx.doi.org/10.5007/2175-7925.2009v22n2p91Estradas causam diversos impactos aos ecossistemas, incluindo perda e fragmentação de hábitat, alteração da paisagem natural e morte de animais, sendo que pouco se sabe sobre o impacto destas mortes sobre as populações. A fauna de serpentes do Estado de Santa Catarina é a menos estudada do Sul do Brasil, não havendo estudos abordando serpentes atropeladas. Neste trabalho apresentamos dados sobre serpentes encontradas mortas em diversas estradas do Estado entre os anos de 2003 e 2008. Foram registrados 165 exemplares pertencentes a 38 espécies que correspondem a 50% das serpentes com ocorrência esperada para o Estado de Santa Catarina. As quatro espécies mais freqüentes foram Philodryas patagoniensis (N= 22; 13,33%), Liophis miliaris (n = 21; 12,72%), P. aestiva (n = 13; 7,87%) e Bothrops jararaca (n = 12; 7,27%), que somadas representam cerca de 41% das serpentes encontradas mortas. Amplia-se ao sul a distribuição de Imantodes cenchoa em cerca de 60km

Composition of mixed flocks of understory forest birds in areas of the Atlantic coast and lowlands of Santa Catarina state, southern Brazil

An accompaniment of forest mixed flocks was carried in two localities of Santa Catarina, southern Brazil, one on a forest hillside of the Atlantic on the Island of Santa Catarina (June to September, 2000) and another in a quaternary plain forest of the Volta Velha Reserve, Itapoá (June to November, 2000). Sixty-four species of birds were registered from the 79 identified flocks, 33 of which showed a frequency of occurrence above 10%. The flocks had an average number of six species. The nuclear species responsible for the aggregation and compacting of the flocks, for the two localities was Basileuterus culicivorus. The mixed flocks presented little difference in their composition in the two areas. This is probably due to the history of the colonization and the distinct forest formations of the two areas involved

Noteworthy records of reptiles from natural open vegetation areas in plateau and coastal areas of the state of Santa Catarina, southern Brazil

The composition and geographic distribution of reptiles in Santa Catarina are little known, particularly in the open areas of its plateau (covered with ombrophylous steppe) and Atlantic littoral (coastal dunes with thin, low, and predominant herbaceous vegetation known as restinga). Aiming to contribute to the knowledge of reptiles that inhabit these areas, this paper presents sixteen records of previously unknown or uncommon species in Santa Catarina: Acanthochelys spixii, Anops kingii, Cnemidophorus lacertoides, C. vacariensis, Leptotyphlops munoai, Mastigodryas b. bifossatus, Tantilla aff. melanocephala, Atractus reticulatus, Gomesophis brasiliensis, Lygophis flavifrenatus, Oxyrhopus r. rhombifer, Phalotris reticulatus, Philodryas agassizii, Xenodon dorbignyi, Micrurus altirostris and Bothrops pubescens. Aspects of the distribution and conservation of these species are discussed briefly

The herpetological collection of the Ecology and Zoology Department at the Federal University of Santa Catarina

Scientific collections with regional representation are relevant sources for ecological, taxonomic and biogeographical studies, as well as studies of species conservation status. On account of its importance, we now present a list of the deposited material in the herpetological collection of the Ecology and Zoology Department (ECZ) at the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC). Our aim with this note is to make the information about the material of this collection accessible. From the date of its creation up to November 2006, representatives of 146 taxa (76 reptiles, 70 amphibians) were deposited, making up a total of 1,889 specimens. In 2004, an effort to revitalize the collection was begun, with a betterment of storage conditions and a revision of the specimens’ identification. Presently, the herpetological collection is in the phase of initial computerization