Home range and activity pattems of Conepatus semistriatus (Carnivora, Mephitidae) in Emas National Park, Brazil

The home range, habitat use, and distance from water sources were estimated for Basiliscus plumifrons in an agricultural matrix in Costa Rica. Using radio telemetry, four females and four males were studied from July-September (2004) in a cocoa (Theobroma cacao) farm embedded in landscape dominated by banana and pineapple plantations. Females occupied a home range that averaged 1877 ± 1052 m 2 (n = 4); male home ranges were similar, averaging 1740 ± 1288 m 2 (n = 4; t-test = -0.12, P = 0.90). Cacao with a limited shade canopy was the predominant habitat available and used most frequently when compared to other habitats (χ © 2007 Brill Academic Publishers. 2 = 116.67; P < 0.0001). Basiliscus plumifrons remained close to water although individuals occasionally traveled up to 80 m from water. However, both males (24.30 ± 1.93 m, n = 133) and females (26.82 ± 1.97 m, n = 128) maintained similar average distances from water resources (Kruskal-Wallis, H = 1.57, P = 0.20). Agroforestry systems connected to patches of riparian forest probably play an important role in the ecology and conservation of B. plumifrons.Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica.Instituto Internacional en Conservación y Manejo de Vida Silvestr

Avaliação do risco de extinção da jaritataca Conepatus semistriatus (Boddaert, 1785) no Brasil

Conepatus semistriatus encontra-se amplamente distribuída ao longo do Cerrado e Caatinga, sem indícios de declínio populacional. Apesar da reduzida quantidade de informações, não foram encontradas ameaças claras à espécie. Apresenta boa tolerância a ambientes perturbados, além de ser registrada em áreas de agro-ecossistemas. Por esse motivo, C. semistriatus é categorizada como Menos Preocupante (LC)

Ecological modeling, biogeography, and phenotypic analyses setting the tiger cats’ hyperdimensional niches reveal a new species

Abstract Recently, the tiger-cat species complex was split into Leopardus tigrinus and Leopardus guttulus, along with other proposed schemes. We performed a detailed analysis integrating ecological modeling, biogeography, and phenotype of the four originally recognized subspecies—tigrinus, oncilla, pardinoides, guttulus—and presented a new multidimensional niche depiction of the species. Species distribution models used > 1400 records from museums and photographs, all checked for species accuracy. Morphological data were obtained from institutional/personal archives. Spotting patterns were established by integrating museum and photographic/camera-trap records. Principal component analysis showed three clearly distinct groups, with the Central American specimens (oncilla) clustering entirely within those of the Andes, namely the pardinoides group of the cloud forests of the southern Central-American and Andean mountain chains (clouded tiger-cat); the tigrinus group of the savannas of the Guiana Shield and central/northeastern Brazil (savanna tiger-cat); and the guttulus group in the lowland forests of the Atlantic Forest domain (Atlantic Forest tiger-cat). This scheme is supported by recent genetic analyses. All species displayed different spotting patterns, with some significant differences in body measurements/proportions. The new distribution presented alarming reductions from the historic range of − 50.4% to − 68.2%. This multidimensional approach revealed a new species of the elusive and threatened tiger-cat complex