Levantamento, identificação e descrição da fauna de Squamata do Quaternário brasileiro (Lepidosauria)

Este trabalho representa o primeiro levantamento extensivo da fauna de Squamata em cavernas e sítios arqueológicos brasileiros. Foram analisadas e descritas mais de 1530 peças cranianas e pós-cranianas de Squamata provenientes de 14 localidades brasileiras. No total, foram identificados 23 táxons aos níveis genérico e específico, a saber: Eunectes murinus, Eunectes sp., Boa constrictor, Corallus cf. hortulanus, Epicrates cenchria, Mastigodryas cf. bifossatus, Chironius sp., Pseustes cf. sulphureus, Tantilla sp., Helicops gr. leopardinus, cf. Philodryas, Bothrops sp., Crotalus durissus, Micrurus corallinus, Micrurus sp., Ameiva ameiva, Cnemidophorus ocellifer, Tupinambis sp., cf. Enyalius, Polychrus sp., Tropidurus sp., Diploglossus cf. fasciatus e Leposternon sp. São fornecidas descrições morfológicas detalhadas que englobam tanto elementos cranianos quanto pós-cranianos, estabelecendo uma série de características osteológicas diagnósticas a partir das peças anatômicas analisadas, que, embora muitas sejam sutis, poderão ser de grande utilidade para a identificação de gêneros e espécies de Squamata recentes. Além disso, os resultados obtidos para os sítios arqueológicos demonstram que representantes do clado eram utilizados como itens alimentares pelos seres humanos que viviam no Quaternário Superior do Brasil Central. Em algumas peças foram identificados sinais de queimaduras e marcas de corte. Esses resultados são notáveis, porque não há nenhum registro publicado de Squamata para sítios arqueológicos no Brasil até o momento.The present work represents the first extensive survey of the squamate fauna from caves and archaeological sites in Brazil. More than 1530 cranial and post-cranial pieces of Squamata are analyzed from 14 cave localities in Brazil. Twenty-three taxa are identified at the generic and specific levels, namely: Eunectes murinus, Eunectes sp., Boa constrictor, Corallus cf. hortulanus, Epicrates cenchria, Mastigodryas cf. bifossatus, Chironius sp., Pseustes cf. sulphureus, Tantilla sp., Helicops gr. leopardinus, cf. Philodryas, Bothrops sp., Crotalus durissus, Micrurus corallinus, Micrurus sp., Ameiva ameiva, Cnemidophorus ocellifer, Tupinambis sp., cf. Enyalius, Polychrus sp., Tropidurus sp., Diploglossus cf. fasciatus, and Leposternon sp. We provide detailed morphological descriptions of both cranial and post-cranial elements, and establish a range of diagnostic osteological features from the anatomical pieces analyzed, which, despite the subtleties of many of these features, will aid in identifying genera and species of living Squamata. Furthermore, some elements belonging to the archaeological sites exhibit burn traces and cut marks that human predation on squamates during the Late Quaternary in Central Brazil

Redescoberta de Paratelmatobius gaigeae (Cochran, 1938) (Amphibia, Anura, Leptodactylidae)

The genus Paratelmatobius currently comprises five species of small frogs endemic to the Atlantic Forest of Southeastern Brazil. Paratelmatobius gaigeae was known only by two syntypes collected in 1931. Recently, we re-discovered this species in Serra da Bocaina, near the type locality, in an altitude above 1000m. A re-description is presented. The re-discovery of P. gaigeae illustrates how deficiently sampled the amphibian fauna of Atlantic Forest is. The success in finding presumably missing or rare terrestrial frog species is due to the use of intensive sampling procedures such as pit-fall traps. A preliminary list of anurans collected at the same locality is provided.O gênero Paratelmatobius atualmente é composto por cinco espécies de anuros de pequeno porte endêmicos da Floresta Atlântica do sudeste do Brasil. Paratelmatobius gaigeae era conhecido apenas dos dois síntipos coletados em 1931. Recentemente, esta espécie foi redescoberta na Serra da Bocaina, próximo à localidade- tipo, em altitude superior a 1000m. A redescoberta de Paratelmatobius gaigeae ilustra a deficiência de amostragem de anfíbios da Floresta Atlântica. O sucesso no encontro de espécies terrestres de anuros aparentemente desaparecidas ou raras é devido a utilização de armadilha de interceptação e queda como procedimento de amostragem. Uma lista preliminar dos anuros coletados na mesma localidade é fornecida

The skull of the titanosaur Tapuiasaurus macedoi (Dinosauria: Sauropoda), a basal titanosaur from the Lower Cretaceous of Brazil

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/134419/1/zoj12420_am.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/134419/2/zoj12420.pd

Developmental basis of limb homology in Pleurodiran turtles, and the identity of the hooked element in the chelonian tarsus

Although Pleurodiran turtles represent an important component of extant turtle radiation, our knowledge of the development and homology of limb bones in turtles rests mostly upon observations made on derived members of the Cryptodiran clade. Herein, we describe limb development in three pleurodirans: Podocnemis unifilis Troschel, 1848, Podocnemis sextuberculata Cornalia, 1849 and Phrynops hilarii (Dumeril and Bibron, 1835), in an effort to contribute to filling this anatomical gap. For earlier stages of limb development, we described the Y-shaped condensation that gave rise to the zeugopodial cartilages, and differentiation of the primary axis/digital arch that reveals the invariant pattern common to tetrapods. There are up to four central cartilaginous foci in the carpus, and the proximal tarsale is formed by the fusion of the fibulare, intermedium, and centrale 4. Digital development is similar for the five digits. Changes in toe V occur predominantly in the distal tarsale 5. Ontogenetic reduction of phalanges is observed in toe V of Podocnemis. Based on these results, we suggest that the hooked element present in the chelonian tarsus, and traditionally recognized as a modified fifth metatarsale, is actually the fifth distal tarsale. Additionally, our data on limb development of pleurodiran turtles supply more taxonomically comprehensive information to interpret limb configuration within the chelonian clade. © 2009 The Linnean Society of London.Fil: Fabrezi, Marissa. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales. Museo de Ciencias Naturales. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA; ArgentinaFil: Manzano, Adriana Silvina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Autónoma de Entre Ríos; ArgentinaFil: Abdala, Virginia Sara Luz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán; Argentina. Fundación Miguel Lillo. Dirección de Zoología. Instituto de Herpetología; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán; ArgentinaFil: Zaher, Hussam. Universidade de Sao Paulo; Brasi

Two new species of Cnemidophorus (Squamata: Teiidae) from the Caatinga, Northwest Brazil

Two syntopic species of Cnemidophorus are described from the Caatingas of the Parque Nacional da Serra das Confusões (PNSC), located in the Southwestern region of the state of Piauí in Brazil. Both species are assigned to the ocellifer group, differing from all other members of the group by their distinct color pattern and lepidosis. Besides these differences, both new species share a number of particular features with other members of the group. One of them, C. venetacaudus, shares with C. abaetensis and C. littoralis the presence of spurs in the heels of males, six supraciliar scales, a high number of femoral pores (from 21–45), a row of enlarged scales in the dorsal region of the arm, 8–10 rows of ventral scales, and a bright bluish-green tail, while the other species, C. confusionibus, shares with C. ocellifer, C. mumbuca, and C. jalapensis a low number of femoral pores, enlarged scales in the temporal region (posterior to third subocular), 5 supraciliar scales, and 6–8 rows of ventral scales. Based on these comparisons, we suggest that the ocellifer group is more complex than previously admitted, being composed by at least two morphologically recognizable species subgroups.En el presente trabajo se describen dos sintópicas especies de Cnemidophorus de las Caatingas del Parque Nacional da Serra das Confusões (PNSC), localizado al sudoeste del estado de Piauí. Ambas especies descriptas son asignadas al grupo ocellifer, ya que presentan los caracteres diagnósticos del mismo, pero a su vez muestran importante variación en el patrón de coloración como así también en la lepidosis, que las distinguen del resto de las especies. Una de ellas, C. venetacaudus, comparte con C. abaetensis y C. littoralis la presencia de espinas en los talones de los machos, seis supraciliares, un elevado número de poros femorales (de 21 a 45), una hilera de escamas agrandadas en la región dorsal del húmero, de 8 a 10 hileras de escamas ventrales y la cola de color verde azulada, mientras que la otra especie, C. confusionibus, comparte con C. ocellifer, C. mumbuca y C. jalapensis un bajo número de poros femorales (de 11 a 21), escamas agrandadas en la región temporal (posterior a la 3° subocular), 5 supraciliares, de 6 a 8 hileras de escamas ventrales, entre otros. En base a estas comparaciones, sugerimos que el grupo ocellifer es un complejo de especies compuesto por al menos dos subgrupos de especies morfologicamente distinguibles.Fil: Arias, Federico José. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Salta. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del Noroeste Argentino; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales; ArgentinaFil: Carvalho, Celso Morato de . Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia; BrasilFil: Rodrigues, Miguel Trefaut . Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Zaher, Hussam. Universidade de Sao Paulo; Brasi

Two new species of Cnemidophorus (Squamata: Teiidae) of the C. ocellifer group, from Bahia, Brazil

Two new species of Cnemidophorus are described from the right bank of the São Francisco river, in the northwestern part of state of Bahia, Brazil. Both species are assigned to the Cnemidophorus ocellifer group and are distinguished from all other congeners on the basis of lepidosis and color pattern. One of them, Cnemidophorus cyanurus, shares with the species of the subgroup of C. littoralis (C. abaetensis, C. littoralis and C. venetacaudus), a bluish green tail, spurs on the heels of males, 6–7 supraciliaries, a high number of femoral pores (27–45), a row of enlarged scales in the dorsal part of the humerus, and 8 to 10 rows of ventral scales. The second species, Cnemidophorus nigrigula, shares with the C. ocellifer subgroup (composed of C. ocellifer, C. mumbuca, C. jalapensis and C. confusionibus) a low number of femoral pores (14– 21), enlarged scales in the temporal region posterior to the third subocular, 5 supraciliaries, 6 to 8 rows of ventral scales, and a brown tail color. It is also characterized by males being conspicuously larger than females and by females retaining the juvenile color pattern, which is lost in adult males. The latter characteristic has not been reported in any species of the C. ocellifer group before now. The two new species occur sympatrically at Santo Inácio.Se describen dos nuevas especies de Cnemidophorus del margen derecho del río São Francisco, noroeste del estado de Bahía, Brasil. Ambas especies presentan los caracteres diagnósticos del grupo de Cnemidophorus ocellifer, por lo que son asignadas al mismo, pero a su vez muestran importante variación en el patrón de coloración y en la lepidosis, que las distinguen del resto de las especies. Una de ellas, Cnemidophorus cyanurus, presenta las características del subgrupo de C. littoralis (C. abaetensis, C. littoralis y C. venetacaudus) caracterizado por presentar cola verde azulada, espinas en los talones de los machos, 6–7 supraciliares, un elevado número de poros femorales (27–45), una hilera de escamas agrandadas en la región dorsal del húmero y 8–10 hileras de escamas ventrales. La segunda especie descripta, Cnemidophorus nigrigula, muestra las características del subgrupo de C. ocellifer, integrado por C. ocellifer, C. mumbuca, C. jalapensis y C. confusionibus, como un bajo número de poros femorales (14–21), escamas agrandadas en la región temporal (posterior a la 3a subocular), 5 supraciliares, 6 a 8 hileras de escamas ventrales y cola castaña. Esta especie presenta también un evidente dimorfismo sexual en tamaño corporal (machos mayores) y en el patrón de coloración: las hembras retienen la coloración de los juveniles y los machos la pierden totalmente, una característica aún no reportada para las especies del grupo C. ocellifer. Las dos nuevas especies son simpátricas en Santo Inácio.Fil: Arias, Federico José. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Salta. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del Noroeste Argentino; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales; ArgentinaFil: Carvalho, Celso Morato de. Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia; BrasilFil: Rodrigues, Miguel Trefaut. Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Zaher, Hussam. Universidade de Sao Paulo; Brasi