Amphibia, Anura, Hylidae, Cruziohyla craspedopus (Funkhouser, 1957): distribution extension in southwestern Amazonia, state of Rondônia, Brazil

We report for the first time the presence of the Fringed Leaf Frog Cruziohyla craspedopus in southwestern Amazonia in an area near the transition between rainforest and savanna enclaves vegetation in the state of Rondônia. The specimen was collected in the Estação Ecológica do Cuniã located at BR 319 (Manaus – Porto Velho Highway)

Freelisting as a suitable method to estimate the composition and harvest rates of hunted species in tropical forests

The aim of this study was to test the use of measures obtained from freelisting as possible surrogates of the harvest rate of game species. For this purpose, we interviewed 100 rural and urban hunters in southwestern Amazonia to obtain the frequency of citations of each hunted species through freelisting and gather information on the number of individuals hunted per species in the last five hunting events through hunting recalls. We assessed the relationship between the percentage of records per species by each method through a generalized linear model, and then compared the predicted values obtained from this model with the values observed in our dataset using Pearson’s correlation. During freelisting, forty-three taxa were listed in 608 citations as hunted by the informants. Freelisting provided data on around twice the number of species obtained from recalls. During the last five hunting trips, urban hunters reported the hunting of 164 individuals of 18 species, representing 54.5% of the freelisted species. Rural hunters caught 146 individuals of 21 species, 60.0% of the freelisted species. We found a strong logistic relationship between the harvest rates, i.e., percentage of individuals hunted per species from recalls, and the freelisting percentage citations of game species, with the estimated and observed values of harvest rates highly matching (Pearson's R = 0.98, p < 0.0001). The freelisting method allowed a good estimate of the composition and the harvest rates of hunted species. The formula produced in this study can be used as a reference for further studies, enabling researchers to use freelisting effectively to assess the composition of hunted species and to address the difficulty of obtaining reliable data on species harvest rates in tropical forests, especially in short-term studies and contexts in which hunters distrust research

Hunting practices in southwestern Amazonia: a comparative study of techniques, modalities, and baits among urban and rural hunters

Background: Hunting is a vital means of obtaining animal in various human populations. Hunters rely on their knowledge of species ecology and behavior to develop and employ hunting techniques and increase their chances of success. The comparison of the hunting practices of different human societies can shed light on the sustainability of hunting and the impact it has on species’ populations. In this study, we examine and compare the techniques, modalities, and baits used by urban and rural hunters in Rondônia, a state in southwestern Amazonia, Brazil. We expected that rural hunters would use these elements and have greater knowledge when compared to urban hunters. We also expect that the use of specific hunting techniques and modalities will have greater selectivity and specificity of capture for rural hunters and that this knowledge will differ between groups. Methods: We conducted 106 semi-structured interviews with rural and urban hunters from October 2018 to February 2020. We analyzed the data using PERMANOVA and Network analyses to compare and contrast the hunting practices of each group. Results: We recorded four main hunting techniques divided into ten modalities with three techniques and seven modalities being the preferred choices among hunters. Waiting for at a Fruit Tree was cited as the primary technique employed by hunters living in urban and rural areas indicated. While the techniques and modalities were similar among hunters, the composition of species targeted and baits used differed between groups. Our network approach showed that modularity in urban areas was numerically lower than in rural areas. All species had one to more techniques associated with their capture. Conclusions: Hunters living in urban and rural environments showed high similarity in their practices, probably due to sharing similar environments to hunt containing similar species, as well as targeting preferably the same species

Human consumption of meat from roadkilled animals in the Southwestern Amazon

The harvest of meat from wild animals is essential for the nutrition of many human populations in the Neotropics. Specific techniques are used to access wild meat, but collecting meat from road killed animals, or purposely run over animals to kill and consume the meat have not been documented so far. In this study we interviewed four residents of the state of Rondônia who claimed to consume roadkilled animals. Respondents cited only medium and large mammals (10 species in total) as the group from which wild meat is harvested, with one respondent claiming to intentionally run over the animals. The interviewees analyse the smell/putrefaction, swelling and exposure of viscera as criteria for not collecting the meat. The meat from roadkilled animals may pose a risk to the health of humans who consume it due to the foodborne diseases it may spread after the decomposition process. In addition, the practice of running over animals for consumption of their meat can cause potential impacts to the fauna and humans since it can reduce animal numbers and also cause serious accidents. Further investigations are needed to clarify whether this is widespread phenomenon occurring in other places of the Amazon and of the Neotropics

The Role of Religion, Wealth, and Livelihoods in the Hunting Practices of Urban and Rural Inhabitants in Western Amazonia

Hunting by rural and urban populations is essential for securing access to protein and other nutrients throughout the tropics. The hunting patterns of urban hunters in Amazonia, and the similarities with those of rural hunters, are unclear, as are the social factors that influence hunting practices. We analyze the effects of socioeconomic and cultural factors on hunting frequency and composition of species hunted by urban and rural Amazonian hunters. We interviewed 49 urban hunters and 57 rural hunters within 10 municipalities in western Amazonia in Brazil. A total of 44 species were cited as hunted. Our analyses show that the probability of engaging in sport hunting (for recreation) is greater among urban hunters. Rural inhabitants, hunters with lower monetary incomes, and hunters who were non-practicing Christians and atheists hunted more frequently. The composition of species hunted was similar, regardless of the hunters’ livelihood (rural or urban) or religion. We found that hunting frequency is influenced by hunters’ socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds, but these factors do not affect the composition of the harvest. This similarity between urban and rural hunters might be related to species distribution and availability and could potentially impact the most hunted species if hunting grounds overlap. Understanding hunting patterns, especially those of urban hunters, allows for more effective hunting management strategies, improvements in law enforcement against illegal hunting, as well as development of more effective and sustainable conservation actions

Naturally Acquired Humoral Immunity against Malaria Parasites in Non-Human Primates from the Brazilian Amazon, Cerrado and Atlantic Forest.

Plasmodium - Plasmodium brasilianum - P. malariae - P. malariae - P. falciparum - P. vivax - Plasmodium content: - "Non-human primates (NHPs) have been shown to be infected by parasites of the genus " - ", the etiological agent of malaria in humans, creating potential risks of zoonotic transmission. " - ", a parasite species similar to " - " of humans, have been described in NHPs from Central and South America, including Brazil. The merozoite surface protein 1 (MSP1), besides being a malaria vaccine candidate, is highly immunogenic. Due to such properties, we tested this protein for the diagnosis of parasite infection. We used recombinant proteins of " - " MSP1, as well as of " - " and " - ", for the detection of antibodies anti-MSP1 of these parasite species, in the sera of NHPs collected in different regions of Brazil. About 40% of the NHP sera were confirmed as reactive to the proteins of one or more parasite species. A relatively higher number of reactive sera was found in animals from the Atlantic Forest than those from the Amazon region, possibly reflecting the former more intense parasite circulation among NHPs due to their proximity to humans at a higher populational density. The presence of " - " positive NHPs in the surveyed areas, being therefore potential parasite reservoirs, needs to be considered in any malaria surveillance program.

The Munduruku marmoset: A new monkey species from southern Amazonia

Although the Atlantic Forest marmosets (Callithrix spp.) are among the best studied Neotropical primates, the Amazonian marmosets (Callibella humilis, Cebuella spp. and Mico spp.) are much less well-known. Even species diversity and distributions are yet to be properly determined because field data and materials currently available in scientific collections do not allow comprehensive taxonomic studies of Amazonian marmosets. From 2015 to 2018, we conducted 10 expeditions in key-areas within southern Amazonia where little or no information on marmosets was available. In one such region-the Tapajós-Jamanxim interfluve-we recorded marmosets with a distinctive pelage pigmentation pattern suggesting they could represent a new species. We tested this hypothesis using an integrative taxonomic framework that included phylogenomic data (ddRAD sequences), pelage pigmentation characters, and distribution records. We found that the marmosets of the northern Tapajós-Jamanxim interfluve have unique states in pelage pigmentation characters, form a clade (100% support) in our Bayesian and Maximum-Likelihood phylogenies, and occur in an area isolated from other taxa by rivers. The integration of these lines of evidence leads us to describe a new marmoset species in the genus Mico, named after the Munduruku Amerindians of the Tapajós-Jamanxim interfluve, southwest of Pará State, Brazil. Copyright © 2019 Costa-Araújo et al

Terrestrial behavior in titi monkeys (Callicebus, Cheracebus, and Plecturocebus) : potential correlates, patterns, and differences between genera

For arboreal primates, ground use may increase dispersal opportunities, tolerance to habitat change, access to ground-based resources, and resilience to human disturbances, and so has conservation implications. We collated published and unpublished data from 86 studies across 65 localities to assess titi monkey (Callicebinae) terrestriality. We examined whether the frequency of terrestrial activity correlated with study duration (a proxy for sampling effort), rainfall level (a proxy for food availability seasonality), and forest height (a proxy for vertical niche dimension). Terrestrial activity was recorded frequently for Callicebus and Plecturocebus spp., but rarely for Cheracebus spp. Terrestrial resting, anti-predator behavior, geophagy, and playing frequencies in Callicebus and Plecturocebus spp., but feeding and moving differed. Callicebus spp. often ate or searched for new leaves terrestrially. Plecturocebus spp. descended primarily to ingest terrestrial invertebrates and soil. Study duration correlated positively and rainfall level negatively with terrestrial activity. Though differences in sampling effort and methods limited comparisons and interpretation, overall, titi monkeys commonly engaged in a variety of terrestrial activities. Terrestrial behavior in Callicebus and Plecturocebus capacities may bolster resistance to habitat fragmentation. However, it is uncertain if the low frequency of terrestriality recorded for Cheracebus spp. is a genus-specific trait associated with a more basal phylogenetic position, or because studies of this genus occurred in pristine habitats. Observations of terrestrial behavior increased with increasing sampling effort and decreasing food availability. Overall, we found a high frequency of terrestrial behavior in titi monkeys, unlike that observed in other pitheciids

Amphibia, Anura, Hylidae, Cruziohyla craspedopus (Funkhouser, 1957): distribution extension in southwestern Amazonia, state of Rondônia, Brazil

We report for the first time the presence of the Fringed Leaf Frog Cruziohyla craspedopus in southwestern Amazonia in an area near the transition between rainforest and savanna enclaves vegetation in the state of Rondônia. The specimen was collected in the Estação Ecológica do Cuniã located at BR 319 (Manaus – Porto Velho Highway)

Amphibia, Anura, Hylidae, Cruziohyla craspedopus (Funkhouser, 1957): distribution extension in southwestern Amazonia, state of Rondônia, Brazil

We report for the first time the presence of the Fringed Leaf Frog Cruziohyla craspedopus in southwestern Amazonia in an area near the transition between rainforest and savanna enclaves vegetation in the state of Rondônia. The specimen was collected in the Estação Ecológica do Cuniã located at BR 319 (Manaus – Porto Velho Highway)