Another puzzle piece: new record of the Fringed Leaf Frog, Cruziohyla craspedopus (Funkhouser, 1957) (Anura: Phyllomedusidae), in the eastern Amazon Rainforest

We report new occurrence of Cruziohyla craspedopus (Funkhouser, 1957) in the eastern Amazon Rainforest. This is only the second record from the state of Pará, Brazil and represents the easternmost known point of this species’ range

Molecular phylogenetic relationships and generic placement of dryaderces inframaculata Boulenger, 1882 (Anura: Hylidae)

Dryaderces inframaculata Boulenger, 1882, is a rare species known only from a few specimens and localities in the southeastern Amazonia rainforest. It was originally described in the genus Hyla, after ~ 130 years transferred to Osteocephalus, and more recently to Dryaderces. These taxonomic changes were based solely on the similarity of morphological characters. Herein, we investigate the phylogenetic relationships and generic placement of D. inframaculata using molecular data from a collected specimen from the middle Tapajós River region, state of Pará, Brazil. Two mitochondrial DNA fragments (16S and COI) were assessed among representative species in the subfamily Lophiohylinae (Anura: Hylidae) to reconstruct phylogenetic trees under Bayesian and Maximum Likelihood criteria. Our results corroborate the monophyly of Dryaderces and the generic placement of D. inframaculata with high support. Dryaderces inframaculata is sister to an undescribed taxon, Dryaderces pearsoni Ca1 Jungfer et al., 2013, and both are sister to Dryaderces pearsoni Gaige, 1929. These findings are relevant for further research on the systematics and biogeography of the genus

Another puzzle piece: New record of the Fringed Leaf Frog, Cruziohyla craspedopus (Funkhouser, 1957) (Anura: Phyllomedusidae), in the eastern Amazon Rainforest

We report new occurrence of Cruziohyla craspedopus (Funkhouser, 1957) in the eastern Amazon Rainforest. This is only the second record from the state of Pará, Brazil and represents the easternmost known point of this species’ range. © 2017 Check List and Authors

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

Cerrado assemblages of reptiles and amphibians along the drainage of Rio Tocantins and the impact of hydroelectric power plants on their conservation

A herpetofauna do Cerrado foi investigada ao longo de extensa área da bacia do rio Tocantins de três formas distintas e complementares. Primeiro, uma amostragem rápida realizada em 11 áreas situadas entre o Planalto Central em Goiás e o norte da depressão do Tocantins na divisa dos estados de Tocantins e Maranhão obteve dados menos completos, porém em toda a extensão estudada. Segundo, na parte central da área a UHE LEM, foi intensamente amostrada, obtendo-se uma lista completa de espécies para a área e dados sobre sua distribuição na paisagem. As informações reunidas também permitiram identificar alguns dos impactos causados pelo empreendimento. Terceiro, nesta área, seis pontos foram amostrados bimestralmente ao longo de três anos, permitindo obter informações mais finas sobre o efeito do habitat, da sazonalidade e do deslocamento da fauna pelo enchimento do reservatório nas assembléias de anuros e lagartos. Os dendrogramas construídos com índices de similaridade de Jaccard entre áreas do Cerrado e de outras paisagens neotropicais adjacentes relativamente bem amostradas indica que a fauna de serpentes, lagartos e anuros do Cerrado forma um grupo em relação outras paisagens, subdivido em dois grupos. Um deles está asssociado às depressões de baixa altitude, o outro aos planaltos centrais ou meridionais. No norte do Cerrado a riqueza de espécies é maior, ocorrendo espécies compartilhadas com a Amazônia ou com a Caatinga. No sul, ocorrem espécies com distribuição meridional. O número de espécies geralmente aumenta das áreas meridionais mais áridas para as áreas mais chuvosas próximas ao Equador. Os grupos aquáticos, fossoriais e arborícolas são especialmente mais diversos nas áreas equatoriais. O Cerrado da Depressão do Tocantins é, após as áreas Amazônicas, geralmente a área mais rica em espécies. Lagartos de alta temperatura corporal são mais freqüentes nos cerrados abertos situados nos interflúvios; espécies mais sensíveis a desidratação e de menor temperatura corporal ocorrem nas florestas de fundo de vale. No baixo curso dos rios, nas planícies aluviais e terraços registraram-se abundâncias elevadas de anuros de reprodução aquática, que usam habitats abertos ou florestados. Nas áreas de relevo mais encaixado das cabeceiras estes espécies são menos freqüentes. Os lagartos são menos afetados pelas sazonalidade climática que os anuros. Na estação chuvosa, especialmente em dezembro, ocorreram picos de freqüência de ocorrência, de atividade e maior riqueza de anuros. A reprodução e os nascimentos ocorrem concentrados na estação chuvosa na maioria das espécies, mas esta é especialmente mais concentrada nesta época nos anuros. A diferenciação filogenética dos nichos termo-hídricos das espécies de anuros e lagartos nas assembléias permite a partilha de recursos no tempo e no espaço. Os nichos termo-hídricos das espécies variam entre espécies com maior temperatura corporal e resistência elevada à desidratação e espécies com menor temperatura corporal e baixa resistência a desidratação. A organização espaço temporal das assembléias é fortemente influenciada pela distribuição dos recursos termo-hídricos (microhabitats e microclimas) e pelos fatores que determinam esta distribuição: as interações entre perfis topográficos, o embasamento geológico e a sazonalidade climática. A temperatura e a pluviosidade determinam a organização das assembléias e a distribuição geográfica das espécies. As variações históricas da temperatura podem influenciar a diferenciação das espécies tanto quanto as variações de pluviosidade. O enchimento do reservatório causou a perda de populações de muitas espécies, mas os efeitos foram especialmente graves sobre as espécies de distribuição restrita ou que ocorriam em densidades elevadas em ambientes exclusivos da área inundada. Também houve fragmentação de habitats e alteração dos regimes fluviais a jusante, afetando os habitats inundáveis a jusante. O represamento também impede o transporte de animais em balsas de vegetação pelo rio, interrompendo o provável fluxo gênico entre as margens e rio abaixo. Nas comunidades da margem do reservatório o efeito principal do enchimento foi um aumento extraordinário da freqüência de Chaunus gr. granulosus e Physalaemus centralis nos meses de dezembro. No cerrado, o aumento das freqüências de várias espécies de anuros, principalmente Chaunus gr. granulosus ocorreu logo após o inicio do enchimento. Na floresta o grande aumento de freqüência de Physalaemus centralis ocorreu na próxima estação chuvosa, quando houve também uma redução dos lagartos. Nos estudos de impacto ambiental realizados em 1998 uma parcela pequena da diversidade foi registrada. Um esforço muito maior é necessário para diagnosticar os impactos de um empreendimento do porte da UHE LEM. O estudo dos impactos ambientais é fundamental para permitir desenvolver procedimentos menos prejudiciais ao meio ambiente, mas também é uma estratégia para investigar como as condições ambientais influenciam a organização das comunidades biológicas.The Cerrado herpetofauna was studied along the basin of the Tocantins river using three distinct and complementary approaches. First, a fast sampling scheme, covering all the studied area, was conducted in 11 sites between the Central Plateau, in the state of Goiás, and the northern portion of the Tocantins depression, at the border of the states of Tocantins and Maranhão. Second, the central portion of the studied area, the UHE LEM, was intensively sampled, resulting in a complete list of species for this area and data about their distribution in the landscape in a way that allowed the identification of some of the impacts caused by the construction of the dam. Third, six sites were sampled in two months intervals during three years, providing accurate information about the effects of habitat, seasonality, and of the movement of the fauna in response to the filling of the lake on the anuran and lizard assemblages. The comparisons among Cerrado sites and sites in other adjacent Neotropical landscapes that have been relatively well sampled, based on Jaccard similarity indices, indicate that the Cerrado snakes, lizards and anurans constitute a distinct group relative to the other landscapes. The Cerrado group can be further subdivided in two groups: one associated to the depressions in low altitude, and the other associated to the central or southern plateaus. In northern Cerrado, species richness is greater, and some species are shared with Amazonia or with Caatinga. The number of species generally increases from the more arid, southern areas to the more humid areas close to the Equator. The aquatic, fossorial, and arboreal groups are specially more diverse in the Equatorial areas. The Cerrado of the Tocantins Depression is, after the Amazonian areas, the area with larger species richness. Lizards with high body temperature are more common in the open cerrados located in the interfluvia; species that are more susceptible to dehydration and with lower body temperature occur in the forests at the bottom of the valleys. In the lower portion of the rivers, at the alluvial plains and terraces, there was a high abundance of anurans with aquatic reproduction, occurring in open or forested habitats. In the headwater regions, were the relief is more steep, these species are less common. Lizards are less affected by climatic seasonality than anurans. In the rainy season, specially in December, there were peaks in the frequency of occurrence, activity and richness of anurans. Reproduction is concentrated in the rainy season for most species, but specially for the anurans. The phylogenetic differentiation of the thermo-hydric 329 niches of the anuran and lizard species in the assemblages allows for the partitioning of the resources in time and space. The thermo-hydric niches vary between species with larger body temperature and less susceptibility to dehydration, and species with smaller body temperature, and more prone to dehydration. The spatial and temporal organization of the assemblages is highly influenced by the distribution of the thermohydric resources (microhabitats and microclimates) and by the factors that determine this distribution: the interactions among topography, geology, and seasonality. Temperature and pluviosity determine the organization of the assemblages and the geographic distribution of the species. Historical variations in both temperature and pluviosity may influence the differentiation of species. The filling of the lake caused the loss of populations of many species, but the effects were specially important on species with restricted distributions or that occurred in high densities in habitats that were exclusive of the flooded area. There was also fragmentation of habitats and alterations in the fluvial regimen upriver, affecting the seasonally flooded habitats in this region. The lake also restricts the movement of animals on top of vegetation fragments that are carried by the river, interrupting a possible gene flow between the opposite margins and to the regions downriver. In the communities at the margins of the lake, the main effect of the lake formation was a high increase in the frequency of Chaunus gr. granulosus and Physalaemus centralis in the month of December. In the cerrado, the increase in frequency of several anuran species, mainly Chaunus gr. granulosus, occurred closely after the formation of the lake. In the forest, the high increase in frequency of Physalaemus centralis happened in the next rainy season, when a reduction in the frequency of lizards was also observed. In the Environmental Impact studies conducted in 1998, a small portion of the diversity was recorded. A larger effort is necessary to diagnose the impacts of such a large dam as was UHE LEM. The study of environmental impacts is of fundamental importance to allow the development of techniques that cause less harm to the environment, but is also a strategy to investigate how the environmental conditions influence the organization of biological communities

Another puzzle piece: new record of the Fringed Leaf Frog, Cruziohyla craspedopus (Funkhouser, 1957) (Anura: Phyllomedusidae), in the eastern Amazon Rainforest

We report new occurrence of Cruziohyla craspedopus (Funkhouser, 1957) in the eastern Amazon Rainforest. This is only the second record from the state of Pará, Brazil and represents the easternmost known point of this species’ range

On the occurrence of Hemiphractus scutatus (Spix, 1824) (Anura: Hemiphractidae) in eastern Amazonia

Hemiphractus Wagler, 1828 is part of Hemiphractidae Peters, 1862, a family that harbors species of frogs characterized by the deposition of eggs on the females' dorsum. Both the genus Hemiphractus and the species Hemiphractus scutatus (Spix, 1824) are only known to the Andean mountain range and western half of the upper Amazon Basin. Herein, we provide the first records of H. scutatus from the eastern Amazonia (middle Tapajós River region, Pará State, Brazil), which extends its geographic range ca. 1,000 km from nearest known occurrence record and are among the lowest known levels for the species elevational range. Comparisons of morphologic and molecular data with available voucher specimens and published information on the species revealed variation that we interpret as intraspecific polymorphism. Phylogenetic analysis of a fragment of the mitochondrial gene 16S recovered the newly discovered specimens as most closely related to samples from Peru. These results add new evidence in the known biogeographic patterns of the genus and species, and ongoing plans to build hydroelectric plants in the middle Tapajós River region can negatively affect this unique population. © 2018 Moraes and Pavan

Removal of nitrogen from the anaerobic supernatant of a codigestion process: start-up of a sequencing batch reactors (SBR) adopting the nitrite route

The nitrogen removal via nitrite in a SBR system treating anaerobic supernatant is presente