Preliminary observations on the reproductive cycle of female Tegu lizards (Tupinambis teguizin)

The black tegu lizard, Tupinambis teguixin (Linnaeus 1758) is a common element in the wild all throughout Southamerica except for Chile. This teiid lizard was outstood by earlier travellers such as Sir Charles Waterton who reported for the first time about the delicate food, resembling chicken flesh and frequently consumed by local natives. Despite its relative abundance and both the intense economical and social importance of tegus, as well as its situation in the food web, the reproductive biology of tegus was, until recently, largely unknown.Asociación Herpetológica Argentin

The snake fauna of El Bagual Ecological Reserve, Formosa: abundance, habitat utilization and situational state.

From records made during eight months consisting of direct observations and some captures, the snake fauna was analyzed to know specific composition, abundance and states of conservation. Each species was associated to the habitat where was found. Although bibliographical record cites 60 species, 19 were found within the protected area. Five were categorized to be very abundant, nine abundant, three common and two scarce. The snake fauna was also analyzed to describe functional guilds according to specific habits and an index of community similarity was considered. High and low grasslands together with the forests supported the highest number of species and in a finally situational states of wild fauna, two potential management problems are expected. One of them with venemous snake fauna which would require a future regulation management, and the other with boids requiring a conservation management technique.Asociación Herpetológica Argentin

The snake fauna of El Bagual Ecological Reserve, Formosa: abundance, habitat utilization and situational state.

From records made during eight months consisting of direct observations and some captures, the snake fauna was analyzed to know specific composition, abundance and states of conservation. Each species was associated to the habitat where was found. Although bibliographical record cites 60 species, 19 were found within the protected area. Five were categorized to be very abundant, nine abundant, three common and two scarce. The snake fauna was also analyzed to describe functional guilds according to specific habits and an index of community similarity was considered. High and low grasslands together with the forests supported the highest number of species and in a finally situational states of wild fauna, two potential management problems are expected. One of them with venemous snake fauna which would require a future regulation management, and the other with boids requiring a conservation management technique.Asociación Herpetológica Argentin

Preliminary observations on the reproductive cycle of female Tegu lizards (Tupinambis teguizin)

The black tegu lizard, Tupinambis teguixin (Linnaeus 1758) is a common element in the wild all throughout Southamerica except for Chile. This teiid lizard was outstood by earlier travellers such as Sir Charles Waterton who reported for the first time about the delicate food, resembling chicken flesh and frequently consumed by local natives. Despite its relative abundance and both the intense economical and social importance of tegus, as well as its situation in the food web, the reproductive biology of tegus was, until recently, largely unknown.Asociación Herpetológica Argentin

Biodiversity-friendly Agricultural Practices in the Indigenous Agricultural Systems in the Biodiversity Corridor of the Alto Paraná Atlantic Forest (Paraguay)

Agricultural systems result of the coevolution between social and natural systems, where biodiversity and natural resources play an important role, emerging interactions between crops and the natural environment that allow the development of ecological processes which interact with external inputs. This research aims to describe the agricultural practices developed by the Guarani Indigenous people in the agricultural systems located within the biodiversity corridor of the Upper Parana Atlantic Forest. This exploratory study is focused on multiple cases, with a qualitative approach and from data collected during 2017 and 2018 in eleven indigenous communities. The main practices developed for the management of biodiversity are polyculture, rotation, and embroideries; they also practice agroforestry and livestock-raising. The main difficulty they face is the reduction of the surrounding biodiversity, which affects the sustainability of the system. This study shows ways for nature-based solutions and ecosystem-based adaptation according to current needs for greening the economy

Indirect Impact Assessment of the road segment San Juan Nepomuceno-Ruta 6 in Paraguay

This study analyzes the past, current and potential future deforestation resulting from the improvement of the road segment between San Juan Nepomuceno and the 6th route (PR-L1080) in Southeastern Paraguay. For the purpose of the analysis, the study used satellite images to detect deviations from the usual pattern of vegetation and thus identify anthropogenic change. The deforestation baseline in the study area was defined using Landsat imagery from 1987 to 2014. Using this baseline and additional datasets such as distance to roads, distance to rivers, ecosystems and elevation, a map of deforestation risk was developed at national scale and then applied in the area of influence of the studied road. For the period 2000-2014, Paraguay recorded a very high deforestation rate of 0.77% per year, while the average deforestation rate in South America as a whole is around 0.41% per year. The main causes of deforestation in Paraguay are cattle ranching, agriculture activities and infrastructure development. Currently, most of the deforestation occurs in the Dry Chaco region of Paraguay located in the north of the country. A map of potential deforestation for the year 2023 was created based on the current rates of deforestation detected using Landsat imagery and the different levels of deforestation risk in a given area. Finally, potential future deforestation rates were calculated for the studied area. The results show that the implementation of this infrastructure project will potentially increase deforestation by 1.41% in the study area, especially, if appropriate measures for the management of natural resources are not undertaken. As a path of dirt road already exists and given the geographical conditions within the studied area, the risk of deforestation is currently very high even if the road is not paved yet. Therefore, the project of paving the current dirt road has a relatively low impact on the deforestation risk in the study area and the deforestation rates are predicted to be high with or without the road project implementation. Forests in this area are therefore already under a significant amount of pressure. Indeed, if the road is built the model predicts an estimated forest loss of 15,603 hectares during the next 10 years in the direct area of influence of the road, a substantial loss in the context of deforestation restrictions in the Paraguayan regulatory framework. These findings clearly indicate the indirect impacts that road infrastructure projects (improvement, pavement and construction) could have on land use change (via habitat loss and increased greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions). They also reconfirm the importance of not only ex-ante and detailed environmental impact assessments that should accompany any infrastructure project, but also of national and local policies aimed at discouraging deforestation and promoting compensation and habitat protection schemes, especially in areas known as important carbon sinks and essential for biodiversity conservation

Una aproximación hacia las definiciones eco-regionales del sur de la Región Oriental del Paraguay

El Sur de Paraguay es una región cuyas características eco-regionales son confusas debido a su carácter ecotonal. Esta región corresponde a la transición del Bosque Parananense que se proyecta desde el este y el Chaco Húmedo, que cubre los terrenos aluviales bajos del Oeste. Su cobertura corresponde a sabanas herbáceas, principalmente de pajonales, tanto en terrenos bajos como en campos altos. La revisión de la bibliografía sobre biogeografía corrobora la dificultad de la clasificación ecológica de este región, existiendo una gran región de unos 26.000 km2 que se clasifican de diversas maneras. Sobre este tema se presenta un breve análisis de la región presentando el problema asociado a la clasificación ecológica de la región. Se menciona el predominio de tres unidades de paisajes: a) Pajonales; b) Palmares y Quebrachales de quebracho colorado; y c) Bosques Subtropicales Húmedos Semicaducifolios. La historia geomorfológica reciente, del Cuaternario, apunta a establecer al menos dos patrones claros: la coincidencia de elevaciones al este con periodos de climas cálidos y húmedos, propiciando gran desarrollo de la vegetación y la tendencia a bajar de la región occidental, coincidiendo con periodos secos y fríos propiciando un paisaje de incursiones marinas, desarrollo lagunar o en su defecto de sabanas. Se proponen los siguientes pasos para el desarrollo de un estudio más profundo

Evaluación de la conectividad ecológica en el noroeste de Paraguay: el yaguareté y el puma como modelos

Para conservar estas especies y sus roles funcionales en la región Occidental de Paraguay es fundamental comprender cómo perciben y utilizan el paisaje y determinar cómo las áreas protegidas de la región, dentro y fuera de Paraguay, están ecológicamente conectadas.CONACYT – Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y TecnologíaPROCIENCI

First record of <i>Liolaemus azarai</i> and <i>Hemidactylus mabouia</i> for Ñeembucú Department, Paraguay

Here, we present the first record of Liolameus azarai and Hemidactylus mabouia for the Ñeembucú Department, and Manciola guaporicola for the Alto Paraguay Department, all in Paraguay. These data were the result of recent fieldwork in Paraguay and contribute to knowledge about the distribution of these lizards in this country.Asociación Herpetológica Argentina (AHA

A new locality in Paraguay for the Black-tailed Marmoset, Mico melanurus (Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1812) (Primates, Callitrichidae)

Mico melanurus is an endangered primate in Paraguay, with most Paraguayan records in the vicinity of Agua Dulce (Defensores del Chaco National Park). We report the first well-documented locality outside of the Agua Dulce/Linea 1 transect, representing the most northeastern record in Paraguay, as well as a new habitat for the species, transitional Pantanal-Cerrado. This note demonstrates the importance of monitoring areas which have been insufficiently studied for conservation purposes.