Range extension of Iguana iguana Linnaeus, 1758 (Squamata: Iguanidae): the first record of an established population in southeastern Brazil

The Brazilian Atlantic Forest holds a major part of the country’s amphibian species richness and high rates of endemism. In this study, we conducted surveys using the Rapid Assessment (RA) method to sample the amphibian fauna of the Serra das Torres Natural Monument (MONAST), an Atlantic Forest remnant in southeastern Brazil. We sampled actively with a 6-10-person team to collect standard samples from 09:00 to 12:00 hours for the daytime period, and from 18:00 to 22:00 hours for the crepuscular/nighttime period, with a total of approximately 1,320 hours of sampling effort. We supplemented these data with 720 hours of passive sampling, using pitfall traps with drift fences (30 bucket-days). We recorded 54 amphibian species (two gymnophionans and 52 anurans), and the species richness estimated by the Bootstrap method indicates that a slightly larger number of species (n = 60) may occur in the study area. The most speciose family was Hylidae (n = 21), followed by Brachycephalidae (n = 8). Overall, 25% of the species (n = 13) were recorded only once (singletons) and 15% (n = 8) only twice (doubletons). Most amphibians recorded in this study (71%, n = 37 species) were restricted to the Atlantic Forest biome, two species (Euparkerella robusta and Luetkenotyphlus fredi) are endemic to the Espírito Santo state, and one of them, the leaf litter species E. robusta, is endemic to the MONAST. Euparkerella robusta is currently listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN and is classified as Critically Endangered in the Espírito Santo State red list, while L. fredi has yet to be evaluated due to its recent description. Thoropa lutzi is currently listed as Endangered (EN) by both the IUCN and in the State list. Nine species are listed as Data Deficient (DD) and populations of 13 species are considered to be declining by the IUCN. We extend the geographical distribution of two anuran species (Hylodes babax and Phasmahyla lisbella) and fill an important gap in the distribution of Siphonops hardyi. Amphibians associated with the forest floor represented 42% of the species richness from MONAST, and 43% of these species inhabit the leaf litter exclusively. Our study revealed that Serra das Torres preserves a considerable diversity of Atlantic Forest amphibians, which reinforces the need for the conservation of this forest remnant.

Male orchid bees were sampled with chemical baits monthly from July 1999 to April 2000 at six sites situated at different distances from the forest edge (0 to 4,000 m) at Parque Estadual do Rio Doce, the largest remnant of Atlantic Forest in the state of Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil. The main goal of this study was to assess the abundance, richness, and the community structure of the orchid-bee fauna at different distances from the edge. In all, 1,183 males from 20 species were collected. Only minor and insignificant variation in richness and abundance were observed among the sites. Two dominant species, Euglossa analis Westwood (Hymenoptera: Apidae) and Eulaema cingulata (Fabricius) (Hymenoptera: Apidae), showed strongly opposing habitat associations: while males of the former were most collected in the interior of the forest, the latter was most found at or close to the edge. The responses of individual species, such as these, and not composite measures of richness and abundance, are more informative regarding forest integrity and edge effects.

Amphibians and reptiles are important constituents of leaf litter communities in tropical forests (Fauth et al., 1989; Allmon, 1991; Vitt and Caldwell, 1994). Forest floor leaf-litter frogs forage for arthropods (Toft, 1980a,b), and three general guilds can be recognized depending on the proportions of different kinds of prey: ant specialists, non-ant specialists, and generalists (Toft, 1980a). In general, leptodactylid frogs are considered non-ant specialists eating predominantly soft-bodied, mobile arthropods, mainly orthopterans and spiders (Toft, 1980a,b, 1995). Zachaenus parvulus is a small leptodactylid frog, which occurs among the floor litter of the Atlantic rain forest of eastern Brazil (Duellman and Trueb, 1986; Rocha et al., 1998). Information on the species is restricted to data on reproduction (Lutz, 1944) and defense tactics (Sazima, 1978; Rocha et al., 1998), with almost nothing known about other aspects of its biology. In the Atlantic rain-forest leaf-litter anuran community that we studied, Z. parvulus is the second most abundant species (after the brachycephalid Psyllophryne didactyla). Herein, we report an investigation of some aspects of the ecology of Zachaenus parvulus providing information on its diet, reproduction, and density at Ilha Grande, Brazil. The study site was in the Atlantic rain forest at Ilha Grande (23?10'558S; 44?12'499'W), an island in southern Estado do Rio de Janeiro, southeastern Brazil (Fig. 1), at an elevation of approximately 240 m. Rainfall is seasonal, with mean annual rainfall of 2240 mm and monthly averages ranging from 87 mm (July) to 293 mm (January; Bittencourt, 1998). Mean air temperature is 22.5?C, with February being the hottest month (25.7?C) and July the coldest (19.6?C; Bittencourt, 1998). Ilha Grande is covered by Atlantic rain forest with different levels of succession resulting from disturbances caused by human activities through the last centuries (Araujo and Oliveira, 1988). The study area consists of a remnant of undisturbed Atlantic rain forest with trees reaching 30 m, covered by bromeliads and vines, and with a relatively deep leaf-litter layer (80-150 mm). From August 1996 to November 1997 frogs were

Megachilidae bees are important pollinators in the Neotropical region, however information on the ecology and behavior of these species is still scarce. The objective of this study was to analyze the nesting biology of sympatric species in the União Biological Reserve, a remnant of Atlantic Forest in the southeastern Brazil. Our results indicated the occurrence of 17 species, representing significant richness compared to other areas in the Atlantic Forest. Five sympatric species built ¾ of all nests found and the architecture of their nests was studied including, for the first time, nests of a species of Megachile (Ptilosarus). The use of petals or leaf fragments in the construction of the nests was observed for species of Megachile (Chrysosarus), confirming previous data. The nesting activity period in the trap-nests occurred mainly in the rainy season, with different peaks among the species. The results indicate that the distinctive characteristics of the species, such as the type of material used in the nests, the dimensions of cavities, and the asynchronous nesting period, could be important for the niche differentiation of these sympatric species, allowing the maintenance and the survival of the most abundant Megachilidae populations in the area.

The Solitary Tinamou (Tinamus solitarius) is endemic to the Atlantic Forest. Little information is available about this bird species because of its low conservation priority and cryptic habits. Hunting and habitat loss are the main threats to the species, which is regionally threatened in southern and southeastern Brazil. We used camera traps installed along unpaved roads, at edges with roads, and in the forest interior in one of the last large remnants of the lowland Brazilian Atlantic Forest in southeastern Brazil to determine daily and seasonal activity patterns of the Solitary Tinamou. We obtained 256 records between June 2005 and December 2013 (sampling effort = 14,316 cameras-day). Solitary Tinamous were mainly observed away from roads, confirming the tendency of the species to occur more frequently in areas with greater canopy cover. Our data confirmed that photoperiod may influence daily activity patterns of the Solitary Tinamou, as the duration of daylight differs among the seasons. The ...

Hábitos alimentares de Enyalius perditus (Squamata: Leiosauridae) em um fragmento de Mata Atlântica no sudeste do Brasil. O objetivo do presente estudo foi fornecer informações sobre hábitos alimentares e outros aspectos ecológicos do lagarto Enyalius perditus em um fragmento de Mata Atlântica no estado do Rio de Janeiro, sudeste do Brasil. No Rio de Janeiro, os indivíduos de E. perditus alimentaram-se predominantemente de artrópodes, como lagartas, isópodes e aranhas, como é típico de lagartos desse gênero. Não houve variação pronunciada nos principais tipos de presas consumidas entre essa e outras populações de E. perditus estudadas, apesar de haver diferenças potenciais nos suprimentos alimentares entre ambientes. Os indivíduos consumiram fragmentos de folhas mortas, ingeriram presas comumente encontradas na serapilheira (e.g., Isopoda e larvas de Coleoptera) e foram algumas vezes encontrados no chão ou capturados em armadilhas-de-queda durante os trabalhos de campo, o que sugere que esses lagartos utilizam a serapilheira do chão da floresta para o forrageio e outras atividades, embora também utilizem poleiros acima do nível do chão.

Biochemical leaf traits as indicators of tolerance potential in tree species from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest against oxidative environmental stressors

In this study, both the genetic diversity and population genetic structure of Eufriesea violacea from six Atlantic Forest fragments, located in four Brazilian states, were assessed using microsatellite markers. The results showed that genetic diversity was high in all populations and the genetic differentiation (ΦST), based on allelic frequency differences, for all population pairwise comparisons was found to be significantly different from zero, indicating from low to moderate genetic differentiation among populations. Considerably higher genetic differentiation values were revealed by the Dest estimator, indicating very high levels of differentiation for some pairs of populations. The present results on the population structure of E. violacea suggest a restriction in gene flow among populations from different Atlantic Forest remnants. Thus, considering the intense threats over the current Atlantic Forest remnants, more attention should be paid to populations of this euglossine species.

The Fabaceae family holds great ecological and economic importance. Some species contribute to increased nitrogen levels in the soil (association with mycorrhizae), benefiting the natural regeneration process. Other species have high therapeutic value, while another can be used for ornamentation and urbanization. This study reports the presence of seeds from a tree species in the Fabaceae family, Dimorphandra jorgei M.F.Silva, in the fecal sample of South American tapir, Tapirus terrestris (Linnaeus, 1758), in a remnant of the Atlantic Forest in Southeastern Brazil. The fecal sample was found on an unpaved road, between the forest edge and an area undergoing reforestation with native species. Our record corroborates that D. jorgei can be an important supplementary food item in the tapir’s diet in the region, with its consumption linked to dry periods. The fruits of D. jorgei are not morphologically attractive to vertebrate fauna in general, highlighting the importance of tapirs in the dispersal of this and other species with similar fruits. It is also emphasized that seed dispersal contributes to the maintenance and regeneration of vegetation, serving as an Ecosystem Service of Support.

There are few studies on the diet of Common Vampire Bat (Desmodus rotundus), despite its wide geographic distribution. The species is considered exclusively hematophagous, and medium and large-sized mammals are their main prey. In this study we report evidences of Common Vampire Bat feeding on Lowland Tapir (Tapirus terrestris) in a protected area located in the north of the state of Espírito Santo, southeastern Brazil, from camera trap records. The bat tried to access the Lowland Tapir by the posterior dorsolateral side of the body, and used the mean stratum of the vegetation as a point of support and observation between the consecutive offensives on the prey. In the same reserve, there were also two events of bat offensives on domesticated ox (Bos sp.). But in these cases the attacks occurred from the scapular region of the prey. The record here reported represents the first documented attack of Desmodus rotundus on Tapirus terrestris in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest and one of the first records in the South America as a whole. Previous records were in the Pantanal (Brazil) and in the Amazon rainforest (Ecuador). The feeding on wild and domestic prey by Desmodus rotundus in the same locality may favor the transmission of rabies to populations of wild mammals, as well as to domestic animals, and may represent an economic and public health issue with negative effects also for wildlife.

Over 80% of Atlantic Forest remnants are <50 ha and protected areas are embedded in a matrix dominated by human activities, undermining the long‐term persistence of carnivores. The ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) is an opportunistic species, but little is known about its tolerance to habitat alterations and the influence of other species on its occupancy in Atlantic Forest remnants. We used camera traps to assess ocelot occupancy in protected areas of Atlantic Forest in southeastern Brazil. We found a positive correlation between the occupancy of ocelots and top predators (jaguars, Panthera onca, and pumas, Puma concolor), and a weaker negative effect between the number of domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) detected and ocelot occupancy. Ocelot detection was higher at sites with more eucalyptus, suggesting that ocelots frequently use these areas. Better‐protected areas surrounded by permeable matrices may be critical to the persistence of ocelots in the fragmented Atlantic Forest.

Herein we describe a new species of Copiocerinae, Zygoclistron ruschii Silva n. sp., from Atlantic Forest remnants in southeastern Brazil, collected from the Reserva Biológica Augusto Ruschi in the Santa Teresa municipality, Espírito Santo state, Brazil. The diagnosis of this new species is based on phallic complex and terminalia characters.

Hunting is a problem to animal conservation in different parts of the world and it has caused the local extinction of several species. The aim of this study was to characterize the poaching activities in one of the main tabuleiro forest remnants of Brazil, the Linhares-Sooretama Block (LSB). Poaching records from 2010 to 2013 were gathered from the agencies responsible for monitoring and combating environmental crimes in the LSB. A total of 693 records (mean=173 events/year) were collected involving direct (hunted animals, firearms, handmade firearms, traps, poachers, and various hunting supplies) and indirect (tree stands, baits, and poacher signs) evidences of poaching. No differences in the monthly cumulative number of records were found among years, but the distribution of records differed according to the type of evidence. A total of 40 animal seizure events were recorded involving a total of at least 15 taxa directly affected by poaching (reptiles=2, birds=6, mammals=7) and 75 individuals seized (19 individuals/year). Five of the poached species are threatened. Lowland paca (Cuniculus paca) and armadillos were the most poached mammals in the region. Most of the poachers conduct such activities for fun (entertainment) and/or professionally (commercial hunting). The collected data show an approximately 32% increase in the number of poaching events in the region compared with the historical data available for LSB. It may have resulted from a gradual decrease in protection, both in terms of the number of agents deployed and the levels of effort of the teams, which began in 2009. The data demonstrate that poaching is a significant threat to the conservation of the LSB fauna, as it is in other Atlantic Forest remnants and in other regions of the world. Protection activities must be intensified to effectively combat the impacts of poaching in the LSB region, thereby contributing to the conservation of species in one of the few Atlantic Forest remnants whose original species composition still remains intact.

From October 1994 to April 1996, I surveyed six Atlantic forest reserves, two large (approximately 20,000 ha each), two medium-sized (approximately 2000 ha each), and two small (approximately 200 ha each), located in northern Espírito Santo, southeastern Brazil, for mammals openface> 1 kg body weight. My main objective was to assess the effects of fragmentation on population sizes and densities of five abundant species of forest-dwelling species (three primates and two rodents). I used line-transect sampling to survey mammals and estimated densities through the DISTANCE program. The average density of mammals increased from small to medium to large fragments, with small fragments having an average mammal density ( 7.6 individuals/km2 ) significantly lower than that of large fragments (20.9 individuals/km2 ). This trend was not significant when species that were extinct or absent in some fragments were excluded from the analysis. Shortage of food ( fruits) and predation by small cats ( Leopardus sp.) are the likely factors contributing to the demise of mammals, most of which are frugivores, in small fragments. Estimates of population sizes were on the order of several hundred to thousands of individuals for the large reserves, whereas comparable estimates for the other areas indicate a few hundred individuals for the medium-sized reserves and <100 individuals per species in the small reserves. The estimates provided here indicate that only Atlantic forest reserves of ≥20,000 ha can sustain viable populations ( Ne ≅ 500 individuals) of the five species studied, which represent only about 14% of all medium-sized to large species of mammals known to be present in fragments of this size. Given that only about 20% of all protected areas remaining in the Atlantic forest are equal to or larger than this size, management measures are badly needed to improve mammal conservation in this biome.

The Atlantic Forest is a biodiversity-rich area, but it is highly threatened due to the numerous human actions that have affected ecosystems since the colonial era. Considering that morphological studies of forest seeds will serve as subsidies for reforestation programs and research on seed technology and physiology in the conservation of native forests, the study on the morphometry of seeds of the species Serjania comata Radlk will contribute positively to knowledge despite the diversity of species present in the ecosystems, to characterize the morphometry of S. comata seeds in remnants of the Atlantic Forest, to represent biodiversity conservation strategies, serving as subsidies for the implementation of management projects for the recovery of degraded areas. The study area is a remnant of the Atlantic Forest in Alagoinhas-Ba, with collections from October 2023 to January 2024. After the seed processing process, they were characterized following descriptive parameters suggested by the literature. The species has fruits characterized as echizocarpic with three wing expansions and oblong-oval seeds, with a sharp end, rigid, shiny, brown integument and a visible hilum. The research analyzed morphometric data from 304 species of seeds, and it was possible to observe a slight variation in the variable's size and weight.