Abstract
Pseudoscorpions embrace a diverse group of arachnids with approximately 3 500 species that occur in various habitats, such as soil, leaf litter, caves and canopies. This study aimed at evaluating the relationship between the pseudoscorpion assemblages in soil, termite nests, tree trunks and canopies, as well as the temporal distribution as to the abundance and richness of species in these habitats. For this purpose different sampling techniques were applied in an integrated manner in distinct habitats of a seasonally flooded monodominant forest in the Northern Pantanal of Mato Grosso, Brazil. Data regarding the abundance and richness of assemblage species were organized by means of the Non-Metric Multidimensional Scaling (NMDS). A total of 2 068 Pseudoscorpiones distributed in seven families and 18 species were captured. Chernetidae (8 spp.) and Withiidae (5 spp.) predominated, while Atemnidae, Cheiridiidae, Geogarypidae, Lechytiidae and Olpiidae were present with only one species each. Terrestrial fauna was more abundant (1 035 ind.; 50.0 % of the total catch) with three families and 10 species. In the arboreal fauna (712 ind.; 34.4 %), four families and 13 species were found. Termite mounds (321 ind.; 15.6 %) corresponded to the habitat with the least number of individuals, however, five families and nine species were identified, including Parachernes sp. 2, Geogarypus sp. and Olpiolum sp., not found in other analyzed habitats in this forest. The analyses did not show any temporal variation as to abundance or richness of Pseudoscorpiones in each evaluated habitat; however, the analysis showed that the edaphic environment (soil + termite nests), tree trunks and tree canopies are distinct habitats in relation to the composition of the assemblage. The occurrence of typical terricolous (e.g. Parawithius sp., Withiidae gen. sp. and Parachernes sp.) and other arboricolous (e.g. Cheiridium sp., Americhernes sp. and Lustrochernes sp.) species highlights the vertical stratification of the assemblage present in this floodplain forest in the Pantanal of Mato Grosso.
Highlights
As in other regions of South America in the Brazilian Pantanal (e.g. Mahnert & Adis, 2002), the knowledge about ecological and taxonomical diversity of pseudoscorpions is under explored, as well as their relationship with the different habitats
Considering the diversity of habitats in inundated forests and the influence of seasonal variations on the Pseudoscorpiones assemblage, different sampling techniques were applied in an integrated way in this study, in order to assess (i) the abundance and richness of Pseudoscorpiones in the soil, leaf litter, termite nests, tree trunks and canopies in an inundated forest of Vochysia divergens (Vochysiaceae) in the Northern region of the Brazilian Pantanal; (ii) evaluate the occurrence over the different seasonal periods of the region and (iii) verify if there is habitat specificity among the Pseudoscorpiones which use this area
In spite of the heterogeneous distribution of abundance and richness of Pseudoscorpiones among the different habitats, individual analyzes have not shown significant temporal variation in the distribution of these arachnids over the different seasonal periods. This is a different situation from that observed for other arthropod groups in the same region (Castilho et al, 2005; Battirola et al, 2007; 2009; Battirola, Marques, Brescovit, Rosado-Neto, & Anjos, 2010; Marques et al, 2011)
Summary
As in other regions of South America in the Brazilian Pantanal (e.g. Mahnert & Adis, 2002), the knowledge about ecological and taxonomical diversity of pseudoscorpions is under explored, as well as their relationship with the different habitats. Some populations of Pseudoscorpiones may have undergone extensive evolution within inundation forests in this region, due to forest isolation caused by climatic shifts and micro-geographic changes (Adis & Schubart, 1984). In these environments the terricolous species use the soil and leaf litter as a breeding place during the non-flooded period and migrate later to tree trunks and regions of the forest canopy, where they remain during the flood periods (Adis & Mahnert, 1990a; Adis, 1997; Mahnert & Adis, 2002). Considering the diversity of habitats in inundated forests and the influence of seasonal variations on the Pseudoscorpiones assemblage, different sampling techniques were applied in an integrated way in this study, in order to assess (i) the abundance and richness of Pseudoscorpiones in the soil, leaf litter, termite nests, tree trunks and canopies in an inundated forest of Vochysia divergens (Vochysiaceae) in the Northern region of the Brazilian Pantanal; (ii) evaluate the occurrence over the different seasonal periods of the region and (iii) verify if there is habitat specificity among the Pseudoscorpiones which use this area
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