RCAAP Repository

An orchid bee inventory was carried out in Parque Estadual São Camilo, Palotina, Paraná (Brazil); conservation unit with about 400 hectares of Semidecidual Seasonal forest. Three bait traps were installed at the border of the fragment, each one containing the following fragrances: 1,8-cineole, eugenol, and vanilin. Sampling was carried out from 09am to 03pm, October 2011 to June 2012, summing up nine sampling days. A total of 186 specimens distributed among seven species were sampled. Eufriesea violacea with 140 specimens was the most common species, followed by Euglossa fimbriata (31), Euglossa annectans (9), Eulaema nigrita (4), Euglossa cordata (1), Euglossa pleosticta (1), and Exaerete smaragdina (1). According to qualitative and NMDS analysis, the orchid bee fauna of Parque Estadual São Camilo is representative of Semidecidual Seasonal forest, with richness comparable with other assemblages in the southern distribution of Euglossina. The sampled bee richness indicates that forest fragments, even small and isolated, are important in the conservation of this bees.

The Atlantic Forest of northeast Brazil hosts a unique biota which is among the most threatened in the Neotropics. Near-total conversion of forest habitat to sugar cane monocultures has left the region's endemic forest-dependent avifauna marooned in a few highly-fragmented and degraded forest remnants. Here we summarise the current status of 16 globally threatened species based on surveys conducted over the last 11 years. We found a bleak situation for most of these species and consider that three endemics: Glaucidium mooreorum (Pernambuco Pygmy-owl), Cichlocolaptes mazarbarnetti (Cryptic Treehunter) and Philydor novaesi (Alagoas Foliage-gleaner) are most likely globally extinct. Some positive news can, however, be reported for both Leptodon forbesi (White-collared Kite) and Synallaxis infuscata (Pinto's Spinetail) which may warrant re-evaluation of their respective red list statuses. We outline a road map to prioritise conservation interventions in the region directed at preventing the extinction of this suite of threatened bird species and their companion biota.

The genus Benthana includes 25 species with distribution in Brazil and Paraguay. In this paper we describe a new species from the state of Santa Catarina, southern Brazil, and provide new records for Benthana cairensis Sokolowicz, Araujo & Boelter, 2008, Benthana longicornis Verhoeff, 1941, Benthana moreirai Lemos de Castro, 1985, Benthana picta (Brandt, 1833), Benthana serrana Araujo & Lopes, 2003, and Benthana taeniata Araujo & Buckup, 1994.

We present new information on several species of centrolenid frogs from Ecuador and Peru that justify the placement of Centrolene fernandoi Duellman and Schulte as a junior synonym of Centrolenella audax Lynch and Duellman; Centrolenella puyoensis Flores & McDiarmid as a synonym of Centrolenella mariae Duellman & Toft; and Cochranella tangarana Duellman & Schulte as a synonym of Cochranella saxiscandens Duellman & Schulte.

The Geoffroy's cat Leopardus geoffroyi (d'Orbigny & Gervais, 1844) is a small cat found in the Southern Cone of South America and, depending on the author, four or five subspecies have been usually recognized (L. g. geoffroyi, L. g. paraguae, L. g. euxanthus, L. g. salinarum and L. g. leucobaptus), mainly based on external morphological characters, such as color pattern of the pelage. In order to clarify the taxonomy of L. geoffroyi, I analyzed approximately 200 specimens housed in museums. I have examined the external and craniodental morphology in quantitative and qualitative terms in the search for patterns of congruent characters that would indicate the existence of taxonomic units. Twenty craniodental measurements were taken and tested by univariate and multivariate (MANOVA, PCA and DFA) procedures. In this study I detected a great variation in the morphological characters, and thus it was not possible to determine whether any of these were geographically consistent and could be used to determine any taxonomic unit. Based on this, I do not recognize any subspecific division for L. geoffroyi. Along its geographic range, a gradual and subtle change from one color pattern to the next along the latitude was detected, but the morphological characters that were used to define the putative subspecies were also detected in a same population. Furthermore, the present study is congruent with the results obtained by previous molecular data, suggesting that L. geoffroyi has a high level of genetic diversity with no geographic structure. This indicates the existence of a large panmictic population with no significant barriers to gene flow and, as a consequence, no subspecies should be recognized.

Mais de 70% das aves ameaçadas de extinção no Rio Grande do Sul habitam ambientes florestais. A criação e manutenção de áreas protegidas é uma das principais medidas apontadas para mitigar esses problemas. Contudo, para que estas áreas possam ser efetivas na conservação dos recursos naturais, o conhecimento sobre a diversidade biológicas nelas contida se faz necessário. Entre 2004 e 2009, foi realizado o levantamento de aves em duas áreas protegidas no Rio Grande do Sul: a Floresta Nacional de Canela (FNC) e o Parque Natural Municipal da Ronda (PMR), áreas representativas da Floresta Ombrófila Mista (florestas com araucárias). Um total de 224 espécies foi registrado, sendo 166 na FNC e 201 no PMR. Dez espécies ameaçadas de extinção no RS foram registradas: Pseudastur polionotus, Odontophorus capueira, Patagioenas cayennensis, Amazona pretrei, A. vinacea, Triclaria malachitacea, Campephilus robustus, Grallaria varia, Procnias nudicollis e Sporophila melanogaster. A riqueza e composição de espécies parecem estar relacionadas aos diferentes graus de conservação das florestas, às suas dimensões e conectividade, bem como à disponibilidade de variados tipos de ambientes. As melhores condições ambientais do PMR, quando comparadas às da FNC, aliadas a sua posição geográfica, resultam em uma avifauna mais rica e composta em maior número por espécies ameaçadas, raras, endêmicas da Mata Atlântica e de alta sensibilidade à perturbação nos habitats. Medidas de manejo são sugeridas visando à conservação e recuperação das condições naturais das áreas a longo prazo.

Reports about albinism in rodents are common. In the family Echimyidae, however, albinism is very rare. This is the second case of coat color variation reported within Echimyidae and the first for the genus Thrichomys. The pelages of Thrichomys pachyurus individuals with normal and variant coat color were observed under a fluorescent artificial light and were examined with a stereoscopic microscope. The descriptions of pelage color were based on the book "Color Standards and Color Nomenclature". The predominantly white pattern of coat color in individuals of T. pachyurus suggests a partial albinism caused by delay in migration time of melanoblasts from neural crest to epidermis. The habitat of T. pachyurus has a heavy vegetative cover, which offers natural protection against predators and high-quality nutrition.

A checklist of the Agrilus species from the Museu de Zoologia da Universidade São Paulo is proposed. Eighty-four species are identified, of which fifteen are new and hereby described: A. aegrotus sp. nov., A. anceps sp. nov., A. vanini sp. nov., A. casarii sp. nov., A. crux sp. nov., A. dubiosus sp. nov., A. femina sp. nov., A. fusicauda sp. nov., A. geminus sp. nov., A. giannii sp. nov., A. globulus sp. nov., A. ribeiroi sp. nov., A. timorosus sp. nov., A. martinsi sp. nov., A. yeti sp. nov. Agrilus comizon Obenberger, 1935 is proposed as subspecies of A. chrysostictus Klug, 1825 together with the new state of Agriloides agoretus (Obenberger, 1935) e and Autarcontes posticalis (Gory & Laporte, 1835), both described as Agrilus. Nine new synonymies are proposed: A. fasciatellus Thomson, 1878 (= A. fucatus Obenberger, 1935 syn. nov. = A. laelius Obenberger, 1935 syn. nov. = A. subfasciatellus Obenberger, 1936 syn. nov.); A. lucens Kerremans, 1897 (= A. auriceps Kerremans, 1889 syn. nov. = A. barrandei Obenberger, 1897 syn. nov.); A. violacellus Thomson, 1879 (= A. bathyllus Obenberger, 1933 syn. nov.); A. chrysostictus Klug, 1825 (= A. lucullus Obenberger, 1935 syn. nov. = A. korsakovi Obenberger, 1935 syn. nov.); A. piscis Gory, 1841 (= Agriloides bipunctatus Cobos, 1967 syn. nov.). The list also includes one species of Agriloides Kerremans, 1903 and one of Autarcontes Waterhouse, 1887.

After the description in the 19th century of two hummingbird species currently allocated to the genus Stephanoxis, Peters (1945) merged both taxa into a single species without providing any rationale. Here we re-evaluate the taxonomy and species limits of the representatives of this genus based on an extensive number of specimens. We demonstrate these taxa are better treated as full species under both the Biological and Phylogenetic Species Concepts due to their well-defined range and plumage patterns and reciprocally diagnosability. They have distinct, allopatric distributions segregated by a 160 km gap between the Serra do Mar, to the east, and Serra de Paranapiacaba, to the west, in the state of São Paulo. Stephanoxis species have ranges which are congruent with other montane bird species’ suggesting shared vicariance events during preterit interglacial periods.

In this study four species of shrews of the genus Cryptotis are reported for Ecuador, and a species described here as Cryptotis niausa sp. nov., new for the science, distributed to the highlands of northern Ecuador and distinct from Cryptotis montivagus, which inhabits the grassland and shrublands of southern Ecuador. The new species is characterized by its large size for the genus, long and brown-gray haired, with a yellowish hue contrasting, mainly in the throat. The analysis of this study demonstrate that Cryptotis equatoris osgoodi is distinct from Cryptotis equatoris equatoris, therefore consider these clades as distinct species. Cryptotis equatoris is medium size specie, medium blackish size specie, which is distributed in temperate and cold forested areas of the western foothills of the Andes; and Cryptotis osgoodi, is distributed mainly in the cloud forests of the eastern slopes of the Andes.

The present paper lists the type specimens of Hymenoptera, excluding Aculeata, deposited in the Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil. We record all labels contents and also additional information from MZSP registers, published material, and other available sources. High resolution photographs of holotypes, lectotypes and syntypes are available through links to Specimage - the image database of The Ohio State University, where they are archived. The collection comprises a total of 332 type-specimens (32 holotypes, 266 paratypes, 12 syntypes, 20 paralectotypes and two lectotypes) of eight superfamilies, 18 families, 31 subfamilies, 43 genera and 83 species.

Two new genera are described: Fissapoda for two species, F. barbicrus (Kirby, 1818) and F. manni (Fisher, 1930), transferred from Epimelitta Bates, 1870; and Epipoda for two new species, E. abeli from Bolivia, and E vanini. from Brazil. All the species are illustrated (including their genitalia), and host plant and host flower records provided.

The development of sex in sea turtles is determined by the temperature incubation of the eggs (TSD - Temperature dependent Sex Determination). For Eretmochelys imbricata species, very little is known about the sex ratio of spawning which occur in the southern coast of Pernambuco. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to analyze the relationship between sexual development and temperature incubation of nests of hawksbill turtles deposited in Merepe Beach County Ipojuca, Pernambuco. The temperature data were collected from nine nests during the months from January to June 2013, with the aid of registers type temperature data loggers (Onset Computer Model, UA‑001‑08). The average recorded for nests sampled depending on the incubation period and temperature were 54 days and 31.68°C. Based on these results, the nests showed a strong trend towards the development of females, with the sex ratio, estimated by histological analysis, 86.53% for females. So the beach Merepe has temperatures that provide greater differentiation of newborn females. However, more detailed studies should be carried out with the intention of verifying whether these results can be obtained for any ipojucano coast.

Pseudophygopoda Tavakilian & Peñaherrera-Leiva, 2007 is redescribed. Four new, closely related genera are described. Panamapoda gen. nov., with P. panamensis (Giesbert, 1996); Paraphygopoda gen nov., with Paraphygopoda nappae sp. nov., P. albitarsis (Klug, 1825), P. viridimicans (Fisher, 1952), and, provisionally, P. longipennis (Zajciw, 1963); Para melitta gen. nov., with Paramelitta wappesi sp. nov., and P. aglaia (Newman, 1840); and Phygomelitta gen. nov., with one species, P. triangularis (Fuchs, 1961). All the species are illustrated (including genitalia); and keys to the genera, and their species, are provided.

Capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) is the world largest rodent and a typical mammal of the phytogeographical provinces of Pampa and Espinal, inhabiting the eastern sector of the same. These regions have been categorized by the World Wildlife Foundation (WWF) as "critical/ endangered threatened" and are assigned the highest priority level of conservation as a result of habitat destruction, overexploitation, pollution and introduction of exotic species. The capybara has a marked preference for environments with permanent water where the marsh vegetation provides food and shelter. Thus, both water bodies as associated vegetation is critical to the prevalence of populations of capybaras in a given environment. In Santa Fe province, records are not very abundant, registering until now about 33 points based on collected and observed specimens, most located in the center and north of the province. The aim of this contribution is to present new records of capybara in Carcarañá river basin (south of Santa Fe province), and its association with some climatic-environmental variables, and evaluate the distribution of this species. Finally, we discussed the possible expansion or migration of this species to the west of Santa Fe and Buenos Aires provinces.

Chapada do Araripe is a plateau located within the Caatinga biome in northeastern Brazil between the states of Ceará, Pernambuco and Piauí. Altimetry has great variation, giving a variety of vegetation and environmental dynamics distinct from other Caatinga areas. With the aim of increasing the meager information on biodiversity of the Caatinga, between 2010 and 2012 we conducted a survey of bats in five locations in the Chapada do Araripe, in counties of Barbalha and Jardim, Ceará, and Serrita in Pernambuco. Our survey recorded 25 species in six families resulting in the capture of 201 individuals. Sampling recorded three new records for Ceará State, Sturnira tildae, Pteronotus gymnonotus, Cynomops planirostris and Promops nasutus. A compilation of the literature revealed that in the Chapado do Araripe occur 49 bat species distributed in eight families, representing 64% of bat species in the Caatinga.

Os mustelídeos (Mustelidae) exibem uma grande diversidade morfológica e ecológica, variando desde formas aquáticas até formas semi-arborícolas e fossoriais. É a família mais diversa em Carnivora, e isso promoveu uma grande quantidade de arranjos taxonômicos para as subfamílias, que podem variar de duas até 15 dependendo do autor. Recentemente a inclusão de dados moleculares tem ajudado a elucidar a classificação dos mustelídeos e atualmente oito subfamílias são reconhecidas: Mustelinae, Galictinae, Helictidinae, Martinae, Melinae, Mellivorinae, Taxidiinae e Lutrinae. Porém, algumas dessas subfamílias apresentam problemas nomenclaturais, não recebendo o nome mais antigo disponível. A subfamília que inclui as martas (Martes, Charronia e Pekania), a irara (Eira) e o carcaju (Gulo) tem recebido o nome de Martinae Wagner, 1841, porém o nome mais antigo disponível é Guloninae Gray, 1825. Este problema também ocorre para a subfamília que inclui os furões-sul-americanos (Galictis), a doninha-da-patagônia (Lyncodon), a doninha-marmoreada (Vormela) e as doninhas-listradas (Ictonyx e Poecilogale), que são conhecidos por Grisoninae Pocock, 1921, mas o nome correto para este grupo é Ictonychinae, Pocock, 1921. A subfamília que inclui os texugos-furões (Melogale) mantém o nome Helictidinae Gray, 1865, pois sua validade não é afetada quando o gênero-tipo da subfamília torna-se sinônimo-júnior de outro gênero. Além disso, é fornecida uma lista das subfamílias de Mustelidae viventes contendo seus respectivos sinônimos e os gêneros incluídos.

Os morcegos (Chiroptera), devido à sua diversidade e abundância exercem um importante papel ecológico para o ecossistema. O objetivo deste trabalho foi reportar a dieta das espécies de morcegos frugívoros capturados nos fragmentos do Instituto São Vicente, zona urbana do município de Campo Grande, MS. As coletas ocorreram entre setembro de 2011 e Junho de 2012, sendo realizadas com o auxílio de redes-de-neblina. Foram realizadas 154 capturas, com ocorrência de 10 espécies representantes de três famílias, sendo predominantes as espécies frugívoras. Dentre as capturas foram obtidas 41 amostras fecais, onde se verificou a presença de polpa, vestígios de artrópodes e sementes. O recurso mais utilizado por quirópteros foram plantas pioneiras, constatado através do predomínio de sementes da espécie Cecropia pachystachya, consumida em maior intensidade por Artibeus lituratus. Os resultados ressaltam a importância destes animais no ambiente, em especial no processo de regeneração dessas áreas através da dispersão de sementes.

A pardela-de-asa-larga (Puffinus lherminieri Lesson 1839) é uma ave marinha tropical que ocorre entre o sul do Canadá e a costa sudeste do Brasil. Puffinus lherminieri é considerado Criticamente Ameaçado na lista vermelha do Brasil principalmente porque ocorre somente em duas localidades, ambas contendo pequenas populações. Porém, muitas ilhas ao longo da costa Brasileira são pouco conhecidas e a descoberta de novas colônias pode ser significativa para a conservação desta espécie. O objetivo deste estudo foi estimar a distribuição geográfica potencial da pardela-de-asa-larga no Brasil, baseada em modelagem de nicho ecológico (MNE) usando o algorítimo Maxent com camadas obtidas do banco de dados ambientais AquaMaps. A MNE foi baseada em 37 registros de áreas de reprodução nas Américas do Norte e Sul. O modelo mostrou uma ampla distribuição potencial, cobrindo a maior parte da costa Atlântica do Brasil e EUA. Quando filtrada para as ilhas ao longo da costa Brasileira o modelo indicou altos níveis de adequação ambiental próximo aos estados de São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Espírito Santo e Bahia. Porém, P. lherminieri prefere ilhas em ambientes com água quente e salina. Então, baseado na influência das correntes que atuam na costa Brasileira nós podemos inferir que colônias são mais prováveis de ocorrer em ilhas da costa da Bahia, Espírito Santo e extremo norte do Rio de Janeiro. Estas devem ser intensamente pesquisadas enquanto as ilhas ao sul de Cabo Frio devem ser descartadas. A existência de novas populações pode ter profundos efeitos no estado de conservação desta ave marinha enigmática e raramente vista.

A phylogeny based on male morphological characters and taxonomic revision of the Physodactylinae genera are presented. The phylogenetic analysis based on 66 male characters resulted in the polyphyly of Physodactylinae which comprises four independent lineages. Oligostethius and Idiotropia from Africa were found to be sister groups. Teslasena from Brazil was corroborated as belonging to Cardiophorinae clade. The South American genera Physodactylus and Dactylophysus were found to be sister groups and phylogenetically related to Heterocrepidius species. The Oriental Toxognathus resulted as sister group of that clade plus (Dicrepidius ramicornis (Lissomus sp, Physorhynus erythrocephalus)). Taxonomic revisions include diagnoses and redescriptions of genera and distributional records and illustrations of species. Key to species of Teslasena, Toxognathus, Dactylophysus and Physodactylus are also provided. Teslasena lucasi is synonymized with T. femoralis. A new species of Dactylophysus is described, D. hirtus sp. nov., and lectotypes are designated to non-conspecific D. mendax sensu Fleutiaux and Heterocrepidius mendax Candèze. Physodactylus niger is removed from synonymy under P. oberthuri; P. carreti is synonymized with P. niger; P. obesus and P. testaceus are synonymized with P. sulcatus. Nine new species are described in Physodactylus: P. asper sp. nov., P. brunneus sp. nov., P. chassaini sp. nov., P. flavifrons sp. nov., P. girardi sp. nov., P. gounellei sp. nov., P. latithorax sp. nov., P. patens sp. nov. and P. tuberculatus sp. nov.