Adriano Oliveira Maciel

Diet Composition in Two Sympatric Amphisbaenian Species (Amphisbaena ibijara and Leposternon polystegum) from the Brazilian Cerrado

Abstract Amphisbaenians are important predators of tropical ecosystems, yet the ecology of most species is poorly known. We studied the reproduction and diet of two species of amphisbaenian from the Brazilian Cerrado. Also, we investigated whether snout–vent length is sexually dimorphic and whether differences existed in the soil depth at which the two species were found. Adults of Leposternon polystegum were larger than adults of Amphisbaena ibijara. Male L. polystegum were larger than females, but A. ibijara did not show sexual dimorphism. Amphsibaena ibijara individuals were encountered significantly closer to the surface than individuals of L. polystegum, although there was some overlap in the soil depth used between species. Termites and larvae Coleoptera predominated in frequency of occurrence and termites in number of prey in juveniles and adults of both sexes in A. ibijara. In the diet of juvenile L. polystegum individuals, there was no dominant prey group. In male L. polystegum, ants and earthworms occurred most frequently, and termites and ants were most important numerically. In females, earthworms and ants dominated in frequency of occurrence and in number of individuals, respectively. The mean number of prey items in stomachs of A. ibijara was high and did not differ either ontogenetically or sexually. In L. polystegum, the mean number of prey items in stomachs was low. We showed that the diet of A. ibijara at Urbano Santos did not differ between sexes or size classes, whereas in L. polystegum there is a small shift in these aspects.

Rediscovery of Siphonops annulatus (Mikan, 1820) (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Siphonopidae) in the state of Pará, Brazil, with an updated geographic distribution map, and notes on size and variation

Siphonops annulatus has a wide distribution in South America. Here we provide a new geographic distribution map for this species and two new records from the state of Para, Brazil, from where it has not been reported since 1876. A specimen collected in the municipality of Senador Jose Porfirio is the largest specimen of S. annulatus ever recorded.

A new species of Amphisbaena Linnaeus (Squamata, Amphisbaenidae) from the state of Maranhão, northern Brazilian Cerrado

We describe a new species of Amphisbaena based on a single specimen collected in the northern Brazilian Cerrado, municipality of Loreto, state of Maranhão, Brazil. The new species is characterized by presenting a unique combination of characters including: absence of precloacal pores, body annuli 306, caudal annuli 21, autotomic site in the eighth postcloacal annulus, dorsal sulci absent, 10 dorsal segments and 14 ventral segments in a midbody annulus.

Diet, Microhabitat Use, and an Analysis of Sexual Dimorphism in Caecilia gracilis (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Caeciliidae) from a Riparian Forest in the Brazilian Cerrado

Abstract Basic ecological information is lacking for most caecilian amphibian populations, especially those of the Neotropical region where only few and nonquantitative ecological data were obtained for a small number of species. The Neotropical genus Caecilia is the most diverse of Gymnophiona with 33 species, for which natural history information is restricted to the description of clutch size for just one species. We provide natural history data based on 61 specimens of Caecilia gracilis found in a riparian forest in Cerrado biome in northeastern Brazil. No sexual dimorphism was found in morphometric and meristic data analyzed, probably because of functional constraints related to subterranean life. No specimens were found in the dry season, but in the wet season they were found at soil depth ranging from 5 to 31.5 cm, suggesting that seasonal vertical migration in C. gracilis occurs. In terms of both frequency and number, earthworms were the most important prey items encountered, thus suggesting a specialized diet in C. gracilis. We found Trematoda and Nematoda parasites in low numbers and at low prevalence.

Review of the geographical distribution of the white-spotted frog Chiasmocleis albopunctata (Boettger, 1885) (Anura, Microhylidae)

This paper presents a review of the geographical distribution of Chiasmocleis albopunctata (Boettger, 1885), based on data from literature, scientific collections, and field notes. Our reviewing significantly enlarges the distribution of the species within the Brazilian territory, with new records for the states of Bahia, Maranhao, and Tocantins. Among all species of the genus, C. albopunctata can be considered the one with the widest latitudinal and altitudinal ranges, as well as greater environmental plasticity.

New record and geographic distribution map of Microcaecilia taylori Nussbaum and Hoogmoed, 1979 (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Siphonopidae) with notes on size and natural history

Microcaecilia taylori is known to occur from the Guianan region to south of the Amazon in the state of Para, Brazil. Here we provide a new locality record for the species, east of the Tocantins River, 190 km from the nearest record. The specimen was active under the leaf litter in daylight and is the largest specimen of M. taylori recorded to date.

Phylogenetic relationships of the largest lungless tetrapod (Gymnophiona, Atretochoana) and the evolution of lunglessness in caecilians

Atretochoana eiselti is the largest extant lungless tetrapod. This species is one of the fully aquatic caecilian amphibians of the family Typhlonectidae. It is unique within Gymnophiona in lacking lungs and having sealed choanae, a snake‐like postoccipital jaw articulation, and some other greatly divergent features. Phylogenetic relationships of the five typhlonectid genera have been estimated only once previously, in an analysis of morphological data. Here we infer for the first time integrating molecular and morphological data, the relationships of all typhlonectid genera. Although Atretochoana and Potomotyphlus share several derived character states in morphology, some of which linked to a reduction of the pulmonary importance in respiration, Potomotyphlus is more closely related to Typhlonectes than to Atretochoana. Consequently, we conclude that evolutionary loss of lungs or gradual reduction of their importance in respiration in Atretochoana and Potomotyphlus was convergent within this poorly known group of amphibians.

A New Species of Chthonerpeton Peters 1880 (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Typhlonectidae) from the State of Piauí, Northeastern Brazil

Abstract Gymnophionan amphibians are characterized mainly by having elongated bodies and lack of limbs and are poorly known because of their secretive life habits. Most species are fossorial, although some are aquatic or semiaquatic. We describe a new species of semiaquatic caecilian, genus Chthonerpeton, from a transition area between the Caatinga and Cerrado biomes, along the coastal vegetation of the State of Piauí, northeastern Brazil. The new species is very similar to Chthonerpeton perissodus and Chthonerpeton noctinectes in annular counts but differs in number of cloacal denticles, color pattern, position of tentacle aperture, and number of teeth.

First records of Chthonerpeton arii Cascon and Lima-Verde, 1994 (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Typhlonectidae) out of the type locality

Chthonerpeton arii was described from a large series of specimens from Limoeiro do Norte municipality, state of Ceara, Brazil. Here we provide the first records of the species out of the type locality, in the state of Bahia, and in its border with the state of Pernambuco, Brazil. We also provide color photographs of a preserved specimen.

Amphibia, Gymnophiona, Caeciliidae, Siphonops hardyi Boulenger, 1888: distribution extension, new state record and notes on meristic data

Species of the genus Siphonops Wagler, 1828 are distributed in most of South America. Siphonops annulatus (Mikan, 1820) presents the largest range in the continent, occurring in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela (Dunn 1942; Taylor 1968; Lynch 1999; Frost 2009). Siphonops paulensis Boettger, 1892 also has a large distribution, occurring in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay (Taylor 1968; Aquino et al. 2004). Siphonops insulanus Ihering, 1911 and S. leucoderus Taylor, 1968 are known only from their type specimens, respectively from Ilha Victoria and Ilha de São Sebastião, state of São Paulo, Brazil (Ihering 1911) and from an indefinite type locality in the state of Bahia, Brazil (Taylor 1968; Frost 2009).