Igor Joventino Roberto

Amphibians of the state of Piauí, Northeastern Brazil: a preliminary assessment

The state of Piaui is located between the Caatinga and Cerrado biomes in Northeastern Brazil, having a rich heterogeneity of habitats. However, publications regarding the amphibians of this state are scarce. We compiled literature data and complemented it with amphibian inventories in some municipalities of Piaui and present a list of 55 species (54 anurans and one caecilian). Ten of them are endemic to the Cerrado biome (Rhinella veredas, R. cerradensis, R. mirandaribeiroi, R. rubescens, Dendropsophus rubicundulus, Phyllomeduza azurea, Leptodactylus pustulatus, Eupemphix nattereri, Physalaemus centralis, and Proceratophrys goyana) and two endemic to the Caatinga (Rhinella jimi and Ceratophrys joazeirensis). We also present data about species richness of 18 sampled municipalities, species distribution patterns, and conservation status.

A new six-pored Amphisbaena (Squamata: Amphisbaenidae) from the coastal zone of northeast Brazil.

We describe a new Amphisbaena from the Brazilian coastal zone at the municipalities of Guamaré and Macau, state of Rio Grande do Norte. The new species, Amphisbaena littoralis sp. nov., is characterized by six precloacal pores, 252-264 body annuli, 30-34 tail annuli with autotomy on the 6th tail annuli, 20-22 dorsal and 21-24 ventral segments to the midbody annulus.

A New Species of Rhinella (Anura: Bufonidae) from Northeastern Brazil

Abstract. We describe a new species of anuran belonging to the Rhinella crucifer species group, from a relictual Atlantic Forest fragment located at the Serra de Baturité mountain range, State of Ceará, Northeastern Brazil. The new species is characterized by narrow and elongated parotoid glands, overhanging the lateral edges of the body dorsally; a conspicuous fringe on the ventral surface of the tarsus; yellow marks on the flanks of the posterior surface of thighs and cloaca; integument of the dorsum and limbs with round warts with many keratinized black spines. Tadpoles have a kidney-shaped nostril, with a dorsal fin that begins low and rises acutely once passed by the body limits; oral disc laterally emarginated, sub-marginal papillae clumped, dark papillae in some specimens. In addition, we describe call parameters of the new species, provide information regarding its natural history, and comment on its conservation status.

Temporal and Spatial Patterns of Reproductive Activity in Rhinella hoogmoedi (Anura: Bufonidae) from a Tropical Rainforest in Northeastern Brazil, with the Description of It's Advertisement Call

ABSTRACT. The study of ecological and behavioral aspects of anuran reproduction is fundamental for the understanding of the evolution of life history traits. In this study we present the temporal and spatial patterns of reproductive activity in Rhinella hoogmoedi, as well as the description of its advertisement call, in a population from a remnant of tropical rainforest in Northeastern Brazil. Calling activity began before the start of the rainy season and lasted from November to April; vocalization activity was not correlated with the amount of rainfall. Reproductive males called on a variety of substrates close to or in permanent or temporary water bodies, during both day and night. Male behavior at high and low densities, calling sites occupancy and reproductive period indicate an unusual explosive breeding pattern for the species. Rhinella hoogmoedi presented a multi-pulsed call, composed of pulse group calls, similar to Rhinella paraguayensis, Rhinella castaneotica, Rhinella martyi, populations of Rhinella gr. margaritifera from Bolivia, Rhinella margaritifera from French Guyana, and Rhinella gr. margaritifera from Cusco, Peru. Acoustic parameters such as call duration, number of pulse groups per call, number of calls per minute, note duration, number of notes per minute, pulse rate, dominant frequency, and amplitude modulation types of call, were good parameters to discriminate among the species of the Rhinella margaritifera group, as in the members of the Bufonidae family. New descriptions of complete advertisement calls and molecular studies will help elucidate taxonomic, biogeographic, and phylogenic patterns for this complex of species.

Reptilia, Colubridae, Helicops angulatus : distribution extension and rediscovery in the state of Ceará

The genus Helicops comprises 17 species distributed east of the Andes, in Venezuela, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, Colombia, Bolivia, Peru, Brazil, Ecuador, Guiana, French Guiana, Suriname, and Trinidad (Peters and Orejas-Miranda 1970; Cunha and Nascimento 1993; Bérnils et al. 2007; Uetz 2008). Ten species have been recorded from Brazil: Helicops angulatus, H. carinicaudus, H. gomesi, H. hagmanni, H. infrataeniatus, H. leopardinus, H. modestus, H. polylepis, H. tapajonicus and H. trivittatus (SBH 2008).

Frog Foam Nest Protein Diversity and Synthesis.

Some amphibian species have developed a breeding strategy in which they deposit their eggs in stable foam nests to protect their eggs and larvae. The frog foam nests are rich in proteins (ranaspumin), especially surfactant proteins, involved in the production of the foam nest. Despite the ecological importance of the foam nests for evolution and species conservation, the biochemical composition, the long-term stability and even the origin of the components are still not completely understood. Recently we showed that Lv-RSN-1, a 23.5-kDa surfactant protein isolated from the nest of the frog Leptodacylus vastus, presents a structural conformation distinct from any protein structures yet reported. So, in the current study we aimed to reveal the protein composition of the foam nest of L. vastus and further characterize the Lv-RSN-1. Proteomic analysis showed the foam nest contains more than 100 of proteins, and that Lv-RSN-1 comprises 45% of the total proteins, suggesting a key role in the nest construction and stability. We demonstrated by Western blotting that Lv-RSN-1 is mainly produced only by the female in the pars convoluta dilata, which highlights the importance of the female preservation for conservation of species that depend on the production of foam nests in the early stages of development. Overall, our results showed the foam nest of L. vastus is composed of a great diversity of proteins and that besides Lv-RSN-1, the main protein in the foam, other proteins must have a coadjuvant role in building and stability of the nest.

On Rhinella gildae Vaz-Silva, Maciel, Bastos & Pombal 2015 (Anura: Bufonidae): Phylogenetic relationship, morphological variation, advertisement and release calls and geographic distribution

Anurans in the Rhinella margaritifera group have a long history of taxonomic confusion, mainly by morphological similarity between species and lack of acoustic and genetic data for many of the 19 described species. Herein, we presented data for Rhinella gildae based on recently collected specimens from its type locality. We provide patterns of morphological variation, measurements, advertisement and release calls and infer the phylogenetic position of R. gildae. The species geographical distribution was updated, occurring in two Amazonian localities in Maranhão state, and Cerrado areas in Maranhão and Tocantins states and also in a rainforest enclave inside Caatinga domain in Ceará state.

The herpetofauna of the Serra do Urubu mountain range: a key biodiversity area for conservation in the brazilian atlantic forest

The Serra do Urubu mountain range is considered a key biodiversity area. It is situated in the Pernambuco Endemism Center, one of the most threatened regions of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. However, despite the high importance of this area little research of its herpetofaunahas been performed. The present study presents an inventory of the herpetofauna of the region, through bibliographic review, searches in museum collections and field expeditions to the RPPNs Frei Caneca and Pedra D’Antas, in the municipalities of Jaqueira and Lagoa dos Gatos. The conservation status of the amphibians of the region is discussed. Five expeditions, between 2012 and 2013 were made. .The methods employed were visual transect surveys, acoustic census and pitfall traps. A total of 46 amphibian species were recorded, belonging to eight families: Craugastoridae (3 spp.), Bufonidae (3 spp.), Ranidae (1 sp.), Hylidae (27 spp.), Leptodactylidae (8 spp.), Odontophrynidae (1 sp.), Hemiphractidae (2 spp.) e Microhylidae (1 sp.). Regarding the reptile fauna, we recorded 41 species: 16 species of lizards Phyllodactylidae (1 sp.), Gekkonidae (1 sp.), Gymnophthalmidae (1 sp.), Polychrotidae (1 sp.), Leiosauridae (1 sp.), Tropiduridae (3 spp.), Dactyloidae (2 spp.), Diploglossidae (2 spp.), Teiidae (2 spp.), Scincidae (1 sp.), Iguanidae (1 sp.); and 23 species of snakes: Boidae (3 spp.), Colubridae (2 spp.), Dipsadidae (13 spp.), Elapidae (1 sp.), Typhlopidae (1 sp.), Viperidae (3 spp.). The occurrence of rare and/or threatened species such as the snakes Dipsas sazimai, Lachesis muta and Sibynomorphus sp, and the amphibians Agalychnis granulosa, Chiasmocleis alagoana, Hypsiboas freicanecae and Phyllodytes gyrinaethes reinforces the need for conservation measures at this highly threatened region of the Atlantic Forest.

A New Species of Sphaenorhynchus (Anura: Hylidae) from Northeastern Brazil

Abstract:  We describe a new species of Sphaenorhynchus from highland forest habitats in the Reserva Biológica de Pedra Talhada, an Atlantic Forest remnant of northeastern Brazil. The new species is diagnosed by having a snout–vent length of 24.8–29.3 mm in males and 26.6 mm in the only available female; snout truncate in dorsal view, protruding in lateral view; vocal sac single, subgular, moderately developed, extending to the middle of the pectoral region, longitudinal folds present; dorsolateral black line from the tip of snout extending posteriorly beyond the eye to gradually disappear on the flanks; white glandular subcloacal dermal fold present; vomerine, premaxillary, and maxillary teeth present; and advertisement call with 2–3 pulsed notes (3–6 pulses each) with a duration of 0.19–0.24 s, a frequency range of 526.3–4438.8 Hz, and a dominant frequency of 2250–3000 Hz. It is the eighth species of the genus that occurs in northeastern Brazil.

Distribution extension of Aotus azarae infulatus (Kuhl, 1820) (Primates: Aotidae) and first record from the Caatinga biome

The Feline Night Monkey, Aotus azarae infulatus (Kuhl, 1820), is recorded for the first time in the Caatinga biome and in the state of Piaui, northeastern Brazil, and represents a range extension of 163 km northeast from the nearest previously known occurrence of this species.