Marcio Uehara-Prado

Guia das borboletas frugívoras da Reserva Estadual do Morro Grande e região de Caucaia do Alto, Cotia (São Paulo)

As especies de borboletas frugivoras (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) conhecidas da Reserva Estadual do Morro Grande (Cotia, SP) e Caucaia do Alto sao apresentadas na forma de um guia de campo.

The effect of rainforest fragmentation on species diversity and mimicry ring composition of ithomiine butterflies

Abstract.  1 Subfamily Ithomiinae comprises about 370 species of Neotropical butterflies associated with humid forest habitats from Mexico to northern Argentina. Adult Ithomiinae are central models in many mimicry rings throughout their range, and are assumed to have high potential as bio‐indicators. Here, we compare diversity and composition of Ithomiinae mimicry rings in continuous vs. fragmented landscapes, and evaluate values these butterflies hold for ecological assessment and monitoring of anthropogenic disturbance. 2 Sampling was carried out at four sites inside a large forest block, the Morro Grande State Reserve, and in five forest fragments in a neighbour‐fragmented landscape. Butterflies were sampled with portable traps, baited with a fermented mixture of banana and sugar cane juice. Sampling was carried out during the period most favourable for the capture of ithomiine butterflies in southeastern Brazil. 3 There was no difference between landscapes in species richness and diversity index, but dominance index, and the distributions of tribes and mimicry rings between them was clearly different. The higher average light intensity in the understorey of fragments could explain in part the higher abundance of mimicry patterns typical of open sunny habitats, and concomitantly reduced abundance of clearwing mimicry patterns, typical of shaded habitats. These results confirm the potential of ithomiine assemblages as biological indicators of habitat quality.

The effects of four types of anthropogenic disturbances on composition and abundance of terrestrial isopods (Isopoda: Oniscidea)

The Brazilian Atlantic Forest is currently reduced to about 12% of its original range. Among the components that make up its great diversity, there are species with the potential to be bioindicators, which can be very important for conservation-oriented studies. This study compares the species composition, abundance and sex ratio of terrestrial isopods in sites that show different anthropogenic disturbance histories and are located within four reserves in the Atlantic Forest of southwestern Brazil. Our study explores these crustaceans as indicators of anthropogenic disturbance. The influence of one of the following factors was explored in each protected area: 1) history of vegetation harvesting, 2) trail management, 3) Eucalyptus planting, and 4) edge effect. A total of 2,217 individuals of six species (Atlantoscia sp., Benthana werneri Lemos de Castro, 1958, Pseudodiploexochus tabularis (Barnard, 1932), Pudeoniscus obscures Lemos de Castro, 1973, Styloniscus spinosus (Patience, 1907), and Trichorhina sp.) were captured in pitfall traps. The composition of isopod species was different between most of the contrasting sites within reserves, and was similar among the less disturbed sites of different reserves. The total number of isopod individuals and the sex ratio were not different between the contrasting sites within most of the reserves and only the sex ratio of Atlantoscia sp. differed between contrasting sites of one protected area. Upon an individual analysis of each species, S. spinosus (an exotic species) was most abun- dant in more disturbed sites. The distributions of B. werneri and Atlantoscia sp. over time were relatively synchronous, except where S. spinosus was abundant. Our results also indicate that the exotic species S. spinosus may benefit from the vegetation mosaic produced by disturbance, so differences in abundance of this species may be useful for bioindication. A change in the spatial and temporal structure of Oniscidea communities caused by anthropogenic disturbance may have a cascade effect on ecological cycles because terrestrial isopods play a fundamental role in nutrient cycling.

Some Aspects of the Population Ecology of the Exotic Amphipod, Talitroides Topitotum , in an Atlantic Forest Reserve in Brazil

Univ Estadual Paulista, Inst Biol, Programa Pos Grad Zool, BR-18618000 Botucatu, SP, Brazil

Abundance of epigaeic arthropods in a Brazilian savanna under different fire frequencies

ABSTRACT. Fire is a major determinant of structure and dynamics in savannas, and the rapid increase of human activities inthis biome has changed the natural burning regime. The effects of fire on the fauna of the cerrado (Brazilian savanna) arestill poorly understood, and studies comparing sites frequently and infrequently burned are scarce. In this study, theabundance of epigaeic arthropod orders and trophic guilds was assessed in cerrado sites located in the Brazilian CentralPlateau that were subjected to three burning frequencies: frequent (HighFi), intermediary (MidFi), and infrequent (LowFi).In general, we found a positive relationship between the abundance of epigaeic arthropods and fire frequency. Whenarthropods were analyzed by orders, the abundance of Collembola and Orthoptera was lower in the LowFi site, while forHemiptera, it was higher in the MidFi site. No significant differences were found for Hymenoptera, Coleoptera, and Araneae.The abundance of detritivores and herbivores decreased from HighFi to LowFi, but did not change significantly for omni-vores and predators. These results indicate that some arthropod groups may not only be resilient to fire effects, but actuallymight benefit from fire effects in the cerrado. Characterizing arthropod responses to burning frequency at high taxonomicor functional levels is important for applied studies. Based on the results of the current study, springtails and ants seem tobe particularly appropriate focal groups for further exploratory studies on the effects of fire at the species level.KEY WORDS. Arachnida; burning; cerrado; Insecta; trophic guilds.