Thiago Silva-Soares

Reptiles, Squamata, Parque Natural Municipal da Taquara, municipality of Duque de Caxias, state of Rio de Janeiro, Southeastern Brazil

Herein we report a list of the reptiles from Parque Natural Municipal da Taquara, municipality of Duque de Caxias, state of Rio de Janeiro, southeastern Brazil, an area situated in the Atlantic Rainforest Domain. The study was carried out from September 2006 to October 2008. We recorded 31 species of Squamate reptiles: one species of the family Amphisbaenidae; eight species of lizards of the families Anguidae (n = 1), Gekkonidae (1), Phyllodactylidae (1), Polychrotidae (1), Scincidae (1), Teiidae (2), and Tropiduridae (1); and 22 species of snakes of the families Boidae (2), Colubridae (6), Dipsadidae (11), Elapidae (1), and Viperidae (2). Our study indicates that the PNMT is an important area for the conservation of the Squamate reptile assemblages that inhabit lowlands of Atlantic Rainforest in Brazil.

Continental,insular and coastal marine reptiles from the municipality of Vitória, state of Espirito Santo,southeastern Brazil

We present a list of the reptiles of the municipality of Vitoria, Espirito Santo, Brazil, compiled through primary data (specimens gathered by the authors) and secondary data (specimens housed at museums and records available in literature). We record 51 reptile species distributed by the orders Crocodylia (one species), Testudines (nine species), and Squamata (forty-one species), subdivided in amphisbaenians (three species), lizards (eleven species), and snakes (twenty-seven species). We recorded six species that are listed as threatened in the Brazilian List of Endangered Species, as the terrestrial lizard Cnemidophorus nativo and the marine turtles Lepidochelys olivacea and Dermochelys coriacea .

Amphibia, Anura, Hylodidae, Hylodes pipilans : distribution extension

Hylodes pipilans (Canedo & Pombal, 2007) was recently described and belongs to the Hylodes lateristrigatus species group, the most diverse group in the genus, which is currently composed of 17 species (see Canedo and Pombal 2007). The other three species groups are composed of one to three species (Pombal et al. 2002). Hylodes pipilans (Figure 1) is known only from the type locality, near to the Soberbo River at Serra dos Orgaos, municipality of Guapimirim, state of Rio de Janeiro, southeastern Brazil (Canedo and Pombal 2007).

The Larva of Crossodactylus aeneus Müller, 1924: Morphology and Ecological Aspects

Abstract:  Presently, only 6 out of 14 species in the frog genus Crossodactylus have had their larvae described. Regarding internal oral morphology, only C. dispar, C. gaudichaudii, and C. trachystomus have had tadpoles described. Furthermore, the osteology of C. gaudichaudii was briefly studied and constitutes the unique reference to the subject within the genus. Here, we describe the tadpole of C. aeneus, including its osteology and internal oral anatomy features, an endemic species of the Atlantic forest biome of Brazil. We also provide data from nature on their microhabitat use and abundance variation throughout the year in the streams at the study site. The external morphology of C. aeneus tadpoles is different from all of Crossodactylus spp. tadpoles described, except for C. gaudichaudii, the adult of which is also morphologically similar to C. aeneus. The osteology of C. aeneus tadpoles is similar to that of Hylodes ornatus (the single species of Hylodidae that has had its chondrocranium described) but the pair of adrostral cartilages present in the chondrocranium of H. ornatus is absent in C. aeneus and the pair of processus muscularis of H. ornatus is comparatively more developed than that of C. aeneus. The overall aspect of the oral internal morphology of C. aeneus is more similar to that of C. gaudichaudii than to other Crossodactylus species described in the literature. Our field data showed that tadpoles of C. aeneus are benthic, and that the most frequently used microhabitats were mud, sand, sand with vegetation, and mud with vegetation, all most frequently in the shallow parts of streams. At the study site in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, they were more abundant (in all stages of development) during the driest period of the year. Resumo:   Até o momento, apenas 6 de 14 espécies do gênero Crossodactylus tiveram suas larvas descritas. Quanto a morfologia oral interna, somente C. dispar, C. gaudichaudii, e C. tarchystomus tiveram essas características descritas. Além disso, a osteologia de C. gaudichaudii foi estudada superficialmente e é a única referência para o gênero. Neste estudo, nós descrevemos o girinos de C. aeneus, incluindo características da sua osteologia e morfologia oral interna, uma espécie endêmica da Floresta Atlântica, Brasil. Nós também apresentamos resultados sobre o uso do microhabitat e a variação na abundância dos girinos ao longo do ano em riachos da área de estudo. A morfologia oral externa dos girinos de C. aeneus difere das demais espécies do mesmo gênero, exceto de C. gaudichaudii, cujo adulto também é morfologicamente similar a C. aeneus. A osteologia dos girinos de C. aeneus é similar a de Hylodes ornatus (a única espécie de Hylodes que possui o condrocrânio descrito), porém o par de processus muscularis de H. ornatus é comparativamente mais desenvolvido do que de C. aeneus. O aspecto geral da morfologia oral interna de C. aeneus é mais similar a de C. gaudichaudii do que outras espécies do gênero. Nossos resultados de campo mostram que os girinos de C. aeneus são bentônicos e que utilizam mais frequentemente como microhabitats lodo, areia, areia com vegetação e lodo com vegetação, todos predominantemente nas partes mais rasas dos riachos. Ainda, os girinos foram mais abundantes (em todos os estágios de desenvolvimento, durante o período mais seco do ano.

Anuran species in a remnant of the Atlantic rainforest in an urban area

Forest fragments in urban areas have many habitat resources that frogs use for refuge, reproduction and growth. Knowledge of an anuran assembly is the first step towards understanding the importance of these forest fragments in areas highly threatened by anthropogenic actions. We sampled anurans during the day and night from November 2012 to August 2013 through visual and acoustic surveys. We found 333 individuals belonging to 19 species. The highest richness and abundance were recorded in January whereas the lowest richness and abundance were recorded in June. Most species were found in open areas. Our results highlight the importance of well-studied urban fragments for the anuran community. The conservation of these habitats may ensure the viability of the ecological functions of this anuran community for the future.