ERYTHROLAMPRUS MILIARIS (LINNAEUS, 1758) (SQUAMATA: DIPSADIDAE) A NEW PREY ITEM OF TROPIDURUS TORQUATUS (WIED-NEUWIED, 1820) (SQUAMATA: TROPIDURIDAE) IN SOUTHEASTERN BRAZIL

Although ophiophagy is not a well-known event among neotropical lizards, occasional snake predation events have been reported for some species. For Tropidurus torquatus only one record of predation on Phalotris matogrossensis is currently known. Here we report the second record of ophiophagy in Tropidurus torquatus, adding a new prey item to its known diet, and we provide a review of vertebrate prey consumed by this enigmatic lizard species. Although when compared to other lizard species, T. torquatus has a substantial number of records documenting the predation of small vertebrates, these records are occasional and are likely the result of opportunistic events.

ANALYZING TEMPORAL AND SPATIAL TRENDS IN MANAGEMENT PLANS OF FEDERAL PROTECTED AREAS IN BRAZIL

Protected areas are the most frequently used tool for the mitigation of threats to biodiversity. However, without effective management, the creation of new protected areas may be ineffective. In Brazil, protected areas must have both a governing body (consultative or deliberative council) and an official management plan. Here, we analyzed general trends and patterns in the approval of the management plans for Brazilian federal protected areas. We considered all federal protected areas, and compiled data on (i) the year the area was created, (ii) the type of protected area (integral protection vs. sustainable use), (iii) year its management plan was approved, (iv) year in which the management plan was revised after its approval, (v) total area (in hectares), and (vi) the biome in which the area is located. We stablished three groups of protected area: 1) Group A: protected areas created prior to 1979, 2) Group B: protected areas created between 1979 and 1999, and 3) Group C: protected areas created between 2000 to the present time. Finally, we tested whether time for the approval of the management plan suffered a simultaneous effect of the type of biome and type of categories of protected area (strictly protected vs. sustainable use areas). We found 211 (63.17% of the 334) protected areas with management plan. On average, the time taken for the creation and approval of a management plan far exceeds the deadlines (5 yrs.) defined under current Brazilian law. All Brazilian biomes are poorly covered by protected areas with effective management plans, with the highest and lowest value observed in the Pantanal (100%) and Caatinga (46.42%), respectively. Our results suggest that the effectiveness of many federal protected areas in Brazil can be reduced considerably by the lack of a management plan, with deleterious consequences for the country’s principal conservation strategies.

NONVOLANT MAMMALS IN A FRAGMENT OF ARBOREAL CAATINGA IN NORTHEASTERN BRAZIL

The state of Paraiba is one of those with the most degraded Caatinga that presents the large gap of knowledge concerning the mammal fauna. Mammals are among the taxa most affected by this. In this sense, we evaluated non-volant mammals’ richness and composition between March 2013 and February 2020 in a Caatinga fragment (121 ha). We used active search (336 hours) and camera traps (1,200 night traps). We recorded 20 species, including four threatened ones. Carnivora was the most representative order (7 species), followed by Rodentia (4 species). The richness of non-volant mammals found represents 35.6 % of the total number of such species in the Caatinga. This species richness is greater than that found in other studies in the state. The presence of these mammal species was mainly due to the recovering vegetation that resulted from the great planting effort and also due to cessation of hunt, cattle and sheep breeding that had existed on the farm for over thirty years. Our findings highlight the importance of this particular reserve due to the large number of species registered.

ICTIOFAUNA DE POÇAS DE MARÉ EM TERRAÇOS CONSOLIDADOS DO LITORAL AMAZÔNICO BRASILEIRO

As poças de maré são formadas pelo represamento de massas d’água durante a vazante e a sua troca ocorre ao longo de cada ciclo de marés, configurando em um ambiente explorado por várias espécies. A ictiofauna é um componente das poças de maré, algumas espécies são totalmente adaptadas (e.g. plasticidade fisológica, tamanho reduzido) e seu ciclo de vida ocorre apenas nas poças de maré. Contudo, muitas espécies utilizam as poças de maré em algumas fases do ciclo de vida para fins de alimentação, refúgio e reprodução. Considerando que os inventários são fundamentais para o conhecimento da biodiversidade, nosso estudo investigou a assembleia de peixes em poças de marés da Praia do Araçagy no período de outubro de 2016 a abril de 2017. No total, nós registramos 409 exemplares, pertencendo a 13 espécies, distribuídas em 11 famílias e sete ordens. Espécies residentes e estuarinas de importância comercial foram dominantes. INTERTIDAL FISHES OF THE CEMENTED TERRACES FROM BRAZILIAN AMAZON COAST: Tidal pools are formed by the damming of marine water during an ebb tide and their exchange occurs along each tidal cycle, configuring an environment explored by several species. The ichthyofauna is one of the components of the tide pools, with some species being fully adapted (e. g. physiological plasticity, reduced size) and their life cycles occuring uniquely on this environment. However, most species use tide pools at some stage of their life cycle for feeding, refuge and reproduction. Considering the main role of faunal inventories for the increase in biodiversity knowledge, this study investigates the fish assemblage in tide pools at Praia do Araçagy from October 2016 to April 2017. In total, were recorded 409 specimens belonging to 13 species, distributed in 11 families and seven orders. Resident and estuarine species with commercial importance were dominant.

INVASÃO POR GRAMÍNEAS EXÓTICAS EM CAMPOS SOBRE PALEODUNAS: EFEITOS NA DIVERSIDADE FLORÍSTICA

O Refúgio de Vida Silvestre Banhado dos Pachecos localiza-se sobre a Coxilha das Lombas, Viamão/RS, e encontra-se em processo de invasão biológica por gramíneas exóticas na área de campo seco. Este fragmento de vegetação campestre sobre paleodunas é habitat da espécie endêmica Ctenomys lami (Rodentia, Ctenomydae) e apresenta composição florística peculiar em relação a maioria das áreas naturais dos Campos Sulinos, com espécies de Asteraceae sendo dominantes em comparação às espécies de Poaceae. Com o objetivo de caracterizar a composição florística e avaliar o grau e efeitos da invasão biológica sobre a comunidade de campo seco foi realizado um levantamento quantitativo. Foram amostradas 31 parcelas de 1 x 1 m e levantados dados de cobertura e altura da vegetação, solo descoberto e serrapilheira. Foram calculados parâmetros fitossociológicos para cada espécie. As parcelas foram classificadas quanto ao nível de invasão por gramíneas exóticas. O efeito da invasão sobre a composição e estrutura da vegetação foi avaliado a partir de Análise de Coordenadas Principais, regressão linear e análise de variância. As gramíneas exóticas invasoras Urochloa decumbens e Digitaria eriantha subsp. pentzii foram dominantes em grande parte da vegetação campestre, modificando a estrutura e composição vegetal conforme o nível de invasão. Cerca de um terço da área encontra-se altamente invadida. Ações de remoção e controle de invasoras se fazem urgentes, considerando que este é um dos poucos fragmentos de ecossistemas naturais abertos na Coxilha das Lombas e abriga espécies ameaçadas de extinção. INVASION BY EXOTIC GRASSES IN GRASSLAND ON PALAEODUNES: EFFECTS ON FLORISTIC DIVERSITY. The Banhado dos Pachecos Wildlife Refuge, located in the Coxilha das Lombas, in Viamão/RS, Brazil, is under a process of invasion by alien grasses in its areas of dry grassland. The grassland on palaeo-dunes is the habitat of the endemic species Ctenomys lami (Rodentia, Ctenomydae) and presents a peculiar floristic composition in relation to most natural grasslands in southern Brazil, with species of the Asteraceae dominating in comparison to grasses. In order to characterize the floristic composition and to evaluate the degree and effects of biological invasion on the grassland community, a quantitative vegetation survey was carried out. In 31 plots of 1 x 1 m, data on cover and height of vegetation, bare soil and litter were collected. Phytosociological parameters were calculated for each species. The plots were classified according to the level of invasion by exotic grasses and Principal Coordinate Analysis, linear regression and Analysis of Variance were performed to observe the species distribution in the community and the effects of the invasion on the richness and structure of the vegetation. The invasive exotic grasses Urochloa decumbens and Digitaria eriantha subsp.pentzii were dominant in grassland vegetation, modifying plant structure and composition according to the level of invasion. About a third of the area is heavily invaded. Invasive removal and control actions are urgent as this is one of the few fragments of natural grasslands in the Coxilha das Lombas and is habitat to species threatened with extinction.

NOTES ON AN ARTIFICIAL ROOST OF Myotis albescens (CHIROPTERA, VESPERTILIONIDAE) IN SOUTHEASTERN BRAZIL

Myotis albescens has a wide distribution, occurring from southern Mexico to central Argentina and Uruguay, where it is usually caught near streams or flooded areas. M. albescens roosts during the day in cavities such as hollow logs, rock cavities, and buildings. Here, we describe a group of M. albescens roosting in a highway underpass in an Atlantic Forest area in Rancharia, southeastern Brazil. The group was found inside a culvert with a shallow stream passing through it. The animals left the roost and were mist-netted in the first hours of the night. The M. albescens group was composed of 18 individuals, eleven males and seven females. In October, all males had descended testes and two females were pregnant, as confirmed by abdominal palpation. Morphological characters of the specimens fell in the known variation for the species. Our data show that highway underpasses can be important day roosts for bats, especially if riparian areas are preserved

WILDLIFE ROADKILL IN THE SURROUNDINGS OF EMAS NATIONAL PARK, CERRADO BIOME, BRAZIL

Roadkill is a serious threat to biodiversity conservation especially when roads are near natural habitats of wildlife, such as the Emas National Park (ENP), a Protected Area in Mid-west Brazil in the Cerrado Biome. We aimed to identify the species killed on a stretch of the GO-341 highway that is tangent to the ENP. We investigated if roadkills were influenced by seasonality, sugar cane harvest and by the activity pattern of the animals (diurnal/nocturnal). We also analyzed if roadkills were aggregated in space, where the roadkill hotspots were located, if they were influenced by seasonality, and if they were different for the most abundant species. The highway was monitored with a vehicle, in the morning, at a speed of 40 to 60 km/hour, daily, with two observers. We covered a total of 4,230 km during the 90-day monitoring period, which included dry and rainy seasons. We recorded 132 wild animals’ roadkills: 67 birds (51 %), 60 mammals (45 %) and 5 reptiles (4 %). We identified 22 vertebrate species, including 13 birds, six mammals and three reptiles. The roadkill rate was 0.03 animals/km/day. During the dry season, the blue-and-yellow macaw (Ara ararauna) had higher roadkill rates. The crab-eating fox (Cerdocyon thous) was the only species with higher roadkill rates during the sugarcane harvest. Most birds killed had diurnal habits, for mammals, no difference was observed concerning the activity pattern. Bird roadkills were aggregated considering the entire data set, as well as for the dry and rainy seasons separately. Mammal roadkills were aggregated only when considering the entire data set. The location of bird roadkill hotspots differed between seasons. The roadkill hotspot location of birds and mammals highly overlapped those observed for the two most abundant species of these taxa, respectively, Ara ararauna and Euphractus sexcinctus.

RECORD OF A LEUCISTIC PAMPAS FOX LYCALOPEX GYMNOCERCUS (CARNIVORA: CANIDAE) IN NORTHEASTERN OF ARGENTINA

Leucism is a frequent chromatic mutation in mammals that causes partial or complete fur depigmentation. This type of mutation is interesting because they have physiological and ecological implications. We report here the first record of leucism in a pampas fox Lycalopex gymnocercus (Carnivora: Canidae), photographed using a camera trap in the northeast of the province of Corrientes, Argentina. Although cases of hypopigmentation are apparently very rare among pampas foxes, they could actually be more frequent than previously assumed. Given the ecological and physiological importance of these anomalies, researchers should report all records of this type in order to understand the degree to which these genetic variants are present in wild populations of different species of vertebrates.

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8496-3706

A perda e fragmentação de habitats constitui uma das maiores ameaças à fauna, principalmente aos mamíferos terrestres de médio e grande porte. Considerando as ameaças contínuas que os remanescentes de Cerrado sofrem, é essencial realizar inventários de mamíferos em áreas ainda pouco pesquisadas. Para avaliar a riqueza de espécies e a frequência relativa de mamíferos de médio e grande porte foram aplicados os métodos de visualização direta e registro por armadilhas fotográficas. O estudo foi realizado entre fevereiro e agosto de 2020, no Monumento Natural Municipal Serra do Bom Jardim, em Alcinópolis, Mato Grosso do Sul – MS. A partir de um esforço amostral 840 armadilhas-noite e 224 horas de buscas direta, foram registradas 27 espécies de mamíferos nativos, equivalente a 57.4 % das espécies desse grupo presentes no MS. A curva de acumulação de espécies associada com a riqueza estimada (Jackknife-1) indica que a continuidade da amostragem deve adicionar novas espécies. Duas espécies foram responsáveis por mais de 60 % dos registros fotográficos (Tapirus terrestres e Cerdocyon thous). Nosso inventário adicionou três novas ocorrências ao plano de manejo da UC (Didelphis albiventris, Leopardus tigrinus, e Coendou prehensilis). O registro de ocorrência de L. tigrinus por armadilha fotográfica é o primeiro para o estado de MS. Esse é o único carnívoro com ocorrência no Brasil que está ameaçado globalmente. Obtivemos registros de mais de 50 % das espécies ameaçadas de extinção presentes no MS, sem considerar L. tigrinus. Duas delas por exemplo, Ozotoceros bezoarticus e Priodontes maximus, estão entre as espécies mais raras em território sul mato-grossense. Nossos registros contribuem para a execução de medidas de conservação dos mamíferos na UC estudada, que desempenha um papel fundamental para a proteção do corredor Cerrado-Pantanal. MEDIUM AND LARGE SIZED MAMMALS IN PROTECTED AREA AT CERRADO, MATO GROSSO DO SUL, BRAZIL: Habitat loss is one of the greatest threats to fauna, especially for medium to large-sized terrestrial mammals. Considering the continuous threats on Cerrado remnants, it is essential to carry out mammal inventories in areas with low information available. In order to evaluate the species richness and the relative frequency of medium and large mammals, we investigated the area with direct observations and using camera traps. The study was conducted from February to August 2020, in the Serra do Bom Jardim Municipal Natural Monument, in Alcinópolis, Mato Grosso do Sul State (MS). From a sampling effort of 840 trap-nights and 224 hours of direct observations, a total of 27 species of native mammals were registered, representing 57.4 % of medium and large species that occur MS. Species accumulation curve associated with estimated richness (Jackknife-1) indicates that continued sampling would add new species. Two species were responsible for more than 60 % of the photographic records (Tapirus terrestre and Cerdocyon thous). Our survey added three new occurrences to the protected area management plan (Didelphis albiventris, Leopardus tigrinus, and Coendou prehensilis). The occurrence of L. tigrinus is the first record for the state of MS. This is the only globally threatened carnivore in Brazil. We recorded more than 50 % of the endangered species present in MS, besides L. tigrinus. Two of endangered species, Ozotoceros bezoarticus and Priodontes maximus, are among the rarest species in MS. Our study contributes to conservation measures proposed by municipal protected area, which plays a fundamental role for wildlife conservation in the Cerrado-Pantanal corridor.

NATURAL HISTORY NOTES ON INTERACTIONS AND ABNORMAL COLORATION IN CARNIVORES IN THE ARAUCARIA FOREST, SOUTHERN BRAZIL

Carnivores typically exhibit cryptic behavior, which makes it difficult to study the ecology of species in this group. Camera trap bycatch can be a valuable source of important opportunistic records. In this short communication, we present rare records of carnivores in southern Brazil. The first record was of a tayra (Mustelidae) with anomalous coloration known as leucism. Other records were of a possible attempted predation event by two free-ranging dogs on lowland tapir (Perissodactyla, Tapiridae), a threatened species. Our remaining notable records consisted of intra and interspecific interactions of endangered felids (puma, ocelot and southern tiger cat).