Itatiaia National Park (PNI) and its surroundings present a unique fauna due to different forest formations with well-defined climatic and vegetation bands. The Itatiaia massif has four vegetation types that follow an altitudinal gradient: lower montane forest, montane forest, upper montane forest, and Campos de Altitude. Hence, this region is ideal for studying geographical variation in biological diversity. The main objectives of this study were to report on nonvolant mammal species known to occur in Itatiaia National Park and its surroundings and to determine if their distributional pattern is related to elevation. A review of the literature and a complete survey of specimens deposited in museums, as well as small-mammal trapping were carried out in order to obtain a complete record of the species from the region. Precise locality data were obtained for all specimens recorded, allowing the inclusion of each collected or observed individual in an altitude and vegetational class. We made a direct ordination gradient of marsupial, primate, and rodent species abundance with the altitude. Sixty-nine mammal species were collected or reported for the Itatiaia massif, belonging to seven orders and 20 families. Of these, 33 species (47.8%) are included in the official list of threatened or believed-to-be threatened species in Rio de Janeiro State. The orders Rodentia, Carnivora, and Didelphimorphia had the highest species richness, with 25, 14, and 13 species respectively. When species were grouped according to the vegetation, 16 species occured in the lower montane, 56 in the montane forest, five in the upper montane, and 21 in the high-altitude fields (Campos de Altitude). The communities of marsupials, primates, and rodents have an ordination pattern related to the altitude. Species richness was higher between 500 m and 1,500 m above sea level in montane forest, which is in agreement with recent studies showing that species richness can reach its maximum at mid-elevations.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

A study of blood parasites in small wild non-flying mammals was undertaken in three areas of the Atlantic Forest in Southeastern Brazil: Serra de Itatiaia, RJ, Serra da Bocaina, SP and Serra da Fartura, SP, from June 1999 to May 2001. A total of 450 animals (15 species) were captured in traps and it was observed in 15.5% of the blood smears the presence of Haemobartonella sp. and Babesia sp. in red blood cells. There was no statistically significant difference between parasited and non-parasited specimens regarding total plasma protein, packed cell volume and body weight, which strongly suggests that these specimens might be parasite reservoirs.Keywords: blood parasites, wild mammals, Atlantic Forest, plasma protein, packed cell volume. Hemoparasitismo, proteína total plasmática e volume globular em pequenos mamíferos silvestres em três áreas serranas da Mata Atlântica no Sudeste do Brasil ResumoA presença de hemoparasitos em pequenos mamíferos silvestres não voadores foi pesquisada em animais de três áreas serranas do Sudeste brasileiro, pertencentes ao complexo da Serra do Mar e da Serra da Mantiqueira, nos Estados de São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro e Minas Gerais. Foram capturados 420 animais de 15 espécies, durante dois anos, dos quais, 15,5% apresentaram Haemobartonella sp. e Babesia sp., observadas em lâmina de esfregaço sangüíneo no interior de suas hemácias. Os níveis de proteína total plasmática e de volume globular não apresentaram diferença estatisticamente significativa entre os indivíduos parasitados e não parasitados, assim como o peso corporal, o que sugere fortemente que esses animais possam ser reservatórios desses parasitos.Palavras-chave: hemoparasitos, mamíferos silvestres, Mata Atlântica, proteínas plasmáticas, volume globular.

No abstract

, small mammals were captured in three areas of the Atlantic Forest in Southeastern Brazil and examined for ectoparasites. Analysis of ectoparasites revealed the presence of a new chigger genus and species, Caamembecaia gratiosus, from Trinomys gratiosus. This is the first record of a chigger from T. gratiosus.Key words: Caamembecaia gratiosus n. gen., n. sp.-Trombiculidae -rodent -Brazil Larval Trombiculidae or chigger mites, have a world distribution and parasitize all classes of terrestrial vertebrates and some invertebrates (Krantz 1978, Zhang 1998. Chigger bites can produce a dermatitis called trombidiosis with itching and swelling at the site of attachment in man and animals. This dermatitis may be accompanied by secondary infections and persistent lesions. In addition, some species transmit Orientia tsutsugamushi, scrub typhus agent, an important public health disease in Southeast Asia (Wharton & Fuller 1952, Jensenius et al. 2004).The number of described chiggers species world wide is approaching 3000, with 87 genera currently recognized of Neartic and Neotropical faunal regions (Brennan & Goff 1977, Goff & Gettinger 1989, 1991, Wilson et al. 1989.This paper describe a new genus of chigger found on Trinomys gratiosus (Gunter) (Rodentia: Echimydae), of Atlantic Forest in Southeastern Brazil.The type is deposited in the Instituto Oswaldo CruzFiocruz. ence of a larva representing a new genus of chigger recovered from T. gratiosus, captured in the Itatiaia National Park. The generic diagnosis follows Wharton and Fuller (1952), Brennan and Jones (1959), Brennan and Goff (1977), and the descriptions follows Fonseca (1955), Vercammen-Grandjean et al. (1970), Goff and Gettinger (1991). All measurements are given in micrometers. Terminology follows Goff et al. (1982) MATERIALS AND METHODS From RESULTSCaamembecaia n.gen.Type species: Caamembecaia gratiosus n.sp. Diagnosis: Trombiculinae larvae with 7-segemented legs; two genuala I, one genuala II, one guenuala III; tibiala III present, no mastibiala III; subterminala and parasubterminala present; coxa III with one setae. Palpal tarsus 4B; galeala N; palpal claw 3-pronged; cheliceral blade with tricuspid cap. Scutum subrectangular, with foliate AL and PL setae; sensillae broadly capitate, with heavy barbs. Eyes present, 2/2, intrascutal. Dorsal setae foliate. Sternal and preanal setae branched. Postanal setae foliate. Legs: all 7-segmented; terminating in a pair of claws and a clawlike empodium. Onychotriches absent. IP = 710. Leg I: 256; coxa with 1 branched seta (1B); trochanter 1B; basifermur 1B; telofemur 5B; genu 6B; 2 genualae; microgenuala; tibia 11B, 2 tibialae, microtibiala; tarsus (64 × 27) 19B; tarsala (19), parasubterminala, subterminala, pretarsala. Leg II: 202; coxa 1B; trochanter 1B; basifermur 2B; telofermur 4B; genu 3B; genuala; tibia 6B, 2 tibialae; tarsus (57× 26) 14B, tarsala (16) Caamembecaia gratiosus DISCUSSIONAmong the genera of Trombiculidae of western hemisphere, Caamembecaia is similar to Trombewingia (Fonseca 1955), in having palpal t...

No abstract