Although animal-derived remedies constitute an integral part of folk medicine in many parts of the world, particularly for people with limited or no access to mainstream medical services, their role in health care has generally been overlooked in discussions about public health, conservation, and management of faunistic resources and ecosystem protection. Brazil's high biological and sociocultural diversity translates into a wealth of traditional knowledge and practices, including the use of animals for medicinal purposes. In this chapter, we report on the use of 354 medicinal animal species in Brazil, 96% of which are wild caught and 21% of which are on one or more lists of endangered species. Further population declines may limit users' access to these bioresources and diminish the knowledge base upon which traditional medicine is built.

For many millennia humans and reptiles have interacted, but the attitude of humans towards these animals has depended on culture, environment, and personal experience. At least 719 reptile species are known to occur in Brazil and about 11% of this fauna has been exploited for many different purposes, including bushmeat, leather, ornamental and magic/religious uses, and as folk medicines. Brazil can therefore serve as an interesting case study for better understanding reptile use by human societies, and the present paper catalogues some of the reptile species being used in Brazil and discusses implications for their conservation. A literature review indicated that 81 reptile species are culturally important in this country, with 47 (58%) species having multiple uses, 54 being used for medicinal purposes, 38 as food, 28 for ornamental or decorative purposes, 20 used in magic/religious practices, 18 as pets, and 40 are commonly killed when they come into contact with humans. Regarding their conservation status, 30 (37.5%) are included on State's Red List, Brazilian Red List or the IUCN Red List. There are many forms of interaction between reptiles and humans in Brazil-although most of them are quite negative in terms of wildlife conservation-which reinforces the importance of understanding such uses and interactions in the context of protecting reptiles in Brazil. A better understanding of the cultural, social, and traditional roles of these reptiles is fundamental to establishing management plans for their sustainable use.

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The present work provides an overview of the global use of reptiles in traditional folk medicine and the implications for conservation. The results demonstrate that at least 165 reptile species belonging to 104 genera and 30 families are used in traditional folk medicine around the world. Some species are used as sources of drugs for modern medical science. Of the reptiles recorded, 53% are included on lists of endangered species, demonstrating the importance of understanding such medicinal uses in the context of reptile conservation as well as the need for considering socio-cultural factors when establishing management plans directed towards the sustainable use of these reptiles.

This chapter provides an overview of the global use of herpetofauna in traditional folk medicine and the implications for conservation. The results indicate that 331 species (284 reptiles and 47 amphibians) are used in traditional folk medicine around the world. Among the species recorded, 182 reptiles and 42 amphibians are listed in the IUCN Red List. Additionally, 93 reptiles are in some of the appendices of CITES. These numbers demonstrate the importance of understanding such medicinal uses in the context of reptile conservation as well as the need for considering sociocultural factors when establishing management plans directed toward the sustainable use of these reptiles.

RESUMO O presente estudo teve como objetivo caracterizar a estrutura e a composição da anurofauna associada a diferentes corpos d'água temporários em uma área de caatinga do nordeste brasileiro. As coletas de dados consistiram em buscas intensivas na área, percorrendo-se as margens dos corpos d'água e áreas adjacentes. Na composição da anurofauna, foram registradas 16 espécies, pertencentes a 11 gêneros e sete famílias (Bufonidae, 2 espécies; Hylidae, 4; Leptodactylidae, 4; Leiuperidae, 3; Cycloramphidae, 1; Microhylidae,1 e Pipidae, 1). Algumas destas espécies apresentam estreita relação com o bioma Caatinga. Em relação às estratégias reprodutivas, a anurofauna apresentou período de reprodução restrito à estação chuvosa, turno de vocalização exclusivamente noturno e cinco modos reprodutivos distintos, sendo que 43,7% das espécies registradas depositaram ovos em ninhos de espuma, diretamente sobre a superfície da água ou em tocas subterrâneas construídas pelo macho. Palavras-chave: Anuros, Caatinga, Ecologia de Comunidades. ABSTRACT COMPOSITION, AND SPATIAL-TEMPORAL DISTRIBUTION OF ANURANS IN THE CARIRI PARAIBANO, NORTHEAST BRAZIL. The objective of the present study was to characterize the structure and the composition of an anuran assemblage associated to different temporary ponds in a Caatinga area in Northeast Brazil. The data were obtained through intensive search in the area, investigating the margins of water bodies and adjacent areas. In the anuran composition, it was registered 16 species distributed in 11 genera and seven families (Bufonidae, 2 species; Hylidae, 4; Leptodactylidae, 4; Leiuperidae, 3; Cycloramphidae, 1; Microhylidae, 1 e Pipidae, 1). Some of these present a strong correlation with the Caatinga. The anurans presented reproduction restricted to the rainy season, an exclusive nocturnal calling activity, and five distinct reproductive modes, 43.7% of the recorded species deposited eggs in foam nest, directly on the water surface or in subterranean burrows built by the male.

Dinoponera quadriceps is a queenless neotropical ponerinae ant. Nest spacing and abundance were investigated in a remnant of the Atlantic forest in Northeast Brazil. Males were captured with a light trap between August 1994 and July 1996. Nest density varied from 15 to 40 ha(-1). An overdispersion of nests suggests that the intraspecific competition may be an important factor regulating their spatial arrangement. Territory size was correlated with worker population size of the colonies. The nests had up to 16 chambers, with variations in their architecture closely related to habitat diversification. Populations varied from 12 to 97 adult workers per nest, with a mean density of 1,618 workers ha(-1) and a live biomass of 461 g ha(-1) (n = 13 nests). Males swarm continually throughout almost all months of the year, suggesting that production and swarming are more influenced by mechanisms that regulate the sexual activity of workers than by climatic factors.