We sampled litter frogs in an 1800-ha mid-elevation seasonal forest in southeastern Brazil. One hundred 8 X 8-m plots were sampled during the dryicold season and wetiwarm season (unburned areas); we also examined the effects of fire in recently burned areas. A total of 267 frogs (305 g), belonging to 16 species (4 families) were caught. A single species comprised 78.5 percent of the individuals in the dryicold season and 54.3 percent in the wetiwarm season. The density of individuals did not change significantly with season, biomass did. Density and biomass of frog5 were positively correlated with altitude. A Mantel test indicated that biological data (species and their abundance) were significantly associated with environmental parameters. The burned areas showed low values in richness, density and biomass of frogs. Harsh seasonal climate and a history of human disturbance may produce the low observed diversity values. The greater densities of frogs in sites of higher elevation may primarily result from mist-generated humidity, which diminishes the harshness of the dryicold season in relation to lower sites.

INTR ODUCT IONOne of the key goals of ecological studies is to describe and understand large-scale patterns of diversity. In a recent review, Hawkins et al. (2003) showed that current climate is a strong descriptor of broad-scale species-richness patterns in terrestrial systems. They also noted that there is often a latitudinal shift in the relative importance of different climatic variables. Rainfall is often the best predictor of species richness in the tropics and warm temperate zones, whereas at high latitudes species diversity correlates best with water-energy variables (for plants) or with energy variables (for animals) (Hawkins et al., 2003). ABSTRACTAim To determine the effect and relative importance of geographic and local environmental factors on species richness and turnover of ant assemblages in floodplain forests across the Amazon basin.Location Twenty-six mature forest sites scattered along the entire extension of the Amazon River in Brazil. The study area encompassed nearly 18°of longitude and 3.5°of latitude.Methods Systematic collections of ants were performed at each site during the low-water season (i.e. when forests are not inundated) using three complementary sampling methods. We used variance partitioning techniques to assess the relative effects of the spatial (latitude and longitude) and environmental (rainfall, length of the dry season and flood height) variables on ant species richness and composition. ResultsThere was a twofold variation in the number of species per site, which was largely explained by inter-site variations in rainfall seasonality and flooding intensity. In general, there were more species at sites located in the western part of the basin, where the dry season is less severe, or near the river estuary, where precipitation is also high and flooding is less intense. Ant community composition was also affected by environmental heterogeneity. For instance, some species only occurred at those sites less affected by the river's seasonal flooding, whereas others were mostly associated with the drier or wetter regions of the basin. In addition, the turnover of species increased significantly as geographic distances increased. Nevertheless, the rate of change was small given that many species had a broad distribution across the study area.Main conclusions Ant distribution patterns along the floodplain forests of the Amazon appear to be controlled to a relatively large extent by the current gradient in flooding intensity and -most importantly -in precipitation. Altered rainfall regimes resulting from global warming and land-use change thus have the potential to influence these patterns.

No abstract

No abstract

Thoropa species are distributed in southern and southeastern Brazil and have semiterrestrial tadpoles on rocky environments. Herein, we provide further data on reproduction, paternal care and tadpole cannibalism in T. miliaris. Guarding males were tested for disturbances in their egg masses. Egg masses were laid in stripes of wet rock; eggs were in a single layer and were adhered to the rock surface, roots, and to one another. The tadpoles hatched between four and six days. The egg number in two egg masses was 750 and 1190; eggs were gray and the yolk were about 1.7 mm in diameter; 2.3 mm with the jelly capsule. Aggressive interactions were observed between males. Males remained with their egg masses during the night and reacted aggressively to the experimental disturbances. Late stage tadpoles were found cannibalizing eggs. An egg mass in a recently formed wet stripe died from drought. The strips of wet rock are the only places where eggs and tadpoles can develop and represent a limiting factor for reproduction because they occur in short supply. For the females, the selection of newly formed wet strips may represent a trade-off between the advantages of using places free of cannibalistic and/or competitive tadpoles and the risks of losing offspring by drought. Our results do not support Cycloramphinae as a valid taxon, indicating that the morphological and behavioral similarities between Thoropa and Cycloramphus species should be interpreted as convergence. Thoropa miliaris, parental care, reproduction, cannibalism, Atlantic forest, Brazil. Resumo Ecologia e Comportamento Reprodutivo de Thoropa miliaris (Spix, 1824) (Anura, Leptodactylidae, Telmatobiinae). As espécies de Thoropa estão distribuídas no sul e sudeste do Brasil e têm girinos semiterrestres em ambientes rochosos. Aqui apresentamos dados complementares sobre reprodução, cuidado paternal e canibalismo por girinos em T. miliaris. Machos guardiões foram testados quanto a perturbações às suas desovas. As desovas foram postas em faixas de umidade na rocha; os ovos foram postos em camada única e estavam aderidos à superfície da rocha, raízes e uns aos outros. Os girinos eclodiram entre quatro e seis dias após a oviposição. O número de ovos em duas desovas foi 750 e 1190; os ovos eram cinza e a porção vitelínica mediu cerca de 1,7 mm em diâmetro; 2,3 mm com a cápsula gelatinosa. Foram observadas interações agressivas entre os machos. Os machos permaneceram com suas desovas durante a noite e reagiram agressivamente às perturbações experimentais. Girinos em estágios tardios foram vistos canibalizando ovos. Uma desova em uma faixa de umidade recém formada morreu por desidratação. As faixas de umidade na rocha são os únicos locais onde os ovos e os girinos podem se desenvolver e representam um fator limitante para a reprodução porque são raras. Para as fêmeas, a seleção de faixas úmidas recém formadas deve representar um balanço entre as vantagens em ocupar lugares livres de girinos canibais e/ou competidores e os riscos de perda de prole por desidr...

ABSTRACT. It was sampled the litter frogs at altitudinal sites of a semideciduous mesophytic forest located at SeITa do Japi (Jundiaí, São Paulo, 23°I7'S, 47°00'W, 800-1300m altitude, 1500mm rain/year). Forty two plots of 8x8m were sampled in the dly/cold season of 1995: 21 at a Higher Site (HS) (lOOOm) and 21 at a Lower Site (LS) (850m). The plots were evenly located near, mid-distance, and far from lhe stream-bed. lt was found a total of tive species, three aI each sile. Eleulherodaclylus guenlheri comprised 83% of lhe individuaIs aI HS and E. juipoca 67% aI LS. The density of individuaIs was higher aI HS and near lhe slream. The grealer density aI HS may be due to grealer humidity there, provided by mist. The frogs may aggregate in wetter places (stream edges) in lhe dry/cold season. The studied sites represent harsh and early successional environments and bolh these factors may be acting together to produce the low observed diversity. KEY WORDS. Brachycephalus, Eleutherodactylus, Hyla, litter frogs, diversity, Southeastern Brazil Species composition and abundance of litter frogs are influenced by local environmental conditions such litter depth and humidity (SCOTT 1976; TOFT 1980) in addition to historical factors such as human disturbance (LIEBERMAN 1986; HErNEN 1992). The Serra do Japi is a group of low mountains in the Mantiqueira range in Southeastern Brazil mostly covered by a seasonally dry semideciduous mesophytic forest (LEITÃO-FILHO & MORELLATO 1997). On its west face, in a 300m altitudinal range (850-1 170m), different vegetational types are found (RODRIGUES & SHEPHERD 1992). lt was sampled the litter frogs at two altitudinal sites on this west face, in the altitudinal extremes where an accessible forest stream is found. Specifically it was asked: I) Do lhe litter frog diversity and abundance differ between the sites?; and 2) Do the abundance vary with distance from the stream? Revta bras. Zool. 14 (2): 341 -346 ,1 997

No abstract

ABSTRACT. Based on field observations and pitfall sampling, we determined the species richness, relative abundance, and reproductive habitat of terrestrial frogs in three municipalities in the Triângulo Mineiro region, south Cerrado biome, in southeastern Brazil. We found thirty-two species of terrestrial frogs, belonging to the families Brachycephalidae, Bufonidae, Cycloramphidae, Dendrobatidae, Leiuperidae, Leptodactylidae and Microhylidae. Most of the species were found in open areas and reproduced in human-generated environments, such as artificial lakes (10 species) and ponds (14 species). Dominance was high, with Physalaemus cuvieri Fitzinger, 1826 (Leiuperidae) representing 48% of sampled frogs. A larger number of individuals was captured in the wet season, when most of the species were reproducing. Compared to other areas of Cerrado biome, the Triângulo Mineiro sites presented a larger number of species, which may be attributed to the larger sampled area and greater sampling effort, lower altitude and presence of human generated habitats. The richness of terrestrial frogs was also larger than that in some forested localities in southeastern Brazil, indicating that the number of species cannot be explained only by precipitation and type of vegetation cover. The greater abundance of individuals during the wet season may be related to a greater movement of adults to breeding sites and to juvenile recruitment/dispersion. The heterogeneity of environments in the Cerrado biome, including its several isolated highlands, contributes to its high (local and regional) diversity of frogs. KEYWORDS.Reproductive habitat, relative abundance, richness, Triângulo Mineiro, southeastern Brazil. RESUMO. Riqueza, abundância relativa e hábitat de reprodução de espécies de anuros terrestres na região do TriânguloMineiro, bioma Cerrado, sudeste do Brasil. Neste estudo foram determinados a riqueza, abundância relativa e hábitat de reprodução de anuros terrestres em três municípios do Triângulo Mineiro, sul do Bioma Cerrado, sudeste do Brasil, baseados em observações de campo e armadilhas de interceptação e queda. Foram encontradas 32 espécies pertencentes às famílias Brachycephalidae, Bufonidae, Cycloramphidae, Dendrobatidae, Leiuperidae, Leptodactylidae e Microhylidae. Muitas dessas espécies foram encontradas em áreas abertas e se reproduziram em ambientes artificiais gerados por ação antrópica, tais como lagos (10 espécies) e poças (14 espécies). Physalaemus cuvieri Fitzinger, 1826 (Leiuperidae) foi a espécie dominante, representando 48% do total amostrado. Um grande número de indivíduos de diferentes espécies foi capturado na estação chuvosa, quando muitas das espécies estavam reproduzindo. As áreas amostradas na região do Triângulo Mineiro apresentaram um maior número de espécies quando comparadas com outras áreas do bioma Cerrado, o que pode ser atribuído à maior área amostrada, ao maior esforço de coleta, baixa altitude e presença de hábitats gerados por ação antrópica. A riqueza de anuros terrestres também foi maior do qu...