a b s t r a c tIt is suggested that mountain lions have suffered a bottleneck and lost their genetic diversity in an area in southern Brazil. In this study, we correlated landscape connectivity and patterns of gene flow to identify landscape permeability and possible sources of migrants for the population of mountain lions in southern Brazil, using circuit theory. Population structure was analyzed with Bayesian methods, and density and parentage relationships were also estimated, to evaluate the population genetic profile. We did not find genetic structure between samples, and landscape analysis indicated that all individuals were connected by areas that are permeable to mountain lion movements. The estimated population density was low, 0.09 and 0.32 mountain lions/100 km 2 (N e /N = 0.11 and N e /N = 0.4, respectively). Parentage results indicated that individuals killed in the same spot were not related, suggesting that mountain lions are still able to disperse through the landscape. Evidence indicates that severe habitat loss and consequent illegal hunting were responsible for a bottleneck and consequent loss of genetic variability, we demonstrated that the landscape still allows mountain lions to move, and that protected areas in southern Brazil may be acting as a source of migrants. This information indicates that conservation actions to reduce illegal hunting and to monitor protected areas are important to understand the impact of hunted areas on source areas.

The Brazilian Atlantic Rain Forest, one of the most endangered ecosystems worldwide, is also among the most important hotspots as regards biodiversity. Through intensive logging, the initial area has been reduced to around 12% of its original size. In this study we investigated the genetic variability and structure of the mountain lion, Puma concolor. Using 18 microsatellite loci we analyzed evidence of allele dropout, null alleles and stuttering, calculated the number of allele/locus, PIC, observed and expected heterozygosity, linkage disequilibrium, Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, FIS, effective population size and genetic structure (MICROCHECKER, CERVUS, GENEPOP, FSTAT, ARLEQUIN, ONESAMP, LDNe, PCAGEN, GENECLASS software), we also determine whether there was evidence of a bottleneck (HYBRIDLAB, BOTTLENECK software) that might influence the future viability of the population in south Brazil. 106 alleles were identified, with the number of alleles/locus ranging from 2 to 11. Mean observed heterozygosity, mean number of alleles and polymorphism information content were 0.609, 5.89, and 0.6255, respectively. This population presented evidence of a recent bottleneck and loss of genetic variation. Persistent regional poaching constitutes an increasing in the extinction risk.

ResumoOs campos naturais localizados na microrregião de Lages são o hábitat natural do veado-campeiro, e a localidade de Coxilha Rica, conhecida por seus campos limpos, o seu maior refúgio no Estado de Santa Catarina. Registros recentes e inéditos de veado-campeiro neste Estado são aqui publicados pela primeira vez, bem como evidências de redução de sua distribuição histórica nesta região. Em um ambiente campestre crescentemente invadido por plantios de espécies exóticas, parcelamento da terra, e queima dos campos, o manejo adequado dos locais onde o veado-campeiro ainda persiste pode ser decisivo para a continuidade de suas populações remanescentes.Unitermos: campos nativos, Coxilha Rica, reflorestamento, veado-campeiro, Ozotoceros bezoarticus AbstractRecent records, range loss, and current threats to the pampas deer Ozotoceros bezoarticus (Mammalia, Cervidae) in the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil. The native grasslands in the micro-region of Lages are the natural habitat of the pampas deer, and the locality of Coxilha Rica, known for its short grass, is its largest refuge in the state of Santa Catarina. Recent novel records of the pampas deer in this state are published here for the first time, as well as evidence of a reduction in its historical distribution. In a grassland environment that is increasingly invaded by plantations of exotic species, partition of land, and burning of grasslands, adequate management of the areas where the pampas deer still persist may be decisive for the survival of remaining populations.

Capillaria hepatica was detected by histopathologic diagnosis in two cougars that were shot in April 2008 in Painel, Santa Catarina, Brazil. Macroscopic analysis of their livers revealed the presence of diffuse granulomas, and the histopathologic analysis indicated the presence of C. hepatica eggs, surrounded by mononuclear inflammatory cell infiltrate, small foci of necrosis, and mild-to-moderate fibrosis. This is the first report of C. hepatica in cougars (Puma concolor) in Brazil.