Anurans from two high-elevation areas of Atlantic Forest in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Abstract

The anurofauna inhabiting higher montane Atlantic forest areas in southeastern Brazil, which often attain heights of more than 2000 m, is still insufficiently known. In this study, we present data on anuran species composition and abundances in two high-altitude (i.e. > 1000 m) sites within the Parque Estadual dos Três Picos (PETP), in the state of Rio de Janeiro. Field surveys were done at altitudes between 1100 and 1900 m above sea level. We recorded 35 species during our study, adding 22 records to the set of anuran species previously known to occur within the PETP. The stability of the species accumulation curve, as well as the richness estimations, showed that the sampling methodology employed and the total sampling effort were appropriate to inventory the anuran assemblages of both sites. Direct-developing frogs such as Ischnocnema parva (Girard, 1853) (at the 1100-1400 m altitude site), and Brachycephalus garbeanus Miranda-Ribeiro, 1920 (at the 1600-1900 m altitude site) were the most locally abundant species. None of the species recorded during the study is listed as threatened, though nine of them are currently considered endemic to the state of Rio de Janeiro. Furthermore, eight of the species recorded are likely restricted to high-altitude habitats. The relatively high diversity of anurans (some of them endemic to the state), the presence of species restricted to high-altitude habitats, and the occurrence of rare and presently undescribed species attest to the biological relevance of the studied areas within the PETP

Herpetofauna of Paranapiacaba: expanding our knowledge on a historical region in the Atlantic forest of southeastern Brazil

“…However, there is an apparent pattern for Atlantic forest localities: frog density seems to be higher in leaf litter assemblages collected in higher altitudes. This pattern has been corroborated for a few localities (GIARETTA et al 1999, VASCONCELOS et al 2010, SIQUEIRA et al 2011. In the present work, the overall abundance of leaf litter anurans was higher than in lower altitudes (ROCHA et al 2001, VAN SLUYS et al 2007.…”

“…For instance, the substantial diversity (11 species) of anurans that have direct development (Brachycephalidae) could account for these favorable climatic conditions. The dominance of brachycephalids appears to be a recurrent pattern among Neotropical litter frog faunas (SCOTT 1976, DUELLMAN 1988, HEINEN 1992, GIARETTA et al 1997, ROCHA et al 2001, VAN SLUYS et al 2007, ALMEIDA-GOMES et al 2008, SANTOS-PEREIRA et al 2011, SIQUEIRA et al 2011, and it is possibly associated with higher humidity values in cloud forests of higher altitudes (GIARETTA et al 1999).…”

Herpetofauna da Serra do Brigadeiro, um remanescente de Mata Atlântica em Minas Gerais, sudeste do Brasil

“…A presença de Gastrotheca ernestoi configura o registro mais continental e norte de sua distribuição, localizado a 160 km a noroeste do município de Nova Friburgo, a localidade mais próxima conhecida (Siqueira et al 2011) e a 200 km de Macaé (localidade tipo), Rio de Janeiro (Figura 10e). Na Serra do Brigadeiro, a espécie foi observada em campos de altitude entre 1800 e 1980 m, nos setores amostrais central e norte, sendo o primeiro registro do gênero para o estado de Minas Gerais.…”

Species composition and density estimates of the anurofauna of a site within the northernmost large Atlantic Forest remnant (Parque Estadual do Desengano) in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

“…Temperature, among other environmental variables, is known to restrict activity in frogs in different environments (e.g., Licht 1969, Pough et al 1983, Navas 1996, including the Atlantic Rainforest (Hatano et al 2002, Boquimpani-Freitas et al 2002, AlmeidaGomes et al 2007. It is possible that some frog taxa not recorded by us such as Haddadus binotatus (Spix, 1824), Zachaenus parvulus (Girard, 1853), and/or some Ischnocnema of the lactea group may occur in our study area, as they have been recorded by Siqueira et al (2011) in an area of similar altitude in the municipality of Nova Friburgo, ca. 80 km southwest from the PED.…”