Herpetofauna of an Atlantic rainforest area (Morro São João) in Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil

Abstract

We studied the herpetofaunal community from the Atlantic forest of Morro São João, in Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil, and present data on species composition, richness, relative abundance and densities. We combined three sampling methods: plot sampling, visual encounter surveys and pit-fall traps. We recorded sixteen species of amphibians and nine of reptiles. The estimated densities (based on results of plot sampling) were 4.5 ind/100 m 2 for amphibians and 0.8 ind/100 m 2 for lizards, and the overall density (amphibians and lizards) was 5.3 ind/100 m 2 . For amphibians, Eleutherodactylus and Scinax were the most speciose genera with three species each, and Eleutherodactylus binotatus was the most abundant species (mean density of 3.0 frogs/100 m 2 ). The reptile community of Morro São João was dominated by species of the families Gekkonidae and Gymnophtalmidae (Lacertilia) and Colubridae (Serpentes). The gymnophtalmid lizard Leposoma scincoides was the most abundant reptile species (mean density of 0.3 ind/100 m 2 ). We compare densities obtained in our study data with those of other studied rainforest sites in various tropical regions of the world.

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

“…The estimated overall frog density of the local leaf litter frog assemblage was relatively high when compared to those found for other sites within the Atlantic Rainforest (Giaretta et al 1997, 1999, Rocha et al 2001, Almeida-Gomes et al 2008, with one exception (Siqueira et al 2009). However, 93% of the frogs found in plots represented a single species, so that the high frog density observed basically reflects the high local abundance of I. parva.…”

“…Indeed, this small direct-developing frog numerically dominated the anuran assemblage at PED (as also evidenced by the VES methodology). Species with direct development usually are numerically dominant in Neotropical litter frog assemblages (e.g., Scott Junior 1976, Lieberman 1986, Fauth et al 1989, Giaretta et al 1997, 1999, Rocha et al 2001, Siqueira et al 2009, Almeida-Gomes et al 2008. Direct-developing frogs may be more widely distributed within the forest because they are independent of water bodies for reproduction, whereas species with water-dependent reproduction may be limited by the proximity of water bodies (e.g., Heyer & Berven 1973, Scott Junior 1976.…”

“…Most studies about anuran amphibian assemblages/guilds in forested areas of Rio de Janeiro have been conducted in the central and southern portions of the state (e.g. Rocha et al 2000, 2001, Almeida-Gomes et al 2008, Carvalho-e-Silva et al 2008, Salles et al 2009, Siqueira et al 2009. Although the Parque Estadual do Desengano constitutes the largest rainforest remnant in the northern portion of Rio de Janeiro State (Rocha et al 2003, there is no published information on the anurofauna from that locality.…”

Taxonomic notes on the poorly known South American lizard Placosoma cordylinum (Squamata: Gymnophthalmidae)

“…The data provided by Uzzell (1962) indicate that number of ventrals in a transverse, midbody row vary from six to eight in P. c. champsonotus, whereas in all specimens of the nominal subspecies that he examined, there were eight ventrals in this position (Uzzell 1959). Several later studies that dealt with P. cordylinum (Pellegrino et al 2001, Bérnils et al 2007, Almeida-Gomes et al 2008, Araujo et al 2010. Zaher et al (2011) considered P. c. cordylinum and P. c. champsonotus to be full species, based on sympatric occurrences and morphological characters reported by Uzzell (1959).…”

“…This specimen represents the most northern locality record for P. cordylinum. Herein, I provide a distribution map for Placosoma cordylinum based on data compiled from the literature (Ihering 1898, Werner 1910, Loveridge 1944, Uzzell 1959, 1962, Pellegrino et al 2001, Almeida-Gomes et al 2008, Araujo et al 2010 and specimens examined from the University of Michigan, Museum of Zoology, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA (UMMZ) and the Coleção Herpetologica Oswaldo Rodrigues da Cunha, Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, Belém, Pará, Brazil (MPEG) (Appendix I). The map was made using software Quantum GIS, version 2.4.0-Chugiak (http://www.qgis.org/).…”