New records of Apostolepis kikoi Santos et al., 2018 (Serpentes, Dipsadidae) in the state of Mato Grosso, Central-West Brazil

Abstract

The fossorial snake Apostolepis kikoi Santos et al., 2018 is known only from its type locality, in Chapada dos Guimarães, state of Mato Grosso, Brazil. Here, we present the first records of this species after its description, expanding its distribution to transition areas between the Amazon and Cerrado biomes, in the southwestern portion of Mato Grosso. The new record expands the known distribution of A. kikoi by 297 km west from the type locality. In addition, we provide data on morphological variation by comparing our sample with the type series.

New records and distribution map of Gold-striped Frog, Lithodytes lineatus (Schneider, 1799) (Anura, Leptodactylidae), in an ecotonal zone in Mato Grosso, Brazil

“…Our results reinforce the preferences of this species for forest environments and the structures made available by the forest, such as the presence of litter (Rodriguez and Duellman 1994; Bernarde and Macedo 2008;Bernarde and Kokubum 2009). In this sense, the conversion of native vegetation to areas of crops and pasture in the region of the new records (Silva et al 2014;Fermiano et al 2020) may represent an important local threat to the species, as also observed by Bernarde and Kokubum (2009). In addition, one of the records (MZT 0482) occurred within the area influenced by the Jauru Hydroelectric Power Plant, which reinforces the need for greater attention to the conservation of the adjacent forest remnants as a way to guarantee the local viability of this species.…”