Helminth Parasites of the Lizard Nothobachia ablephara (Gymnophthalmidae) in Caatinga Areas from the Sertão of Brazil.

The lizard Nothobachia ablephara is endemic to dune areas and sandy soils adjacent to the São Francisco River in semiarid northeastern Brazil. Forty-nine lizard specimens were collected in 2 Caatinga areas in the municipality of Petrolina in Pernambuco state. Three gastrointestinal helminth taxa were identified, the nematodes Parapharyngodon alvarengai and Physaloptera sp. and the cestode Oochoristica sp. Nothobachia ablephara showed low parasite richness, but high levels of infection by P. alvarengai. There were no significant differences between the parasitism rates of the 2 study areas or between male and female lizards. This is the first study on parasitism in N. ablephara, thereby increasing knowledge of parasite fauna that infect gymnophthalmid lizards in the Sertão of Brazil.

New additions to the herpetofauna of the Dois Irmãos State Park, an urban Atlantic Rainforest fragment in northeastern Brazil

The Atlantic Rainforest is the second largest forest block in the Neotropics, which originally comprised more than 150 million ha in highly heterogeneous environmental conditions. In this study, we updated the list of amphibians and reptiles in the Dois Irmãos State Park (PEDI), a conservation unit that is an Atlantic Rainforest remnant in Pernambuco State, northeastern Brazil. Active and passive surveys were carried out weekly, from June 2008 to April 2009, respectively by searching different forest microenvironments and by using pitfall traps. We recorded 34 species of amphibians belonging to 10 families and 27 species of reptiles belonging to 17 families. This study adds three species of amphibians and 18 species of reptiles to previous surveys of the herpetofauna at the PEDI. The PEDI comprises a richness equivalent to 49% of the anurans and 32% of the reptiles recorded in the Atlantic Rainforest in Pernambuco State. This area makes up the group of urban protected areas in which the local herpetofauna has been inventoried, as well as isolated areas in the metropolitan region of the municipality of Recife. Regarding these urban areas, the PEDI Reserve comprises 38.7% of the local richness, being considered a well-maintained remnant in an urban area. Thus, we highlight the need to invest in the conservation of urban forest fragments, given the significant richness that PEDI displays in relation to other extremely impoverished Atlantic Rainforest areas.

New additions to the herpetofauna of the Dois Irmãos State Park, an urban Atlantic Rainforest fragment in northeastern Brazil

The Atlantic Rainforest is the second largest forest block in the Neotropics, which originally comprised more than 150 million ha in highly heterogeneous environmental conditions. In this study, we updated the list of amphibians and reptiles in the Dois Irmãos State Park (PEDI), a conservation unit that is an Atlantic Rainforest remnant in Pernambuco State, northeastern Brazil. Active and passive surveys were carried out weekly, from June 2008 to April 2009, respectively by searching different forest microenvironments and by using pitfall traps. We recorded 34 species of amphibians belonging to 10 families and 27 species of reptiles belonging to 17 families. This study adds three species of amphibians and 18 species of reptiles to previous surveys of the herpetofauna at the PEDI. The PEDI comprises a richness equivalent to 49% of the anurans and 32% of the reptiles recorded in the Atlantic Rainforest in Pernambuco State. This area makes up the group of urban protected areas in which the local herpetofauna has been inventoried, as well as isolated areas in the metropolitan region of the municipality of Recife. Regarding these urban areas, the PEDI Reserve comprises 38.7% of the local richness, being considered a well-maintained remnant in an urban area. Thus, we highlight the need to invest in the conservation of urban forest fragments, given the significant richness that PEDI displays in relation to other extremely impoverished Atlantic Rainforest areas.

Potential distribution and conservation of the Colobosauroides carvalhoi Soares and Caramaschi, 1998: a rare and endemic lizard of Northeast Brazil / Distribuição potencial e conservação de Colobosauroides carvalhoi Soares and Caramaschi, 1998: um lagarto raro e endêmico do nordeste do Brasil

Abstract Ecological niche modeling has contributed to the investigation of the geographical distribution and conservation of rare or little recorded species. Therefore, we studied the known and potential distributions of Colobosauroides carvalhoi Soares and Caramaschi 1998 and discuss the implications for its conservation. Data were obtained by manual collections made in quarterly samplings in three different regions, considering the regions with occurrence records and surrounding areas. The known distribution was determined by occurrence records and literature data, and potential distribution was estimated with an ecological niche model by the MaxEnt algorithm. Twenty-five specimens were collected exclusively in forest formations of Caatinga and Caatinga-Cerrado. Our data corroborated the relative rarity of C. carvalhoi and reflected the biogeographical history of the group, where it is restricted to forest formations with milder environmental conditions. The occurrence records indicated new records of C. carvalhoi, but the known distribution value is compatible with a restricted distribution. The ecological niche model estimated few areas with environmental suitability for the species and corroborated the restricted and relict distribution patterns. Finally, the known and potential distribution values ​​were compatible with criteria for threatened species. These results suggest a worrisome scenario for C. carvalhoi conservation. However, the limited data about the species population do not allow the proper definition of its conservation status. Therefore, we suggest using potential distribution values with alternative criteria for redefining the conservation status of C. carvalhoi and the development of new studies that support a better assessment of its conservation aspects.

Resumo A modelagem ecológica de nicho vem contribuindo para investigar a distribuição geográfica e conservação de espécies raras ou com poucos registros de ocorrência. Neste sentido, investigou-se a distribuição conhecida e potencial da espécie Colobosauroides carvalhoi Soares & Caramaschi, 1998, discutindo as implicações para a conservação da espécie. Os dados foram coletados por meio de coletas manuais realizadas em amostragens trimestrais realizadas em três regiões distintas, considerando as regiões com registros de ocorrência conhecidos e áreas adjacentes. A distribuição conhecida foi determinada a partir dos novos registros de ocorrência e dados da literatura e a distribuição potencial estimada por meio de um modelo ecológico de nicho com uso do algoritmo MaxEnt. Vinte e cinco exemplares da espécie C. carvalhoi foram coletados exclusivamente em formações arbóreas da Caatinga e áreas de interface entre a Caatinga e o Cerrado. Estes resultados corroboram a relativa raridade da espécie e refletem a história biogeográfica do grupo, relacionada a ambientes florestados e que apresentam condições ambientais mais amenas. Os registros de ocorrência de C. carvalhoi indicam novos registros, entretanto, o valor de distribuição conhecida foi compatível com valores de distribuição restrita. O modelo ecológico de nicho estimou poucas áreas adequadas à ocorrência da espécie, corroborando um padrão de distribuição restrita e relictual. Por fim, os valores de distribuição conhecida e potencial estimados são compatíveis com valores definidos para espécies ameaçadas. Estes resultados sugerem um cenário preocupante para a conservação de C. carvalhoi. Entretanto, a atual limitação de dados populacionais dificulta uma adequada avaliação de seu status de conservação. Portanto, sugerimos o uso dos valores de distribuição potencial como critério alternativo para avaliar seu status de conservação até que novos estudos possam subsidiar uma melhor avaliação da conservação da espécie.

Potential distribution and conservation of the Colobosauroides carvalhoi Soares and Caramaschi, 1998: a rare and endemic lizard of Northeast Brazil.

Ecological niche modeling has contributed to the investigation of the geographical distribution and conservation of rare or little recorded species. Therefore, we studied the known and potential distributions of Colobosauroides carvalhoi Soares and Caramaschi 1998 and discuss the implications for its conservation. Data were obtained by manual collections made in quarterly samplings in three different regions, considering the regions with occurrence records and surrounding areas. The known distribution was determined by occurrence records and literature data, and potential distribution was estimated with an ecological niche model by the MaxEnt algorithm. Twenty-five specimens were collected exclusively in forest formations of Caatinga and Caatinga-Cerrado. Our data corroborated the relative rarity of C. carvalhoi and reflected the biogeographical history of the group, where it is restricted to forest formations with milder environmental conditions. The occurrence records indicated new records of C. carvalhoi, but the known distribution value is compatible with a restricted distribution. The ecological niche model estimated few areas with environmental suitability for the species and corroborated the restricted and relict distribution patterns. Finally, the known and potential distribution values ​​were compatible with criteria for threatened species. These results suggest a worrisome scenario for C. carvalhoi conservation. However, the limited data about the species population do not allow the proper definition of its conservation status. Therefore, we suggest using potential distribution values with alternative criteria for redefining the conservation status of C. carvalhoi and the development of new studies that support a better assessment of its conservation aspects.