ABSTRACT
Background: Through citizen science projects, like Projeto Bromélias, community members contribute valuable data on species diversity, notably those with low detectability like the Heterodactylusimbricatus lizard. A recent observation in the State of Espírito Santo (south-eastern Brazil), amidst coffee and eucalyptus crops, highlights the utility of widespread technology use in tracking and documenting wildlife. Such initiatives are especially beneficial for mapping the distribution of rare, endemic or endangered reptiles. Therefore, we advocate for more citizen science initiatives near protected areas, involving local communities. New information: We provide a new record for the species Heterodactylusimbricatus, a microteiid lizard of low detectability from the Atlantic Forest of south-eastern Brazil. Heterodactylusimbricatus (Rio de Janeiro Teiid) was recorded near the protected area "Reserva Biológica Augusto Ruschi" by a citizen volunteer who contributes herpetofauna records to the Bromelias Project (https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/projeto-bromelias). Heterodactylusimbricatus is a very poorly-known species in the localities where it occurs, probably due to its fossorial habit, genera's restricted occurrence range, habitat specificity and the absence of proper survey methods fitted to fossorial species, such as the utilisation of pitfall traps. By publishing the records of volunteer citizens, we hope that more people will contribute to increase the knowledge of biodiversity in the mountainous region of Espírito Santo State and expand our collective knowledge.
ABSTRACT
We describe a specimen of Apostolepis phillipsi Harvey, 1999, from Vila Bela da Santíssima Trindade, Mato Grosso, establishing the first unambiguous record of the species in Brazil. The new locality is ca. 120 km from the type locality, in Bolivia. We present an updated species diagnosis, the first image of a living specimen, and the first description of A. phillipsi coloration in life. Even though the Brazilian range of A. phillipsi lies within a protected area (Parque Estadual Serra Ricardo Franco-PESRF), it is threatened by cattle raising, logging and agriculture. PESRF lacks formal delimitation and a management plan, and the Mato Grosso State Legislature is considering a decree to extinguish PESRF, which could cause the extirpation of the Brazilian range of several endemic species.
Subject(s)
Snakes , Agriculture , Animals , Bolivia , Brazil , CattleABSTRACT
In this work we report an observation of an ornitophagy event on Certhiaxis cinnamomeus by Rhinella icterica occurred in the central region of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
Reportamos um evento de ornitofagia por Rhinella icterica sobre Certiaxis cinnamomeus ocorrido em 2010, na região central do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul (29°41S, 53°48W), Brasil.