RESUMO
Amphibian foam nests are unique microenvironments that play a crucial role in the development of tadpoles. They contain high levels of proteins and carbohydrates, yet little is known about the impact of their microbiomes on tadpole health. This study provides a first characterization of the microbiome of foam nests from three species of Leptodactylids (Adenomera hylaedactyla, Leptodactylus vastus, and Physalaemus cuvieri) by investigating the DNA extracted from foam nests, adult tissues, soil, and water samples, analyzed via 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing to gain insight into the factors driving its composition. The results showed that the dominant phyla were proteobacteria, bacteroidetes, and firmicutes, with the most abundant genera being Pseudomonas, Sphingobacterium, and Paenibacillus. The foam nest microbiomes of A. hylaedactyla and P. cuvieri were more similar to each other than to that of L. vastus, despite their phylogenetic distance. The foam nests demonstrated a distinct microbiome that clustered together and separated from the microbiomes of the environment and adult tissue samples. This suggests that the peculiar foam nest composition shapes its microbiome, rather than vertical or horizontal transference forces. We expanded this knowledge into amphibian foam nest microbiomes, highlighting the importance of preserving healthy foam nests for amphibian conservation.
RESUMO
Saurophagy constitutes an important source of mortality among lizards and has been reported for the genus Tropidurus. However, the extension of this behavior remains unknown. Herein, we record the predation of T. jaguaribanus by its congener T. hispidus. This is the first report of saurophagy among different species of syntopicTropidurus. Furthermore, whereas published records of saurophagy tend to be directed against juveniles, this case involved two adult individuals.
A saurofagia constitui uma importante fonte de mortalidade entre lagartos e tem sido reportada para o gênero Tropidurus. Contudo, a extensão deste comportamento permanece desconhecida. Neste estudo registramos a predação de T. jaguaribanus por seu congênere T. hispidus. Este é o primeiro caso de saurofagia entre diferentes espécies de Tropidurus sintópicos. Além disso, embora a saurofagia tenda a ser direcionada contra jovens, este caso envolveu dois indivíduos adultos.
