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 records for species of Theope (Lepidoptera, Riodinidae) for the state of Pernambuco and northeastern Brazil, with notes on their natural history

New records for species of Theope (Lepidoptera, Riodinidae) for the state of Pernambuco and northeastern Brazil, with notes on their natural history. Five new records for the state of Pernambuco and one new record for NE-Brazil are reported in this paper for the genus Theope. Relationship between ants and T. terambus was observed for the first time which also consists on the first ever recorded myrmecophilous interaction between Pheidole ants and a Theope immature. Schoepfia guianensis is reported as a probable hostplant for T. terambus. Illustrations of seven species of Theope which occur in the northeastern Atlantic Rainforest are provided.

Novas ocorrências do gênero Theope (Lepidoptera, Riodinidae) para Pernambuco e Nordeste brasileiro e comentários de sua história natural. São registradas cinco novas ocorrências do gênero Theope para Pernambuco e uma nova ocorrência para o Nordeste do Brasil. É relatada pela primeira vez relação mirmecófila para T. terambus, assim como uma relação entre um imaturo de Theope e formigas do gênero Pheidole. Schoepfia guianensis é relatada como provável planta hospedeira de T. terambus. São fornecidas ilustrações para as sete espécies de Theope registradas nesse estudo.

The small mammals of the highly impacted North-eastern Atlantic Forest of Brazil, Pernambuco Endemism Center / Os pequenos mamíferos da altamente impactada Floresta Atlântica do Nordeste do Brasil, Centro de Endemismo Pernambuco

The Atlantic forest of Brazil is nowadays reduced to less than 8% of its total original area and yet many species remain to be described. The Atlantic Forest north to the São Francisco river - The Pernambuco Endemism Center (CEPE) - has less than 2% of its original forest cover and yet the knowledge on small mammals is scarce. Aiming to assess the small mammal community of this region surveys were carried out in 12 forest fragments of different sizes in distinct geographic areas of the CEPE. The capture-mark-recapture technique was used with live-traps set along linear transects. We recorded 15 species, two of which are in the IUCN Red List, but not in the Brazilian List of Threatened Species. The highest richness and abundance indices were recorded in medium-sized fragments and in the rainy season. More marsupial species were recorded compared to rodents. Our results suggest that fragmentation caused the extinction of those most specialized species, currently remaining only those most tolerant to fragmentation and urbanization. It is recommended that urgent measures should be taken to reconnect and restore these fragments to allow recolonization and reestablishment of the gene flow among the populations.

A Floresta Atlântica do Brasil encontra-se hoje reduzida a menos de 8% da sua área original e contém várias espécies ainda desconhecidas. Sua porção ao norte do Rio São Francisco, o Centro de Endemismo Pernambuco (CEPE), possui atualmente menos de 2% de sua área original e o conhecimento sobre pequenos mamíferos é escasso. Com o objetivo de conhecer melhor a comunidade de pequenos mamíferos desta região foram realizados levantamentos em 12 fragmentos de diferentes tamanhos em áreas geográficas distintas do CEPE. A técnica de captura-marcação-recaptura foi utilizada, com armadilhas de captura viva dispostas em transectos ao longo dos fragmentos. Foram registradas 15 espécies, das quais duas estão inclusas na lista vermelha da IUCN, embora não na lista de espécies ameaçadas do IBAMA. Os maiores índices de riqueza e abundância foram encontrados nos fragmentos de tamanho médio, e durante a estação chuvosa. Foram registradas mais espécies de marsupiais do que de roedores. Os resultados sugerem que a fragmentação causou a extinção daquelas espécies mais especializadas, persistindo atualmente apenas aquelas mais tolerantes à fragmentação e urbanização. Recomendamos que medidas urgentes sejam tomadas para re-conectar e restaurar estes fragmentos, tornando possível sua re-colonização pelas espécies e o aumento do fluxo gênico entre as populações.