Jorge J. Cherem

A diversidade de pequenos mamíferos do Boqueirão da Onça, na Caatinga do Estado da Bahia, revelada pela maior caverna do Brasil, a Toca da Boa Vista

Cavernas são cavidades naturais subterrâneas formadas pela ação da água propícias ao acúmulo de restos de vertebrados. Na Caatinga do Estado da Bahia, a Toca da Boa Vista (TBV) destaca-se como a maior caverna do Brasil, localizada numa região coberta por floresta estacional, campos rupestres e áreas antropizadas, conhecida como Boqueirão da Onça. No presente estudo foram analisados materiais craniomandibulares e dentes de pequenos mamíferos coletados sobre o piso da TBV provenientes, em sua maior parte, das pelotas da coruja suindara (Tyto furcata). Foram registradas 31 espécies, incluindo sete de Didelphimorphia (Didelphidae), 14 de Rodentia (Caviidae, Echimyidae, Cricetidae e Muridae) e 10 de Chiroptera (Furipteridae, Natalidae, Phyllostomidae e Vespertilionidae). Todas essas espécies têm ocorrência conhecida para a Caatinga. A distribuição de Holochilus oxe é ampliada para o Estado da Bahia. Foram identificadas espécies ameaçadas (e.g., Thylamys karimii, Kerodon rupestris e Furipterus horrens), restritas aos limites do bioma ou a áreas de transição (Marmosops incanus e Pseudoryzomys simplex) e de hábitos florestais (e.g., Marmosa demerarae e Rhipidomys cariri). A ocorrência dessas espécies de pequenos mamíferos refletem os ambientes conservados na região do Boqueirão da Onça. Por outro lado, a presença de Mus musculus e Rattus rattus está relacionada aos ambientes antropizados próximos da TBV. Esses dados corroboram a relevância das cavernas como fonte de material para estudos sobre pequenos mamíferos e ampliam o conhecimento sobre a fauna da região do Boqueirão da Onça, uma das áreas mais representativas da Caatinga.

Small mammal diversity of the Boqueirão da Onça, Caatinga in the State of Bahia, revealed in Brazil’s largest cave, Toca da Boa Vista. Caves are natural underground cavities eroded by water, where vertebrates remains accumulated. Toca da Boa Vista (TBV) in the State of Bahia has importance as the largest cave in the country and is located in Boqueirão da Onça, a region covered by seasonal forest, rocky fields, and anthropized areas. We conducted an analysis of craniomandibular and dental material of small mammals collected on the surface of this cave, deposited for the most part by the owl Tyto furcata. Thirty-one species of small mammals were recorded, including seven Didelphimorphia (Didelphidae), 14 Rodentia (Caviidae, Echimyidae, Cricetidae, and Muridae), and 10 Chiroptera (Furipteridae, Natalidae, Phyllostomidae, and Vespertilionidae). All these species are known from the Caatinga. The distribution of Holochilus oxe is confirmed for Bahia. The sample includes threatened species (e.g., Thylamys karimii, Kerodon rupestris, and Furipterus horrens), restricted to bioma limits or to transitional areas (Marmosops incanus and Pseudoryzomys simplex), and ones of forest habits (e.g., Marmosa demerarae and Rhipidomys cariri). These species reflect the environments conserved within Boqueirão da Onça. On the other hand, the presence of Mus musculus and Rattus rattus is related to anthropized areas near TBV. These data support the importance of caves as a source of material for small mammals’ studies and increase the knowledge of the fauna of Boqueirão da Onça, one of the most representative areas of the Caatinga.

Graphical abstract for the article “A diversidade de pequenos mamíferos do Boqueirão da Onça, na Caatinga do Estado da Bahia, revelada pela maior caverna do Brasil, a Toca da Boa Vista” (Cherem et al., 2022)

Pequenos mamíferos em egagropilos de Tyto furcata em uma área de Floresta Ombrófila Mista no sul do Brasil

Débora da Silveira, Jorge J. Cherem, Patrícia Hadler

A análise de egagropilos de aves de rapina, em particular de Tyto furcata, constitui uma importante técnica de amostragem de pequenos mamíferos, mas é ainda pouco explorada no Brasil. Neste trabalho realizamos o levantamento dos pequenos mamíferos presentes nos egagropilos de T. furcata coletados em uma área de Floresta Ombrófila Mista no estado de Santa Catarina, sul do Brasil. Foram registrados 364 indivíduos de 14 táxons das famílias Didelphidae, Cricetidae, Muridae e Caviidae. Oligoryzomys sp. foi o táxon mais frequente, correspondendo a 53,30% do total de indivíduos, seguido por Mus musculus (22,80%) e Calomys tener (14,84%), o que indica o predomínio de roedores de ambientes abertos e alterados. Espécies pouco amostradas com técnicas convencionais de captura, como Calomys tener, e espécies de hábitos florestais, como Sooretamys angouya e Thaptomys nigrita, também estiveram representadas na amostra. Os resultados obtidos corroboram a utilidade do método para o conhecimento dos pequenos mamíferos neotropicais.

Small mammals in pellets of Tyto furcata from a Mixed Ombrophilous Forest area in southern Brazil. The analysis of raptor pellets, in particular Tyto furcata, is an important sampling technique for small mammals, but it is still little exploited in Brazil. In this work we carried out a survey of the small mammals present in pellets of T. furcata collected in an area of Mixed Ombrophilous Forest in the state of Santa Catarina, southern Brazil. A total of 364 individuals from 14 taxa of the families Didelphidae, Cricetidae, Muridae and Caviidae were registered. Oligoryzomys sp. was the most frequent taxon, corresponding to 53.30% of the total of individuals, followed by Mus musculus (22.80%) and Calomys tener (14.84%), which indicates the predominance of rodents of open and disturbed environments. Species poorly sampled with standard capture techniques, such as Calomys tener, and forest species, such as Sooretamys angouya and Thaptomys nigrita, were also represented in the sample. The obtained results corroborate the usefulness of the method for the knowledge of Neotropical small mammals.

Drawings and notes by Elio Massoia. Photo collage by Damián Voglino.

Dinâmica populacional de marsupiais e roedores no Parque Municipal da Lagoa do Peri, Ilha de Santa Catarina, sul do Brasil

Maurício E. Graipel, Jorge J. Cherem, Emygdio L.A. Monteiro-Filho, Luiz Glock

Population dynamics of marsupials and rodents in Parque Municipal da Lagoa do Peri, Santa Catarina Island, southern Brazil. A two-year mark-recapture study of small mammals was conducted in an area of Atlantic Forest hillside in the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil. Four species of marsupial and seven species of rodent were captured during 12132 trap nights. Aspects of population dynamics and natural history are discussed for each common species. The sex ratio was biased toward males for all species. Oryzomys russatus, Didelphis aurita and Akodon montensis had the highest population densities, the least amount of variation in population density and an inverse relationship between survivorship rates and population densities. Micoureus paraguayanus, Nectomys squamipes and O. angouya registered the higher population densities after continual survivorship rates. The recruitment rates were low for most species (< 50%), with some, M. paraguayanus, Lutreolina crassicaudata, Oligoryzomys nigripes, O. angouya and Oxymycterus aff. judex, disappearing occasionally from the study area. The survivorship rates were high for most species (> 50%). Population densities of D. aurita, O. nigripes and O. aff. judex increased in cold and dry periods. The marsupials reproduced seasonally from late winter until the end of the summer, whereas rodents reproduced throughout the year. No species were long-lived, with average life-span < six months.

Lista dos mamíferos do estado de Santa Catarina, sul do Brasil

Jorge J. Cherem, Paulo C. Simões-Lopes, Sérgio L. Althoff, Maurício E. Graipel

List of mammals from Santa Catarina State, southern Brazil. The mammal fauna from Santa Catarina State, southern Brazil, is one of the least known of the country. Works on terrestrial mammals are scarce and new species of aquatic mammals have been registered in the last years. For that reason, a commented list of the mammals of Santa Catarina based on data gathered from scientific collections and bibliographical references is presented. One hundred and fifty-two species of confirmed occurrence, 59 species of possible occurrence and six species/subspecies with erroneous record for the state were registered.