Introduction

The Cerrado encompasses ca. 200,000 ha, being the second largest vegetational domain in Brazil (Ratter et al., 1997). This domain was ranked among the 25 most important terrestrial hotspots (Myers et al., 2000), natural areas of the Cerrado have been greatly disturbed by the advance of the agricultural frontier, with more than 2 million ha of pristine habitats destroyed each year (Klink & Machado, 2005).

At least 10 species of turtles, five crocodilians, 24 amphisbaenians, 68 lizards, 145 snakes, and 113 amphibians are known to occur in the Cerrado Biome (Colli et al., 2002; Costa et al., 2007). In addition, many checklists on Cerrado Herpetofauna have been published in the past few years (e.g. Valdujo & Nogueira, 2001; Eterovick & Sazima, 2004). Recently, several species of reptiles and amphibians of the Cerrado have been described, and many undescribed species still await adequate studies

However, the knowledge of the Herpetofauna from Cerrado is highly concentrated in few restricted areas (Valdujo et al., 2009). Data on herpetofauna inhabiting in Cerrado and dry forests from limestone soils is even more scant (Uetanabaro et al. 2007). For the state of

Mato Grosso, the third largest Brazilian state with 903.358 km2, available lists of amphibian and reptiles species from Cerrado are sparse (e.g. Vitt, 1991; Strussmann, 2000; Colli et al., 2002). In the present study, we provide additional information on Cerrado herpetofauna from central Mato Grosso, in an area of limestone soils.

Material and Methods

Fieldwork was conducted from 2 to 5 March 2010 in a locality (14°41’28.9” S, 56°13’37.2” W) in Nobres municipality (central Mato Grosso State, Brazil), during environmental impact studies of the Electric Power Transmission Line 230Kv, between Nova Mutum and Cuiabá municipalities (Figure 1). The area is partially degraded for pastures, but is characterized by typical Cerrado physiognomies, such as Campo sujo, Cerrado stricto sensu and also semidecidual forest (see Ratter et al. 1997). Specimens were captured by two methods: pitfall traps with drift fences and time constrained searches. One group of pitfall traps, consisting of 15

Herpetology Notes, volume 4: 455-461 (2011) (published online on 16 December 2011)

Checklist of the amphibians and reptiles in Nobres municipality, Mato Grosso state, central Brazil

Marina Meireles dos Santos1*, Robson Waldemar Ávila2 and Ricardo Alexandre Kawashita-Ribeiro2

1 Laboratório de Herpetologia – Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso. Instituto de Biociências, Av. Fernando Corrêa da Costa, nº 2367s/n, Boa Esperança, CEP: 78060-900, Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, Brasil; e-mail: mary_meireles@hotmail.com

2 Coleção Zoológica de Vertebrados - Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso. Instituto de Biociências, Av. Fernando Corrêa da Costa, nº 2367, Boa Esperança, CEP: 78060-900, Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, Brasil

* Corresponding author.

Abstract. We present a list of amphibians and reptiles from Nobres municipality, state of Mato Grosso, Brazil, a locality on the morphoclimatic domain of Cerrado. Specimens were sampled by both pitfall traps with drift-fences, and visual encounter surveys. Specimens deposited in two Brazilian collections were also considered. Sixty-one species were found: 33 anurans and 28 reptiles. Comparisons between herpetofaunal composition in Nobres municipality and other studied localities are provided, as well as topics on the conservation of the area. Keywords. Anura, Lizard, Snake, Species list, Limestone

Figure 1. Schematic map showing the municipalities of Nobres (red cicle; 14°41’28.9” S, 56°13’37.2” W) and Cuiabá (black cicle), Mato Grosso state, Brazil.

Marina Meireles dos Santos et al. 456

TAXON SPECIES SOURCEAMPHIBIAANURABufonidae Rhinella schneideri (Werner, 1894) Present studyCycloramphidae Proceratophrys sp. UFMTDendrobatidae Ameerega braccata (Steindachner, 1864) UFMTHylidae Dendropsophus cf. anataliasiasi (Bokermann, 1972) Present study

Dendropsophus melanargyreus (Cope, 1887) Present studyDendropsophus minutus (Peters, 1872) Present studyDendropsophus nanus (Boulenger, 1889) Present studyHypsiboas punctatus (Schneider, 1799) Present studyHypsiboas raniceps Cope, 1862 Present studyPhyllomedusa azurea Cope, 1862 Present studyPseudis platensis Gallardo, 1961 Present studyScinax fuscomarginatus (A. Lutz, 1925) Present studyScinax nasicus (Cope, 1862) Present studyScinax aff. ruber (Laurenti, 1768) Present studyTrachycephalus venulosus (Laurenti, 1768) Present study

Leiuperidae Eupemphix nattereri Steindachner, 1863 Present studyPhysalaemus albonotatus (Steindachner, 1864) Present studyPhysalaemus centralis Bokermann, 1962 Present studyPhysalaemus cuvieri Fitzinger, 1826 UFMT

Pseudopaludicola mystacalis (Cope, 1887) Present studyPseudopaludicola sp. Present study

Leptodactylidae Leptodactylus chaquensis Cei, 1950 Present studyLeptodactylus elenae Heyer, 1978 Present studyLeptodactylus fuscus (Schneider, 1799) Present studyLeptodactylus hylaedactylus (Cope, 1868) Present studyLeptodactylus labyrinthicus (Spix, 1824) UFMTLeptodactylus mystaceus (Spix, 1824) Present studyLeptodactylus petersii (Steindachner, 1864) Present studyLeptodactylus syphax Bokermann, 1969 UFMT

Microhylidae Chiasmocleis albopunctata (Boettger, 1885) Present studyDermatonotus muelleri (Boettger, 1885) Present studyElachistocleis sp. Present study

Strabomantidae Pristimantis crepitans (Bokermann, 1965) Present study

Table 1. List of amphibians and reptiles registered for Nobres region.

Checklist of the amphibians and reptiles of Nobres municipality 457

buckets (40 l) arranged in a straight line and 5 m away one from another. Total sampling effort by pitfall traps was 60 buckets/day. Time constrained searches consisted of two observers for at least three hours both in day and at night. Time constrained search ef-forts summed 12 hours. Voucher specimens are deposited at “Co-leção de Vertebrados da Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso” (UFMT).

Besides the amphibian and reptiles found during our study, we included in our species list (Table 1) records based on specimens previously deposited at UFMT and at “Coleção Herpetológica Al-phonse Richard Hoge” of the Instituto Butantan (IBSP).

Results and Discussion

The present checklist includes 61 species: 33 anurans (eight families) and 28 reptiles (13 lizards, 14 snakes and one amphisbaenian). Some of these species have few documented records in Mato Grosso, and brief comments are provided below.

The taxonomic status of Epictia tenella has recently accessed by Franco & Pinto (2009), who proposed a replacement of this name instead of E. albifrons. Due

REPTILIA

SQUAMATA

Amphisbaenidae Amphisbaena vermicularis Present study

Gekkonidae Gonatodes humeralis (Guichenot, 1855) Present study

Hemidactylus mabouia (Moreau de Jonnes, 1818) Present study

Gymnophtalmidae Cercosaura schreibersii Wiegmann, 1834 UFMT

Colobosaura modesta (Reinhardt & Lütken, 1862) UFMT

Micrablapherus maximiliani (Reinhardt & Lütken, 1862) UFMT

Iguanidae Iguana iguana (Linnaeus, 1958) Present study

Teiidae Ameiva ameiva (Linnaeus, 1758) Present study

Cnemidophorus ocellifer (Spix, 1825) UFMT

Kentropyx vanzoi Gallagher & Dixon 1980 UFMT

Tupinambis teguixim (Linnaeus, 1758) Present study

Tropiduridae Tropidurus guarani (Cope, 1862) Present study

Tropidurus torquatus (Wied, 1820) Present study

Stenocercus sinesaccus (Torres-Carvajal, 2005) UFMT

Colubridae Drymarchon corais Boie 1827 IB

Mastigodryas boddaerti Sentzen 1796 UFMT

Tantilla melanocephala (Linnaeus, 1758) UFMT

Dipsadidae Apostolepis nigroterminata Boulenger, 1896 UFMT

Erythrolamprus aesculapii Linnaeus 1758 UFMT

Leptodeira annulata Linnaeus 1758 Present study

Liophis meridionalis Schenkel, 1902 UFMT

Oxyrhopus trigeminus Duméril, Bibron & Duméril, 1854 Present study

Philodryas nattereri Steindachner 1870 IB

Xenodon merremi Wagler, 1824 UFMT

Leptotyphlopidae Epictia tenella (Klauber 1939) UFMT

Elapidae Micrurus surinamensis (Cuvier, 1817) UFMT

Viperidae Bothrops moojeni Hoge, 1966 UFMT

Caudisona durissa (Linnaeus, 1758) IB

Table 1. continued

Marina Meireles dos Santos et al. 458

Figure 2. Cerrado habitats in Nobres municipality, Mato Grosso state, Brazil. A-overall view of Cerrado sensu stricto; B-Riparian forest along a clear and blue water river that is caused by suspension of high amount of calcareous.

Figure 3. Representatives of anuran species from the Cerrado at Nobres municipality. A- Rhinella schneideri; B- Dendropsophus cf. anataliasiasi; C- Pseudis platensis; D- Physalaemus albonotatus; E- Dermatonotus muelleri; F- Pristimantis crepitans. All specimens photographed by Robson W. Ávila at Nobres locality.

to the widespread use of the name E. albifrons for many distinct species (see comments in Franco & Pinto, 2009), reassessment of the zoological material housed in scientific collections are necessary.

The distribution of Stenocercus sinesaccus in Mato Grosso state includes the type locality (Chapada dos Guimarães municipality), and Cocalinho municipality at eastern Mato Grosso (see Morais et al., 2010).

Apostolepis cf. nigroterminata is currently known from

two localities in Mato Grosso: Chapada dos Guimarães (Strussmann, 2000) and Tapirapés (Harvey, 1999).

Two species found in the present study can be considered new species (Pseudopaludicola sp. and Proceratophrys sp.) and are currently being described.

According to Colli et al. (2002), the local richness of Herpetofauna from Cerrado is limited to ca. 25 lizard species, 50 snakes, two amphisbaenians and 45 anurans. Literature data consistent with these assumptions were

459

Figure 4. Representatives of reptile species from the Cerrado at Nobres municipality. A- Iguana iguana; B- Kentropyx paulensis; C- Gonatodes humeralis; D- Oxyrhopus trigeminus; E- Micrurus surinamensis; F- Bothrops moojeni. All specimens photographed by Robson W. Ávila at Nobres locality, except from B. moojeni photographed at Vila Bela da Santíssima Trindade municipality.

Checklist of the amphibians and reptiles of Nobres municipality

found at several localities from Central Brazil (e.g. 26 lizard species at Manso river and Jalapão region – Strussmann, 2000 and Vitt et al., 2005, respectively; 22 lizard species in Barra do Garças municipality and 25 in Minaçu and Brasília municipalities - Colli et al., 2002; 25 lizard species at Parque Nacional Grande Sertão Veredas – Recoder & Nogueira, 2007; 47 snake species at Parque Nacional das Emas - Valdujo et al., 2009). However, these localities are well-sampled for long periods, with the concomitant use of different methodologies. Extensive collecting efforts may also be responsible for higher richness than previous predictions, such as the findings of eigth sympatric amphisbenids in the Manso Dam region (Mott & Strüssmann, 2009).

In despite of our low sampling effort in the present study, the additional information provided by preserved specimens from scientific collections allow us to obtain a similar richness of several localities, both for amphibians (28 species at Itirapina - Brasileiro et al., 2005; 32 species at UHE Espora – Vaz-Silva et al., 2007; 29 species at Niquelândia – Oda et al., 2009), as well for lizards (14 species at Pirenópolis municipality - Colli et al., 2002; 15 species at Parque Nacional da Bodoquena – Uetanabaro et al., 2007).

Many additional species are still expected to occur at Nobres municipality, in view of their known large geographical ranges and distribution in adjacent areas of Cerrado in Mato Grosso, such as Chapada dos Guimarães municipality. This can be the case of many lizard and snake species, such as Amphisbaena alba, Polychrus acutirostris, Philodryas olfersii and Boa constrictor.

The municipality of Nobres is situated under the influence of two hydrographic basins: the Upper Paraguay basin and Teles Pires basin. Being situated in a limestone formation, with many parallel calcareous residual mountains, the region harbors many caves, waterfalls, speleothems and underground rivers that constitute an impressive touristic appeal. However, tourism in the region is chaotic state, which allied to other anthropogenic activities, such as limestone mining and cattle ranching bring a special conservation concern. The creation of additional protected areas to those already existing (such as the Parque Estadual Gruta da Lagoa Azul, with12,512 ha) in the region of Nobres and the effective protection of adjacent conservation units, such as the Parque Nacional de Chapada dos Guimarães, would be crucial to the maintenance of local the Cerrado biodiversity.

Acknowledgements. Christine Strusmann made valuable comments in the earlier draft of the manuscript. Marcos A. Carvalho gently provided access to the Coleção Zoológica de Vertebrados da Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso. To Núcleo Interdisciplinar de Estudos Faunísticos (NIEFAFAPEMAT447441/2009). Marina M. Santos thanks FAPEMAT for a grant (Apoio Técnico 3º Grau).

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Accepted by Miguel Vences

Checklist of the amphibians and reptiles of Nobres municipality