The Parque Nacional da Tijuca in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is considered to be one of the world’s largest urban forests, however no systematic inventory of its herpetofauna is available. In the present study, we surveyed the amphibians and reptiles of this park to assess its species composition (including secondary data) and obtain estimates of species richness and abundance. We conducted active searches (460 hours) between January 2013 and December 2015. We identified the taxa endemic to either the Atlantic Forest or Rio de Janeiro state, and verified the conservation status of each species in the international, Brazilian, and state red lists. We also estimated the species richness and sampling sufficiency by rarefaction curves and Bootstrap richness estimator, and analyzed the distribution of the species abundance in Whittaker plots. We recorded 3,288 individuals over 36 months, representing 24 species of amphibians and 25 reptiles. The cumulative species curves, rarefaction, and the richness estimated indicated that sampling effort was adequate. Species abundance adjusted to the log-series model in both amphibians and reptiles. The four most abundant amphibians represented 70% of the individuals recorded in this group, while the two most abundant reptiles represented 60% of the total individuals. The inclusion of the secondary data raised the number of amphibian species to 38, and the number of reptiles to 36. Approximately 80% of the amphibian species and 28% of the reptile species recorded are endemic to the Atlantic Forest, and six of the amphibian species are endemic to Rio de Janeiro state. Six amphibian species and one reptile specie are classified under some threat of extinction, and two reptile species were exotic. The considerable diversity of the herpetofauna of the Parque Nacional da Tijuca, which includes endemic and threatened species, reflects the effectiveness of the reforestation of this protected area and emphasizes the importance of its conservation.

O Parque Nacional da Tijuca, no Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, é considerado uma das maiores florestas urbanas do mundo, no entanto nenhum inventário sistemático de sua herpetofauna esteja disponível. No presente estudo, pesquisamos os anfíbios e répteis deste parque para acessar sua composição de espécies (incluindo dados secundários) e obter estimativas da riqueza e da abundância de espécies. Realizamos buscas ativas (460 horas) entre janeiro de 2013 e dezembro de 2015. Identificamos os taxa endêmicos da Mata Atlântica ou do estado do Rio de Janeiro, e verificamos o status de conservação de cada espécie nas listas vermelhas internacional, brasileira e estadual. Também estimamos a riqueza de espécies e a suficiência amostral através de curvas de rarefação e do estimador de riqueza Bootstrap, e analisamos a distribuição de abundância das espécies através de plots de Whittaker. Registramos 3.288 indivíduos ao longo dos 36 meses, representando 24 espécies de anfíbios e 25 de répteis. As curvas cumulativas de espécies, a rarefação, e a riqueza estimada indicaram que o esforço amostral foi adequado. A abundância das espécies se ajustou ao modelo de série logarítmica tanto para os anfíbios como para os répteis. As quatro espécies de anfíbios mais abundantes representaram 70% dos indivíduos registrados neste grupo, enquanto as duas espécies de répteis mais abundantes representaram 60% do total de indivíduos. A inclusão dos dados secundários elevou o número de espécies de anfíbios para 38 e o de répteis para 36. Aproximadamente 80% dos anfíbios e 28% dos répteis registrados são endêmicos da Mata Atlântica e seis espécies de anfíbios são endêmicos do estado do Rio de Janeiro. Seis espécies de anfíbios e uma de réptil estão classificadas sob alguma ameaça de extinção, e dois répteis constituem espécies exóticas. A considerável diversidade da herpetofauna do Parque Nacional da Tijuca, que inclui espécies endêmicas e ameaçadas, reflete a efetividade do reflorestamento dessa área protegida e enfatiza a importância de sua conservação.

Resumo: O Parque Nacional da Tijuca, no Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, é considerado uma das maiores florestas urbanas do mundo, no entanto nenhum inventário sistemático de sua herpetofauna está disponível. No presente estudo, pesquisamos os anfíbios e répteis deste parque para acessar sua composição de espécies (incluindo dados secundários) e obter estimativas da riqueza e da abundância de espécies. Realizamos buscas ativas (460 horas) entre janeiro de 2013 e dezembro de 2015. Identificamos os taxa endêmicos da Mata Atlântica ou do estado do Rio de Janeiro, e verificamos o status de conservação de cada espécie nas listas vermelhas internacional, brasileira e estadual. Também estimamos a riqueza de espécies e a suficiência amostral através de curvas de rarefação e do estimador de riqueza Bootstrap, e analisamos a distribuição de abundância das espécies através de plots de Whittaker. Registramos 3.288 indivíduos ao longo dos 36 meses, representando 24 espécies de anfíbios e 25 de répteis. As curvas cumulativas de espécies, a rarefação, e a riqueza estimada indicaram que o esforço amostral foi adequado. A abundância das espécies se ajustou ao modelo de série logarítmica tanto para os anfíbios como para os répteis. As quatro espécies de anfíbios mais abundantes representaram 70% dos indivíduos registrados neste grupo, enquanto as duas espécies de répteis mais abundantes representaram 60% do total de indivíduos. A inclusão dos dados secundários elevou o número de espécies de anfíbios para 38 e o de répteis para 36. Aproximadamente 80% dos anfíbios e 28% dos répteis registrados são endêmicos da Mata Atlântica e seis espécies de anfíbios são endêmicos do estado do Rio de Janeiro. Seis espécies de anfíbios e uma de réptil estão classificadas sob alguma ameaça de extinção, e dois répteis constituem espécies exóticas. A considerável diversidade da herpetofauna do Parque Nacional da Tijuca, que inclui espécies endêmicas e ameaçadas, reflete a efetividade do reflorestamento dessa área protegida e enfatiza a importância de sua conservação.

Abstract: The Parque Nacional da Tijuca in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is considered to be one of the world’s largest urban forests, however no systematic inventory of its herpetofauna is available. In the present study, we surveyed the amphibians and reptiles of this park to assess its species composition (including secondary data) and obtain estimates of species richness and abundance. We conducted active searches (460 hours) between January 2013 and December 2015. We identified the taxa endemic to either the Atlantic Forest or Rio de Janeiro state, and verified the conservation status of each species in the international, Brazilian, and state red lists. We also estimated the species richness and sampling sufficiency by rarefaction curves and Bootstrap richness estimator, and analyzed the distribution of the species abundance in Whittaker plots. We recorded 3,288 individuals over 36 months, representing 24 species of amphibians and 25 reptiles. The cumulative species curves, rarefaction, and the richness estimated indicated that sampling effort was adequate. Species abundance adjusted to the log-series model in both amphibians and reptiles. The four most abundant amphibians represented 70% of the individuals recorded in this group, while the two most abundant reptiles represented 60% of the total individuals. The inclusion of the secondary data raised the number of amphibian species to 38, and the number of reptiles to 36. Approximately 80% of the amphibian species and 28% of the reptile species recorded are endemic to the Atlantic Forest, and six of the amphibian species are endemic to Rio de Janeiro state. Six amphibian species and one reptile species are classified under some threat of extinction, and two reptile species were exotic. The considerable diversity of the herpetofauna of the Parque Nacional da Tijuca, which includes endemic and threatened species, reflects the effectiveness of the reforestation of this protected area and emphasizes the importance of its conservation.

ABSTRACT Presented is the first information on the ecological and reproductive aspects of the treefrog, Aparasphenodon brunoi Miranda-Ribeiro, 1920, living in ombrophilous forest areas of the Atlantic Rainforest, Brazil. We recorded the species’ daily activity and over the course of a year, population density during the year, microhabitat usage, diet, and some reproductive features (quantity, diameter and mean mass of oocytes, mean reproductive effort of female). Field sampling was conducted monthly from June 2015 to July 2016. Searches for treefrogs were systematic, using visual encounter surveys along 14 plots RAPELD long term research modules established in the forest. For each captured individual, we recorded the hour, microhabitat used, and perch height. The diet of the population was ascertained based on 15 individuals collected outside the study plot areas. Treefrogs used seven different types of microhabitats in the forest but the preferred microhabitats were tree-trunks and lianas. The amount of accumulated rainfall and air temperature interacted to explain the number of A. brunoi individuals active throughout the year. The reproductive strategy for females of this comparatively large arboreal frog in the ombrophilous forest is to produce clutches with a large number (900.8 ± 358.1) of relatively small-sized eggs. We conclude that in the ombrophious forest of the Vale Natural Reserve, A. brunoi is a nocturnal arboreal treefrog active throughout the year but activity increases during the wet season as a result of increased precipitation. In the forest, treefrogs tend to perch mainly on tree-trunks and lianas about 1 m above ground, where it feeds preferably on relatively large bodied arthropod prey. When living in the ombrophilous forest of the Atlantic rainforest, A. brunoi may change some features of its ecology (e.g. marked difference in the use of bromeliads) compared to when living in restinga habitats.

Amblyomma rotundatum Koch é um carrapato partenogenético geralmente associado a répteis e anfíbios. Entretanto existem relativamente poucos estudos sobre a ocorrência de carrapatos em populações silvestres de répteis no Brasil. O objetivo deste estudo foi analisar a presença de carrapatos associados às espécies de répteis em uma comunidade na restinga de Grussaí, município de São João da Barra, Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. Foram amostradas, entre os meses de dezembro de 2010 e janeiro de 2011, 131 indivíduos pertencentes a nove espécies de répteis da ordem Squamata: lagartos Tropidurus torquatus (n = 51); Hemidactylus mabouia (n = 25), Mabuya agilis (n = 30), Mabuya macrorhyncha (n = 6), Cnemidophorus littoralis (n = 5) e Ameiva ameiva (n = 10), e serpentes Philodryas olfersii (n = 2), Oxyrhopus rhombifer (n = 1) e Micrurus corallinus (n = 1). A única espécie de carrapato encontrada associada a espécimes de répteis foi A. rotundatum, tendo sido encontrada uma fêmea adulta em um indivíduo do lagarto A. ameiva, uma ninfa em um T. torquatus e quatro ninfas em uma serpente P. olfersii. O presente estudo constitui o primeiro registro do parasitismo de A. rotundatum nos répteis T. torquatus e P. olfersii como hospedeiros. Nossos resultados sugerem que no habitat da restinga de Grussaí, A. rotundatum pode utilizar diferentes espécies de répteis para a realização do seu ciclo de vida.

Amblyomma rotundatum Koch is a parthenogenetic tick usually associated with reptiles and amphibians. However, relatively few studies on occurrences of ticks in wild reptile populations in Brazil have been produced. The aim of this study was to analyze the presence of ticks associated with reptile species in the Grussaí restinga, in the municipality of São João da Barra, state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Between December 2010 and January 2011, 131 individuals belonging to nine species of reptiles of the order Squamata were sampled: the lizards Tropidurus torquatus (n = 51), Hemidactylus mabouia (n = 25), Mabuya agilis (n = 30), Mabuya macrorhyncha (n = 6), Cnemidophorus littoralis (n = 5) and Ameiva ameiva (n = 10); and the snakes Philodryas olfersii (n = 2), Oxyrhopus rhombifer (n = 1) and Micrurus corallinus (n = 1). The only tick species found to be associated with any of the reptiles sampled was A. rotundatum. One adult female was detected on one individual of the lizard A. ameiva, one nymph on one individual of the lizard T. torquatus and four nymphs on one individual of the snake P. olfersii. This study is the first record of parasitism of A. rotundatum involving the reptiles T. torquatus and P. olfersii as hosts. Our results suggest that in the Grussaí restinga habitat, A. rotundatum may use different species of reptiles to complete its life cycle.

Data on species composition, richness, and density are presented for the leaf litter frog assemblage of an area of Atlantic Rainforest at the Serra dos Órgãos mountain range, in the state of Rio de Janeiro, southeastern Brazil. Three sampling methods were used: plot sampling, visual encounter surveys, and pitfall traps. The local assemblage of leaf litter frogs was composed of 16 species, with the direct-developing species, Euparkerella brasiliensis (Parker, 1926), being the most abundant. The estimated density of the local leaf litter frog assemblage based on plot sampling was 17.1 ind/100 m² and the estimated overall leaf litter frog mass was 684.2 g/ha. The estimated density of leaf litter frogs at the present study is the highest currently reported for Atlantic Rainforest areas, which reinforces the idea of higher densities of leaf litter frogs in the Neotropical Region compared to the Old World tropics.