Abstract The identification of anuran amphibians is still a challenge in megadiverse assemblages. In the Neotropics, the Atlantic Forest harbors more than 600 anuran species, and many studies in this ecoregion report anuran assemblages surpassing 30 species. Taxonomic keys facilitate the identification of biological diversity, however only a few are available for anuran assemblages in the Atlantic Forest. Herein we present an identification key for 40 anuran species distributed across 20 genera and nine families, occurring in the Environmental Protection Area of Catolé and Fernão Velho, northeastern Atlantic Forest. Thirty-five morphological characteristics were used in the key, all of which can be easily observed in living and museum specimens. This pioneer study provides the first identification key for an amphibian assemblage in the northeastern Atlantic Forest and this baseline information acts as the starting point for the development of evolutionary and ecological research in this conservation unit.

Resumo: Embora os girinos de anuros sejam amplamente distribuídos e abundantes em habitats aquáticos tropicais, não há chaves taxonômicas suficientes para as espécies da Mata Atlântica. Aqui, desenvolvemos uma chave dicotômica para identificar os girinos de todas as espécies com fase larval conhecida e já registradas nesse bioma, ao norte do rio São Francisco. Nós analisamos características discretas de 1.042 girinos pertencentes a 63 espécies (28 gêneros) de 32 localidades. Esta chave de identificação inclui ilustrações e imagens, sendo um passo significativo para um melhor conhecimento dos girinos da Mata Atlântica.

Abstract: Although anuran tadpoles are widely distributed and abundant in tropical aquatic habitats, there is a lack of taxonomic keys for the Atlantic Forest. Herein, we developed a dichotomous key for identifying the tadpoles for all species with known larval phase and already recorded in the Atlantic Forest north of the São Francisco River. We analyzed discrete characteristics of 1,042 tadpoles encompassing 63 species of 28 genera from 32 localities. The user-friendly key includes illustration and pictures, and it is a significant step towards improving our knowledge of tadpoles of the Atlantic Forest.

The hylid frog genus Phyllodytes comprised 12 species distributed in eastern Brazil and known to strictly inhabit inside bromeliads. In this study, we explore the feeding habits of P. edelmoi and test the prey selectivity of the species by comparing the prey items in the stomachs contents with the availability of preys in bromeliads. Our results show that P. edelmoi consumes high amounts of ants along the year, and therefore it could be considered an "ant specialist" species. This specialist feeding behaviour could be considered a synapomorphy of the genus Phyllodytes.

Hábitos alimenticios de la rana bromélicola Phyllodytes edelmoi Peixoto, Caramaschi & Freire, 2003 (Anura: Hylidae) del Estado de Alagoas, Noreste de Brasil. El género de hílidos Phyllodytes está compuesto por 12 especies distribuidas en el este de Brasil y conocidas por habitar estrictamente bromeliáceas. En este estudio se exploran los hábitos alimenticios de P. edelmoi y se testea la selectividad de las presas por la especie comparando las presas encontradas en los estómagos con la disponibilidad de presas en las bromelias. Nuestros resultados muestran que P. edelmoi consume grandes cantidades de hormigas a lo largo del año, por lo que podría considerarse una especie "especializada en hormigas". Este comportamiento alimenticio especializado podría ser considerado una sinapomorfia para el género Phyllodytes.