The effect of urbanization on species composition and trophic guilds of bats (Mammalia, Chiroptera) in the Brazilian Savanna.

Urban environments present less environmental heterogeneity in relation to the natural ones, affecting the biodiversity of bats and the ecological processes in which they participate. In this way, we will identify how urbanization influences the structure of bat communities in the municipality of Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil. We compared species composition, guilds and bat richness in a gradient that crossed urban, semi-urban and natural areas in the municipality of Goiânia, contained in the Cerrado biome. We captured a total of 775 bats of 16 species distributed in three families. Urban areas had a higher species abundance, while semi-urban areas had a higher species richness. The three types of environments have different compositions, the urban one being more homogeneous, the fauna in these areas is composed of generalist species, which benefit from this process. The diversity present in semi-urban areas is a consequence of the intersection between urban and natural fauna, which is why urban expansion needs to occur in a planned manner to minimize the impacts of this process and ensure the maintenance of biodiversity.

Detecting genomic damages in the frog Dendropsophus minutus: preserved versus perturbed areas.

The aim of the study was to use the comet assay (single-cell gel electrophoresis) and micronucleus test to assess the extent of genomic damage in the whole blood of Dendropsophus minutus from agroecosystems with great use of agrochemicals and to compare the results to those obtained from animals living in unpolluted areas. Our results indicated that specimens of D. minutus collected in perturbed areas exhibited higher amounts of DNA damage in blood cells in comparison to animals from areas free of agricultural activities. The average and standard deviation of all comet assay parameters (tail length, percentage of DNA in the tail, and olive tail moment) and micronuclei frequency were significantly higher in specimens collected in perturbed areas than in the animals from preserved areas. Our study showed that animals from perturbed areas, such as agroecosystems, tend to have higher amounts of DNA damage than animals from reference areas. Moreover, we can conclude that D. minutus tadpoles could be included as a model organism in biomonitoring studies.

Bat community species richness and composition in a restinga protected area in Southeastern Brazil.

In Brazil, restingas are under severe human-induced impacts resulting in habitat degradation and loss and remain one of the less frequently studied ecosystems. The main objectives of the present study are to describe the bat community in a restinga in Paulo Cesar Vinha State Park, Guarapari municipality, state of Espírito Santo, southeastern Brazil. Fieldwork was conducted twice a month from August 2004 to September 2005. A total sampling effort of 40,300 m(2)/h, represents the largest sampling effort for sampling bats in restingas to date. Bats were sampled in five different vegetational types in the area. Captured bats were processed recording information on species, sex, age, forearm length and weight. Shannon Diversity and Jaccard indexes were used to analyse diversity and similarity among habitats in the Park. A total of 554 captures belonging to 14 species and two families were obtained. Noctilio leporinus was recorded through direct observation and an ultra-sound detector also registered the presence of individuals from the family Molossidae, without being possible to distinguish it at specific level. Frugivores were the most representative guild. Richness was higher in Clusia shrubs (11 species) and Caraís lagoon (10 species). Shannon diversity index was estimated at H' = 1.43 for the overall sample, with Caraís lagoon representing the most diverse habitat (H' = 1.60). The greater similarity (J = 0.714) was observed for the two areas under high human influence.

Achados clínicos e anatomopatológicos em um surto de mixomatose no Rio de Janeiro (relato de caso) / Clinical and anatomopatological findings in a mixomatosis outbreak in Rio de Janeiro (case report)

Relata-se, um surto de Mixomatose atingindo um criatório de coelhos (Oryctolagus cuniculus) no município de Maricá, RJ – Brasil, no ano de 2002, onde foram examinados e necropsiados seis animais. Clinicamente foram observados edema de face, orelhas, pálpebras e genitália externa; blefaro-conjuntivite purulenta, além de deformação naso-labial e presença de nódulos cutâneos principalmente no pavilhão auricular. À necropsia observou-se, além das alterações já encontradas no exame clínico, aumento dos linfonodos retrofaríngeos e submandibulares em dois animais e alterações pneumônicas e esplenomegalia em outros dois. Microscopicamente foram observadas alterações epididérmicas e, na derme, aspecto mixomatoso. Ainda foram observadas pneumonia intersticial com edema, e degeneração testicular.