Taxonomic and functional composition of arthropod assemblages across contrasting Amazonian forests.

Arthropods represent most of global biodiversity, with the highest diversity found in tropical rain forests. Nevertheless, we have a very incomplete understanding of how tropical arthropod communities are assembled. We conducted a comprehensive mass sampling of arthropod communities within three major habitat types of lowland Amazonian rain forest, including terra firme clay, white-sand and seasonally flooded forests in Peru and French Guiana. We examined how taxonomic and functional composition (at the family level) differed across these habitat types in the two regions. The overall arthropod community composition exhibited strong turnover among habitats and between regions. In particular, seasonally flooded forest habitats of both regions comprised unique assemblages. Overall, 17·7% (26 of 147) of arthropod families showed significant preferences for a particular habitat type. We present a first reproducible arthropod functional classification among the 147 taxa based on similarity among 21 functional traits describing feeding source, major mouthparts and microhabitats inhabited by each taxon. We identified seven distinct functional groups whose relative abundance contrasted strongly across the three habitats, with sap and leaf feeders showing higher abundances in terra firme clay forest. Our novel arthropod functional classification provides an important complement to link these contrasting patterns of composition to differences in forest functioning across geographical and environmental gradients. This study underlines that both environment and biogeographical processes are responsible for driving arthropod taxonomic composition while environmental filtering is the main driver of the variance in functional composition.

Diet and helminths of Enyalius brasiliensis (Lacertilia, Iguania, Leiosauridae) in an Atlantic Rainforest remnant in southeastern Brazil / Dieta e helmintos de Enyalius brasiliensis (Lacertilia, Iguania, Leiosauridae) em um remanescente de Mata Atlântica do sudeste do Brasil

Our study aimed to add information about the diet and endoparasites of Enyalius brasiliensis from an Atlantic Rainforest remnant in the state of Rio de Janeiro, southeastern Brazil. Regarding diet, E. brasiliensis consumed arthropods, with caterpillars and beetles being the most important preys. Regarding helminth parasites, overall prevalence was low (9.5%), with 238 nematodes of the genus Physaloptera found in the stomach of one specimen and one nematode of the genus Rhabdias inside the lung of another. Our results corroborate the observations of previous studies that indicate that lizards of the genus Enyalius tend to feed mainly on relatively large-bodied arthropods and to harbour depauperate endoparasite fauna.

Nosso estudo teve como objetivo adicionar informações sobre a dieta e endoparasitas de Enyalius brasiliensis em um remanescente de Mata Atlântica do estado do Rio de Janeiro, sudeste do Brasil. Em relação à dieta, E. brasiliensis consumiu artrópodes, sendo que lagartas e besouros foram as presas mais importantes. Em relação ao parasitismo por helmintos, a prevalência foi baixa (9,5%), com 238 nematóides do gênero Physaloptera encontrados no estômago de um espécime, e um nematóide do gênero Rhabdias infectando o pulmão de outro. Nossos resultados corroboraram as observações de estudos anteriores que indicaram que lagartos do gênero Enyalius tendem a se alimentar principalmente de artrópodos de grande porte e abrigar uma fauna depauperada de endoparasitas.

Diet and helminths of Enyalius brasiliensis (Lacertilia, Iguania, Leiosauridae) in an Atlantic Rainforest remnant in southeastern Brazil / Dieta e helmintos de Enyalius brasiliensis (Lacertilia, Iguania, Leiosauridae) em um remanescente de Mata Atlântica do sudeste do Brasil

Our study aimed to add information about the diet and endoparasites of Enyalius brasiliensis from an Atlantic Rainforest remnant in the state of Rio de Janeiro, southeastern Brazil. Regarding diet, E. brasiliensis consumed arthropods, with caterpillars and beetles being the most important preys. Regarding helminth parasites, overall prevalence was low (9.5%), with 238 nematodes of the genus Physaloptera found in the stomach of one specimen and one nematode of the genus Rhabdias inside the lung of another. Our results corroborate the observations of previous studies that indicate that lizards of the genus Enyalius tend to feed mainly on relatively large-bodied arthropods and to harbour depauperate endoparasite fauna.(AU)

Nosso estudo teve como objetivo adicionar informações sobre a dieta e endoparasitas de Enyalius brasiliensis em um remanescente de Mata Atlântica do estado do Rio de Janeiro, sudeste do Brasil. Em relação à dieta, E. brasiliensis consumiu artrópodes, sendo que lagartas e besouros foram as presas mais importantes. Em relação ao parasitismo por helmintos, a prevalência foi baixa (9,5%), com 238 nematóides do gênero Physaloptera encontrados no estômago de um espécime, e um nematóide do gênero Rhabdias infectando o pulmão de outro. Nossos resultados corroboraram as observações de estudos anteriores que indicaram que lagartos do gênero Enyalius tendem a se alimentar principalmente de artrópodos de grande porte e abrigar uma fauna depauperada de endoparasitas.(AU)