A. V. L. Freitas

Bio: A. V. L. Freitas is an academic researcher. The author has contributed to research in topics: Endangered species & Species richness. The author has an hindex of 1, co-authored 1 publications receiving 26 citations.

Fruit-feeding Butterfly Communities are Influenced by Restoration Age in Tropical Forests

Abstract: Currently, a large-scale restoration project aims to restore around 15 million hectares of Atlantic Forest in Brazil. This will increase forest cover and connectivity among remnant sites as well as restore environmental services. Currently, studies on recovery of fauna in restored areas of the Atlantic Forest are practically nonexistent. To address this knowledge vacuum, our study compares diversity patterns of fruit-feeding butterflies in three forest areas with different restoration ages (11, 22, and 54 years), and uses a native forest area as reference. Results showed butterfly communities in maturing restored areas becoming more similar to the ones found in the native forest, with an increase in the proportional abundance of forest species, and a decrease of edge and grassland species. Moreover, we found a higher diversity among sites at the intermediate restoration age, with a community composed of both grassland and forest species. Butterfly species composition differed significantly among sites, showing interesting patterns of potential species replacement over time. Our results indicate that, although restored sites were located in a fragmented landscape, they provide suitable habitats for recolonization by fruit-feeding butterfly assemblages. Hence, restored areas can be considered important habitat for forest animal species, increasing local biodiversity and, possibly, restoring some of the ecosystem services provided by them.

Seasonal variation in the leaf-litter frog community (Amphibia: Anura) from an Atlantic Forest Area in the Salto Morato Natural Reserve, southern Brazil

Abstract: In this study we provide the first data regarding community parameters of leaf-litter anurans inhabiting a forest floor in the state of Parana, southern Brazil, including information on community species richness, composition, specific density and biomass. Our study was conducted at Salto Morato Natural Reserve using forty plots of 4 x 4 m for each one of the four seasons (winter, spring, summer and autumn), totaling 2.560 m2 of forest floor sampled. We sampled a total of 96 frogs inhabiting the forest floor, belonging to seven species: Brachycephalus hermogenesi (Giaretta & Sawaya, 1998), Ischnocnema guentheri (Steindachner, 1864), Haddadus binotatus (Spix, 1824), Leptodactylus gr. marmoratus, Physalaemus spiniger (Miranda-Ribeiro, 1926), Proceratophrys boiei (Wied-Neuwied, 1824), and Rhinella abei (Baldissera, Caramaschi & Haddad, 2004). The overall frog density in the forest floor was 3.73 ind/100m2, with I. guentheri (1.37 ind/100 m2) being the most common species and R. abei (0.19 ind/100 m2), the rarest. The estimated overall frog mass in the community was 3.29 g. The abundance, richness and density varied consistently among the four seasons sampled, with the highest values occurring in the spring and summer seasons.

Mamíferos não-voadores em áreas com predomínio de Mata Atlântica da Samarco Mineração S.A., município de Anchieta, Espírito Santo

Abstract: Apesar de a Mata Atlântica ter uma alta diversidade de especies com muitas especies endemicas, no estado do Espirito Santo a fauna de mamiferos e ainda muito pouco conhecida. Este artigo teve como objetivo apresentar um inventario preliminar dos mamiferos nao-voadores em remanescentes de Mata Atlântica de propriedade da Samarco Mineracao S.A., municipio de Anchieta, Espirito Santo. Os mamiferos foram capturados em diferentes areas (vegetacao secundaria, exotica e alagado) usando armadilhas colocadas no chao e fixadas em galhos e plataformas suspensas, ou confirmados atraves de evidencias diretas e indiretas durante censos diurnos e noturnos. Um total de 20 especies foi registrado na regiao de estudo, sendo a ordem Didelphimorphia a de maior riqueza de especies. Apesar de este numero ser relativamente alto, varias especies de grande porte parecem ja terem sido extintas nas areas, especialmente aquelas que requerem grandes areas. A conservacao de areas com vegetacao nativa pode estar permitindo o restabelecimento da fauna nas areas da empresa.

Loss of male secondary sexual structures in allopatry in the Neotropical butterfly genus Arcas (Lycaenidae: Theclinae: Eumaeini)

Abstract: Male secondary sexual characters in Lepidoptera may be present or absent in species that otherwise appear to be closely related, an observation that has led to differences of opinion over the taxonomic usefulness of these structures above the species level. An evolutionary issue raised by this debate is whether male secondary sexual characters (1) can be regained after being lost evolutionarily, (2) are not lost after being evolved, or (3) are ‘switched on and off’ by genes that regulate development. A second evolutionary issue is the conditions under which male secondary sexual characters might be lost or gained evolutionarily. Because these structures are thought to promote species recognition, theory predicts evolutionary losses to be most likely in allopatry; evolutionary gains to be most likely during the process of secondarily establishing sympatry or during sympatric speciation. We updated the species-level taxonomy of the brilliant emerald-winged Neotropical lycaenid butterfly genus Arcas and performed an analysis of phylogenetic relations among species to assess these evolutionary issues. We morphologically detail a scent pouch on the ventral hindwing of Arcas and report that six species possess the pouch with androconia, one possesses the pouch without androconia, and the remaining two species have neither pouch nor androconia. In addition, eight Arcas species have a morphologically species-specific male forewing scent pad, and one lacks a scent pad. This variation appears to be the result of three evolutionary losses and no gains of male secondary sexual organs. The four Arcas species lacking a scent pouch or a scent pad are allopatric with their closest phylogenetic relatives while four of five with both of these structures are sympatric. Although Arcas is a small genus, these results are significantly more extreme than predicted by chance. For taxonomy, this study provides a rationale for the evolutionary loss of male secondary sexual structures and suggests that their absence, but itself, does not indicate a lack of relationship above the species level.

Espécies de Chalcididae (Hymenoptera, Insecta) do Estado do Espírito Santo, Brasil

Abstract: Tavares, M.T. & Araujo, B.C. Chalcididae (Hymenoptera, Insecta) species from Espirito Santo State, Brazil. Biota Neotrop. May/Aug 2007 vol. 7, no. 2. http://www.biotaneotropica.org.br/v7n2/pt/abstract?invento ry+bn02207022007. ISSN 1676-0603. A checklist of Chalcididae (Hymenoptera, Insecta) species is presented for the state of Espirito Santo, Brazil. Specimens were collected in 22 localities and belong to 37 species and 11 genera. Only two species and five genera have been previously recorded for the state. Seven species and one genus are recorded for the first time for Brazil and two species are new records for the Neotropical region. The geographic distribution of these species is discussed.