Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul

About: Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul is a education organization based out in Campo Grande, Brazil. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Species richness. The organization has 6903 authors who have published 9030 publications receiving 78977 citations. The organization is also known as: UFMS & Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul.

Diet of four small mammal species from Atlantic forest patches in South Brazil

Abstract: EnglishIn this study we analyse the diet composition of small mammals of western Parana state, southern Brazil. Species studied were mostly unknown on feeding habits. Animals were sampled during the faunal survey carried out in October 1998 when implementing the Salto Caxias dam. The diet composition, based on gut contents, seems to be mostly opportunistic and generalist for the three marsupials, Micoureus paraguayanus, Caluromys lanatus, and Monodelphis sorex, and for the rodent, Akodon paranaensis, studied. Caeca of the four small mammal species had in general a small quantity of insects when compared with other digestive tract portions. However, when volume consumed was evaluated, Arthropoda was the most important item for three species of them. Inversely, fruits were important for C. lanatus. The estimated amount of plant material (seeds and other plant structures) had a higher importance for C. lanatus, mainly for caecum samples, however these items were also found in the other mammal species samples but in lower proportions. The high proportion of intact seeds on both, digestive tract and caecum, when compared with predated seeds, is noticeable, suggesting that the species are seed dispersal. Monodelphis sorex seems to have a more insectivorous diet, as it is a small cursorial mammal, although there was also evidence for frugivory or carnivory. Akodon paranaensis was insectivorous-omnivorous, although fruits and vertebrate prey were also consumed, indicating also and opportunistic diet. Caluromys lanatus is classifi ed as a more frugivorous species, besides the consumption of vertebrate prey. Insectivorous habit seems to be frequent in neotropical small mammals, with consumption of vertebrates or fruits being only opportunistic. The insectivory (except for C. lanatus) and opportunistic habit appear to dominate among the small mammal species studied. portuguesA composicao da dieta de quatro especies de pequenos mamiferos foi estudada no oeste do Parana, sul do Brasil. Os animais foram amostrados durante o resgate de fauna ocorrido em outubro de 1998, durante a implementacao da usina hidreletrica de Salto Caxias. Os animais foram sacrificados logo apos suas capturas. As analises foram baseadas nos tratos digestorios das especies. As especies Caluromys lanatus, Micoureus paraguayanus, Monodelphis sorex (Marsupialia) e Akodon paranaensis (Rodentia) se mostraram heterogeneas quanto a composicao da dieta, tanto para itens animais quanto vegetais. Os cecos das quatro especies tinham em geral uma menor proporcao de insetos quando comparados as demais partes do trato digestorio. No entanto, quando avaliado o volume consumido de cada item alimentar, os artropodes foram mais importantes na dieta de tres especies de pequenos mamiferos do que frutos. Estes foram mais importantes para C. lanatus. A quantidade estimada de vegetais (sementes e estruturas vegetativas) foi muito mais importante para C. lanatus, principalmente no material retirado do ceco. Ressalta-se ainda a grande proporcao de sementes inteiras tanto no trato digestorio como nos cecos em todas as especies estudadas, em comparacao com a proporcao de sementes predadas, evidenciando estas especies como dispersoras de sementes. Monodelphis sorex parece ter uma dieta mais insetivora, por ser um pequeno mamifero cursorial, contudo ha a evidencia de frugivoria ou carnivoria para a especie. Akodon paranaensis mostrou-se como insetivoro-onivoro, contudo frutos e presas vertebradas tambem foram consumidos, indicando tambem uma dieta oportunista. Caluromys lanatus foi classificado como a especie mais frugivora, embora tenha consumido vertebrados. O habito em geral insetivoro observado e frequente em pequenos mamiferos neotropicais, com o consumo de vertebrados ou frutos de forma oportunista. A insetivoria, exceto para C. lanatus, e habito alimentar oportunista parecem dominar entre os pequenos mamiferos estudados.