Composition and natural history of a snake community from the southern Cerrado, southeastern Brazil

Author(s)

Fiorillo, Bruno F. ^{[1, 2]} ; Maciel, Jorge Henry ^[3] ; Martins, Marcio ^[3]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Programa Posgrad Ecol Aplicada, Escola Super Agr Luiz Queiroz, BR-13418900 Piracicaba, SP - Brazil

^[2] RPPN Trapaga, Herp Trips, Rodovia SP-139, Km 80, Zona Rural S-N Abaitinga, Sao Miguel Arcanjo, SP - Brazil

^[3] Univ Sao Paulo, Dept Ecol, Inst Biociencias, BR-05508090 Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: ZOOKEYS; n. 1056, p. 95-147, AUG 19 2021.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

The natural history of a cerrado snake community in a protected area in southeastern Brazil (Santa Barbara Ecological Station; SBES) is described. A visual guide and an identification key are also provided to assist researchers and local people in identifying snakes in that region. Sampling was performed through pitfall traps, time-constrained search, accidental encounters, and observations by local people for two years, which corresponded to 240 days of sampling. Among the 388 individuals found in the field, 33 snake species belonging to 21 genera of seven families were recorded. Most species were restricted or found at least once in non-forest vegetation types (campo sujo, campo cerrado, and cerrado sensu stricto) and a few were restricted to forest habitats (cerradio). Our results show that most species (1) occupy open areas; (2) present both diurnal and nocturnal activity; (3) are primarily terrestrial; (4) include lizards, mammals and/or anurans in the diet; (5) present seasonal reproductive activity; and (6) use mainly visually oriented defensive tactics. Despite its small size (3,154 ha), the SBES harbours preserved habitats and a rich and typical Cerrado snake fauna, including threatened species. Furthermore, most of the SBES snakes occur in non-forest environments (54%) and some species are sensitive to habitat disturbance. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 20/12658-4 - Challenges to the conservation of amphibians and squamate reptiles, with emphasis on the Brazilian fauna: from basic information to conservation actions
• Grantee: Marcio Roberto Costa Martins
• Support Opportunities: BIOTA-FAPESP Program - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 15/21259-8 - Community structure of amphibians, reptiles, and small mammals in the Cerrado: the role of local and regional factors
• Grantee: Marcio Roberto Costa Martins
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants