ABSTRACT. Anuran richness and composition in remnants of Cerrado of Central Brazil. The biological diversity and ecological processes in Cerrado biome are still poorly understood. Herein we present information about anuran species of the municipality of Barro Alto, state of Goiás (Central Brazil). Five water bodies were sampled between the years 2007 and 2010 (October-March), three of them associated with forested area and two with open areas. We recorded 39 anuran species, characterized as open habitat specialists, forest habitat specialists and generalists. The rarefaction curve shows an asymptote formation, which demonstrates adequate effort and sampling techniques to assess the species richness of the region. Species richness was influenced by air humidity and temperature, since most of the species reproduce in the rainy season. We found significant differences in species composition between breeding sites in open and forested areas. The anurofauna in Cerrado seems to be formed from habitat's horizontal heterogeneity in space. Thus, contrasting habitats in space are important for maintaining the anuran richness, and therefore relevant in conservation terms.KEYWORDS. Amphibia, Anura, assemblage, spatial distribution. RESUMO.A diversidade biológica e os processos ecológicos do bioma Cerrado ainda são pouco conhecidos. Neste estudo são apresentadas informações acerca da estrutura da anurofauna do município de Barro Alto, estado de Goiás (Brasil Central). Cinco corpos d'água foram amostrados entre os anos de 2007 a 2010 (outubro-março), três deles associados à área florestal e dois associados à área aberta. Registraram-se 39 espécies de anuros, caracterizados como especialistas de hábitat aberto, florestal ou generalistas. A curva de acumulação de espécies apresentou a formação de uma assíntota, evidenciando que as técnicas e esforço de amostragens foram adequados para se estimar a riqueza de espécies de anuros na região. A riqueza foi influenciada pela umidade e temperatura, já que a maioria das espécies se reproduz na estação quente e chuvosa. Diferenças significativas na composição de espécies entre os sítios reprodutivos de áreas florestais e abertas foram registradas. A fauna de anuros no Cerrado parece ser constituída a partir da heterogeneidade horizontal dos hábitats no espaço. Assim, hábitats contrastantes no espaço são importantes para a manutenção da riqueza da anurofauna, e portanto, relevantes em termos conservacionistas.

No abstract

Impacto dos atropelamentos sobre a herpetofauna da Floresta Atlântica (PR-340, Antonina, Paraná)     & Vinalto Graf

A new species of the Scinax ruber clade from the Brazilian Cerrado Domain similar to Scinax fuscomarginatus, S. parkeri, S. trilineatus and S. wandae is described. It is characterized by small snout-vent lenght, body slender, head approximately as long as wide and slightly wider than body, subovoid snout in dorsal view, protruding snout in lateral view, a developed supratympanic fold, absence of flash colour on the posterior surfaces of thighs, hidden portions of shanks and groin, and large vocal sac. Scinax lutzorum sp. nov. differs from S. fuscomarginatus, S. parkeri and S. trilineatus by its slightly larger SVL; from Scinax fuscomarginatus and S. parkeri it differs by its more slender body; from Scinax fuscomarginatus and S. trilineatus the new species differs by its wider head and more protruding eyes; and it differs from Scinax parkeri and S. wandae by its shorter snout. Comments on the type specimens of S. fuscomarginatus are presented and a lectotype is designated for this species.

The cranium, postcranium, and osteological variation of Physalaemus nattereri (Steindachner) are described. The main sources of variation involve the degree of mineralization of the nasal capsule and the lengths of dermal skull bones (e.g., vomer, sphenethmoid, and neopalatine). Osteologically, P. nattereri differs from its congeners by the anterior placement of the jaw articulation (which lies anterior to the intersection between the alae and cultriform process of parasphenoid), and by the separation of the frontoparietals from the anterior margins of exoccipitals. Descriptions of the nasal capsule, the auditory apparatus, and the iliosacral articulation are presented for the first time for this species. One putative morphological synapomorphy is presented for the P. signifer Clade.