ABSTRACT. An inventory of social wasps in Cerrado biome of the southern of the state of Minas Gerais was performed. A comparison between field and Riparian Forest areas was made in relation to species richness; correlations between diversity, sample methods and environmental factors were conducted. A total of 32 species was registered and Polybia fastidiosuscula de Saussure, 1854 was the most abundant species. The higher richness was in the Cerrado Field, as well as the highest diversity index. The temperature and rainfall had significant correlation with species richness and a significant variation in richness between dry and wet seasons was observed. Polybia fastidiosuscula was more abundant in the Riparian Forest during the dry season and in the Cerrado Field during wet season. The study area showed a great diversity of social wasps, with record both widely distributed species such as rare species, which indicates the quality and potential area for future studies.KEYWORDS. Polistinae, inventory, composition, seasonality.RESUMO. Diversidade de vespas sociais (Hymenoptera, Vespidae) no Cerrado do sul do estado de Minas Gerais, Brasil. Foi realizado um inventário de vespas sociais em área do bioma Cerrado do sul do estado de Minas Gerais. Foram comparadas uma área de campo e uma área de mata ciliar em relação à riqueza de espécies, bem como verificadas as correlações entre diversidade, métodos de amostragem e os fatores ambientais. Um total de 32 espécies foi registrado e Polybia fastidiosuscula de Saussure, 1854 foi a espécie mais abundante. A maior riqueza foi registrada na área de campo, bem como o maior índice de diversidade. A temperatura e pluviosidade apresentaram correlação significativa com a riqueza de espécies e uma variação significativa na riqueza entre as estações seca e úmida foi observada. Polybia fastidiosuscula foi mais abundante na mata ciliar durante a estação seca e na área de campo na estação úmida. A área de estudo apresentou uma grande diversidade de vespas sociais, registrando tanto espécies amplamente distribuídas como espécies raras, o que indica a qualidade e o potencial da área para futuras pesquisas. PALAVRAS-CHAVE.Polistinae, inventário, diversidade, sazonalidad.

The stability of temperature and humidity in caves is well known. However, little is known if higher or lower cave environmental stability (temperature, humidity, light and others) implies changes in the structure of the biological communities. Number, position and size of entrances, then size, depth, host rock and extent of the cave, the amount and type of food resources are all factors that can have strong influence on the cave biological communities. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the correlation between the presence of water bodies, size of entrances and the linear development of caves with the terrestrial invertebrate richness and species composition in 55 limestone caves located in the Brazilian Savannah, sampled from 2000 to 2011. Invertebrates were sampled by active search throughout the caves, prioritizing micro-habitats (sites under rocks) and organic resources (litter, twigs, feces and bat guano). We recorded 1,451 invertebrate species. Species richness was positively correlated with presence of cave streams, width of entrances and linear development of the caves. The richness of troglomorphic species was positively correlated to the presence of perennial pools and linear development of the caves. The presence of cave streams was a decisive factor for determining the community structure, increasing the number and the similarity of troglophile species among the caves. Flood pulses can cause disturbances that eventually select the same species besides importing resources. However, for the terrestrial troglomorphic species the disturbance caused by cave streams may decrease the number of species.

Lopes Ferreira: Jamski nevretenčarji v severozahodnem predelu Minas Gerais, Brazilija: endemizem, ogroženost in vidiki varovanja Kraška področja in jame v Braziliji so zaradi visoke gospodarske vrednosti že desetletja prizadeta. Posledično so, zlasti v zadnjih letih, pritegnila pozornost upravljalcev, okoljskih agencij in raziskovalcev. V pričujoči študiji so zbrani podatki o jamski favni severozahodnega območja Minas Gerais v Braziliji s poudarkom na bogastvu vrst in endemizmu, poleg ugotovljenih vplivov in nevarnosti, ki se pojavljajo v teh okoljih ter jam in drugih ranljivih predelov, za katere predlagamo ukrepe za njihovo ohranitev. Tri jame so bile opredeljene kot prednostne za ohranitev: jama Lagoa Rica v Paracatu in jami Lapa Nova in Lapa da Delza v Vazante. Poleg tega so bile prepoznane tri regije, kjer naj bi se izvajali ukrepi varovanja: Arinos, Paracatu in Cabeceira Grande/Unaí. Največja grožnja na teh območjih, kjer je registriranih 85% jam, je izsekavanje gozdov in sprememba v pašnike za vzgojo govedoreje. Glavna priporočila so zaščita področja, ozaveščanje prebivalstva in biospeleološke raziskave v drugih jamah na proučevanem območju. Vse raziskovane jame so heterogene, z edinstvenimi lastnostmi. Priporočene so raziskave v čim večjem številu jam, kot dodana vrednost pri načrtih za ohranjanje in varovanje jamske favne. Ključne besede: nevretenčarji, jame, varovanje, endemizem. attention of managers, environmental agencies and researchers, especially in recent years. The present study collected information regarding the cave invertebrate fauna of the Northwest region of Minas Gerais, Brazil, such as species richness and endemisms, besides the impacts and threats occurring in these environments, identifying caves and more vulnerable areas and proposing conservation actions. Three caves were identified as a priority for conservation: Lagoa Rica cave in Paracatu, and Lapa Nova and Lapa da Delza caves in Vazante. Another three areas were considered in need of conservation actions: regions of Arinos, Paracatu and Cabeceira Grande/Unaí. The main threat found in the area was the conversion of forests into pastures for cattle breeding, registered in the surroundings of 85% of the caves. The main recommendations were the recuperation of the surroundings, awareness raising of the population and biospeleological inventories in other caves of the area. The studied caves were very heterogeneous, presenting unique characteristics. Thus, the study of the highest possible number of caves of the region of interest is always recommended, to aid in conservation and action plans for cave fauna.

Understanding the factors underpinning species abundance patterns in space and time is essential to implement effective cave conservation actions. Yet, the methods employed to monitor cave biodiversity still lack standardization, and no quantitative assessment has yet tried to optimize the amount and type of information required to efficiently identify disturbances in cave ecosystems. Using a comprehensive monitoring dataset for tropical iron caves, comprising abundance measurements for 33 target taxa surveyed across 95 caves along four years, here we provide the first evidence-based recommendations to optimize monitoring programs seeking to follow target species abundance through time. We found that seasonality did not influence the ability to detect temporal abundance trends. However, in most species, abundance estimates assessed during the dry season resulted in a more accurate detection of temporal abundance trends, and at least three surveys were required to identify global temporal abundance trends. Finally, we identified a subset of species that could potentially serve as short-term disturbance indicators. Results suggest that iron cave monitoring programs implemented in our study region could focus sampling efforts in the dry season, where detectability of target species is higher, while assuring data collection for at least three years. More generally, our study reveals the importance of long-term cave monitoring programs for detecting possible disturbances in subterranean ecosystems, and for using the generated information to optimize future monitoring efforts.

Albinism is a genetic disorder that causes pigmentation anomalies. Even though supposedly rare in free-living mammals, cases of albinism have been reported worldwide, particularly in bats. In this article we present a new case of albinism in a Lionycteris spurrelli Thomas, 1913. The individual, observed in an Amazon region iron ore cave, in Northern Brazil, was a lactating female with a dark-brown pelage pup.