RESUMO
A new species of Amphisbaena from the Espinhaço Mountain Range in Bahia State is described based on morphological and molecular data. Amphisbaena caetitensis sp nov. is a small four-pored amphisbaenian with 186-194 body annuli, 10-12 tail annuli, 16 dorsal and 19-22 ventral segments on a midbody annulus and a strikingly distinctive tail tip. The most similar species is A. uroxena, but they can be distinguished by some morphological features besides the genetic divergence of 7.65% on the mitochondrial 16S rRNA.
Assuntos
Lagartos , RNA Ribossômico 16S , Animais , Brasil , MitocôndriasRESUMO
Understanding the biodiversity of an area is the first step for establishing effective interventions for conservation, especially when it comes to herpetofauna, since 4.1% and 9.2%, respectively, of Brazilian amphibians and reptiles are endangered. The aim of this study is to identify the composition of the herpetofauna occurring in the Northwest Amazonian state of Maranhão, with a focus on the Gurupi Biological Reserve and surrounding areas. Samples were collected between May 2012 and October 2013 (18 months), through pitfall traps, time constrained active search, and opportunistic encounters, and these records were supplemented by specimens collected by third parties and by bibliographic records. A total of 131 species were recorded: 31 species of amphibians and 100 species of reptiles (six testudines, 30 lizards, two amphisbaenas, 60 snakes and two alligators), including some species new to the state of Maranhão and the northeast region of Brazil. This inventory contributes to the knowledge of the herpetofauna for the Belém Endemism Center, the most devastated region of the Brazilian Amazon, and considered poorly sampled.