Alex Bager

O banco de dados reúne informações de anomalias no número de escudos e na ausência de membros de Trachemys dorbigni em diferentes áreas geográficas da sua distribuição no sul do Rio Grande do Sul (Arroio Grande, ESEC Taim, Pelotas e Rio Grande). Os dados foram coletados entre os anos de 1993 a 2006 e reúnem dados de 3.876 indivíduos distintos e um total de 4.740 registros, quando consideradas recapturas. Os dados são segmentados por sexo, estágio de vida e áreas geográficas e integram outras variáveis como tamanho, peso e método de captura. A avaliação de anomalias considerou diferentes grupos de escudos: marginais, costais, vertebrais, nucal, supracaudal e plastrão. Excluindo os registros de recaptura, o número de animais se distribui em 2.490 fêmeas, 1.264 filhotes, 111 machos, 4 juvenis e 7 indeterminados. Os dados mostram existir uma variação entre a supressão de até 3 escudos e a adição de até 6, com predominância de ocorrência entre os marginais e vertebrais. A prevalência das anomalias dos escudos variaram de 0,15, em Arroio Grande, a 0,21, em Rio Grande.

Camera traps became the main observational method of a myriad of species over large areas. Data sets from camera traps can be used to describe the patterns and monitor the occupancy, abundance, and richness of wildlife, essential information for conservation in times of rapid climate and land‐cover changes. Habitat loss and poaching are responsible for historical population losses of mammals in the Atlantic Forest biodiversity hotspot, especially for medium to large‐sized species. Here we present a data set from camera trap surveys of medium to large‐sized native mammals (>1 kg) across the Atlantic Forest. We compiled data from 5380 ground‐level camera trap deployments in 3046 locations, from 2004 to 2020, resulting in 43,068 records of 58 species. These data add to existing data sets of mammals in the Atlantic Forest by including dates of camera operation needed for analyses dealing with imperfect detection. We also included, when available, information on important predictors of detection, namely the camera brand and model, use of bait, and obstruction of camera viewshed that can be measured from example pictures at each camera location. Besides its application in studies on the patterns and mechanisms behind occupancy, relative abundance, richness, and detection, the data set presented here can be used to study species' daily activity patterns, activity levels, and spatiotemporal interactions between species. Moreover, data can be used combined with other data sources in the multiple and expanding uses of integrated population modeling. An R script is available to view summaries of the data set. We expect that this data set will be used to advance the knowledge of mammal assemblages and to inform evidence‐based solutions for the conservation of the Atlantic Forest. The data are not copyright restricted; please cite this paper when using the data.

The Amazon forest has the highest biodiversity on Earth. However, information on Amazonian vertebrate diversity is still deficient and scattered across the published, peer‐reviewed, and gray literature and in unpublished raw data. Camera traps are an effective non‐invasive method of surveying vertebrates, applicable to different scales of time and space. In this study, we organized and standardized camera trap records from different Amazon regions to compile the most extensive data set of inventories of mammal, bird, and reptile species ever assembled for the area. The complete data set comprises 154,123 records of 317 species (185 birds, 119 mammals, and 13 reptiles) gathered from surveys from the Amazonian portion of eight countries (Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela). The most frequently recorded species per taxa were: mammals: Cuniculus paca (11,907 records); birds: Pauxi tuberosa (3713 records); and reptiles: Tupinambis teguixin (716 records). The information detailed in this data paper opens up opportunities for new ecological studies at different spatial and temporal scales, allowing for a more accurate evaluation of the effects of habitat loss, fragmentation, climate change, and other human‐mediated defaunation processes in one of the most important and threatened tropical environments in the world. The data set is not copyright restricted; please cite this data paper when using its data in publications and we also request that researchers and educators inform us of how they are using these data.

O atropelamento de fauna silvestre em estradas é responsável pela perda direta de milhões de indivíduos anualmente no Brasil, sendo importante acessar, compreender e mitigar seus impactos. Apresentamos um diagnóstico sobre o atropelamento de mamíferos na bacia hidrográfica do alto Paraguai (BAP), com o objetivo de acessar o atual estado de conhecimento, identificar lacunas e propor medidas de conservação e mitigação. Os dados foram coletados através de uma revisão sistemática da literatura científica, posteriormente caracterizados de acordo com tipo de estudo, localidade na BAP, riqueza e status de conservação de espécies e taxas de atropelamento. Identificamos 15 estudos que realizaram monitoramentos sistemáticos de atropelamento, a maioria em estradas do Mato Grosso do Sul. Entre eles, 93% dos monitoramentos foram realizados por carro, com uma duração média de 14 meses. Compilamos 5.241 indivíduos atropelados, distribuídos em dez ordens e 47 espécies, sendo a ordem Carnivora a mais representativa. Doze espécies apresentaram o status de ameaçada de extinção em nível nacional; destas, o tamanduá-bandeira (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) possui as maiores médias de taxas de atropelamento. Nosso diagnóstico se mostrou importante para identificar espécies vulneráveis aos efeitos dos atropelamentos, nortear novas pesquisas e auxiliar nas estratégias em políticas públicas e mitigação de impactos.

O banco de dados inclui dados derivados de levantamentos de armadilhas fotográficas de mamíferos de médio e grande porte, realizados na Estação Ecológica de Taim, uma unidade de conservação federal no sul do Brasil. Todas as informações foram registradas entre março de 2002 e maio de 2003 como parte do projeto Estrada Viva, que avaliou os efeitos da estrada sobre a biodiversidade nesta área protegida. Foram instaladas armadilhas fotográficas em quatro áreas com diferentes graus de impactos antrópicos (próximo e distante da rodovia) e tipo de vegetação (campo e floresta). Foram identificadas 13 espécies de mamíferos de médio e grande porte; 11 nativas, uma exótica e outra doméstica. As espécies foram: Capivara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris; n = 481), Cachorro-do-campo (Lycalopex gymnocercus; n = 68), Cachorro-do-mato (Cerdocyon thous; n = 51), Ratão-do-banhado (Myocastor coypus; n = 29), Tatu-galinha (Dasypus novemcinctus; n = 24), Mão-pelada (Procyon crancrivorus; n = 7), Zorrilho (Conepatus chinga; n = 6), Lebre (Lepus capensis; n = 5); Lontra (Lontra longicaudis; n = 4); Gato-do-mato-grande (Leopardus geoffroyi; n = 4); Gambá-de-orelhas-brancas (Didelphis albiventris; n = 3); Gato doméstico (Felis catus; n = 2); Tatu-peludo (Euphractus sexcinctus; n = 2). Os dados permitem avaliar os efeitos da paisagem e da presença de estradas na composição da comunidade faunística da região.

The negative effects of roads on wildlife populations are a growing concern. Movement corridors and road-kill data are typically used to prioritize road segments for mitigation measures. Some research suggests that locations where animals move across roads following corridors coincide with locations where they are often killed by vehicles. Other research indicates that corridors and road-kill rarely occur in the same locations. We compared movement corridor and road mortality models as means of prioritizing road segments for mitigation for five species of felids in Brazil: tiger cats (Leopardus tigrinus and Leopardus guttulus were analyzed together), ocelot (Leopardus pardalis), jaguarundi (Herpailurus yagouaroundi), and puma (Puma concolor). We used occurrence data for each species and applied circuit theory to identify potential movement corridors crossed by roads. We used road-kill records for each species and applied maximum entropy to determine where mortality was most likely to occur on roads. Our findings suggest that movement corridors and high road mortality are not spatially associated. We suggest that differences in the behavioral state of the individuals in the species occurrence and road-kill data may explain these results. We recommend that the road segments for which the results from the two methods agree (~5300 km for all studied species combined at 95th percentile) should be high-priority candidates for mitigation together with road segments identified by at least one method in areas where felids occur in low population densities or are threatened by isolation effects.

Mammalian carnivores are considered a key group in maintaining ecological health and can indicate potential ecological integrity in landscapes where they occur. Carnivores also hold high conservation value and their habitat requirements can guide management and conservation plans. The order Carnivora has 84 species from 8 families in the Neotropical region: Canidae; Felidae; Mephitidae; Mustelidae; Otariidae; Phocidae; Procyonidae; and Ursidae. Herein, we include published and unpublished data on native terrestrial Neotropical carnivores (Canidae; Felidae; Mephitidae; Mustelidae; Procyonidae; and Ursidae). NEOTROPICAL CARNIVORES is a publicly available data set that includes 99,605 data entries from 35,511 unique georeferenced coordinates. Detection/non‐detection and quantitative data were obtained from 1818 to 2018 by researchers, governmental agencies, non‐governmental organizations, and private consultants. Data were collected using several methods including camera trapping, museum collections, roadkill, line transect, and opportunistic records. Literature (peer‐reviewed and grey literature) from Portuguese, Spanish and English were incorporated in this compilation. Most of the data set consists of detection data entries (n = 79,343; 79.7%) but also includes non‐detection data (n = 20,262; 20.3%). Of those, 43.3% also include count data (n = 43,151). The information available in NEOTROPICAL CARNIVORES will contribute to macroecological, ecological, and conservation questions in multiple spatio‐temporal perspectives. As carnivores play key roles in trophic interactions, a better understanding of their distribution and habitat requirements are essential to establish conservation management plans and safeguard the future ecological health of Neotropical ecosystems. Our data paper, combined with other large‐scale data sets, has great potential to clarify species distribution and related ecological processes within the Neotropics. There are no copyright restrictions and no restriction for using data from this data paper, as long as the data paper is cited as the source of the information used. We also request that users inform us of how they intend to use the data.

Body size has a strong influence on the ecology and evolution of organisms’ life history. Turtle species can exhibit variation in body size and shape between populations of conspecifics through usually broad geographical scales. This prediction is timely to be tested in this study with the species Hydromedusa tectifera. We aimed to evaluate the variation in body size between and sexual dimorphism within populations of H. tectifera in two areas in Brazil. Sampling occurred in Minas Gerais and Rio Grande do Sul states in order to obtain morphometric measures of carapace and plastron of the individuals. We observed sexual dimorphism within populations. In Rio Grande do Sul state, females were larger than males in most of the carapace and plastron measures. In Minas Gerais state, males were larger than females regarding maximum carapace width. Overall, individuals from Rio Grande do Sul state were larger than those from Minas Gerais state. We discuss possible factors that might cause variation in morphology within and between populations of conspecifics. Research on morphology is encouraged to facilitate comparisons among populations in geographically broad areas.

Xenarthrans—anteaters, sloths, and armadillos—have essential functions for ecosystem maintenance, such as insect control and nutrient cycling, playing key roles as ecosystem engineers. Because of habitat loss and fragmentation, hunting pressure, and conflicts with domestic dogs, these species have been threatened locally, regionally, or even across their full distribution ranges. The Neotropics harbor 21 species of armadillos, 10 anteaters, and 6 sloths. Our data set includes the families Chlamyphoridae (13), Dasypodidae (7), Myrmecophagidae (3), Bradypodidae (4), and Megalonychidae (2). We have no occurrence data on Dasypus pilosus (Dasypodidae). Regarding Cyclopedidae, until recently, only one species was recognized, but new genetic studies have revealed that the group is represented by seven species. In this data paper, we compiled a total of 42,528 records of 31 species, represented by occurrence and quantitative data, totaling 24,847 unique georeferenced records. The geographic range is from the southern United States, Mexico, and Caribbean countries at the northern portion of the Neotropics, to the austral distribution in Argentina, Paraguay, Chile, and Uruguay. Regarding anteaters, Myrmecophaga tridactyla has the most records (n = 5,941), and Cyclopes sp. have the fewest (n = 240). The armadillo species with the most data is Dasypus novemcinctus (n = 11,588), and the fewest data are recorded for Calyptophractus retusus (n = 33). With regard to sloth species, Bradypus variegatus has the most records (n = 962), and Bradypus pygmaeus has the fewest (n = 12). Our main objective with Neotropical Xenarthrans is to make occurrence and quantitative data available to facilitate more ecological research, particularly if we integrate the xenarthran data with other data sets of Neotropical Series that will become available very soon (i.e., Neotropical Carnivores, Neotropical Invasive Mammals, and Neotropical Hunters and Dogs). Therefore, studies on trophic cascades, hunting pressure, habitat loss, fragmentation effects, species invasion, and climate change effects will be possible with the Neotropical Xenarthrans data set. Please cite this data paper when using its data in publications. We also request that researchers and teachers inform us of how they are using these data.