Diversity of nonvolant mammals in a Caatinga area in northeastern Brazil

Abstract

© 2017, Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos. All Rights Reserved. The Caatinga is an exclusively Brazilian biome that covers approximately 11% of the country and is currently vulnerable to a series of impacts. Its biodiversity is relatively poorly-known, and few data are available on most groups of fauna, hampering the reliable identification of priority areas for conservation. The present study describes the species composition and diversity of the nonvolant mammal community from the Serra das Almas Nature Reserve, an advanced outpost of the Caatinga Biosphere Reserve. Data on small mammals (rodents and marsupials) were collected using live traps. Data on medium – and large – bodied mammals were obtained through observations in the field, photographic records, specimens donated by local residents, and indirect evidences. In addition, camera traps were installed along trails and near water bodies. The analysis of 520 individual records yielded a list containing 29 species of nonvolant mammals. Estimated species richness for the study area was 21±8. The species richness recorded in the SANR represents from one-third to one-half of the nonvolant mammals found in the Caatinga, based on the most recent estimates.