Taxocenose de serpentes (Squamata) em um fragmento florestal de Mata Atlântica na Zona da Mata Mineira, Minas Gerais, Brasil

Abstract

Given the scarcity of information on snakes species in Atlantic Forest fragments, especially in municipalities of the Zona da Mata Mineira, the present work aimed to study the composition and distribution of species of snakes in a Atlantic Forest fragments in the Fortaleza Sant’Anna farm located between the municipalities of Chácara, Coronel Pacheco and Goianá, Zona da Mata Mineira. For field sampling were combined four sampling methods: pitfall traps with drift fences and funnel traps, casual encounters, carried out by third parties and active limited by time. The study was conducted between February and December 2011 with field visits madeat least once a week during the 11 months worked. Total of 28.475 days/bucket and 59.95 days/funnel. We sampled a total of 69 specimens of snakes, distributed in three families, 12 genera and 13 species. The methods that performed best were collected by third parties and the set of pitfall and funnel traps, followed by casual and active against a limited by time. The only specie sampled by all methods used was Bothropoides jararaca. Three species were sampled by collection exclusively by third parties, other three were sampled only by the pitfall traps with drift fences and funnel traps method and only one specie was sampled by actively limited by time. The most abundant species of snakes in the study were sampled B. jararaca (38%) and Sibynomorphus neuwiedi (20%). Among the species sampled in the area, it is observed that using the terrestrial environments as the main substrate for its activities were the majority (46%), followed by those that use both arboreal and terrestrial environment (31%). The daily activity patterns of the diurnal species were sampled in proportion to those of nocturnal activity (38%). Snakes wich include amphibians in their diet and other food items such as mammals or lizards are the majority with 38% of total species sampled. The presence of S. mikanii, related to a snake more open habitats suggests of that habitat degradation in the region may be favoring local invasion by non-native species. These factors clearly show the real importance of adding information about snakes species of Atlantic Forest’s fragments of wich still exist in Zona da Mata Mineira area, to support actions for the conservation of important areas for the purpose of preserving this important biome.