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Em 1930, Rachel de Queiroz publica a obra O Quinze e descortina uma personagem que rompe com os padrões da mulher sertaneja. Nesse contexto, esta pesquisa tem como objetivo investigar, sob o método da Análise do Discurso de Linha Francesa, da Ecocrítica e do Ecofeminismo, a abordagem feminista e a decolonialidade que estão presentes nos discursos da personagem Conceição em analogia com discursos coloniais, proferidos por outras personagens femininas da trama. Sendo assim, a ideologia dos discursos da personagem Conceição perpassa a representação da luta da mulher pelo seu espaço na sociedade, norteada pelo respeito à autonomia feminina. Por conseguinte, a Ecocrítica caracteriza-se como uma esfera interdisciplinar que se lança ao desvelamento das relações entre a mulher e o ambiente sociocultural em que vive. In 1930, Rachel de Queiroz publishes the work O Quinze and unveils a character who breaks with the patterns of the woman from sertão. In this context, this research aims to investigate, under the method of Discourse Analysis of the French Line, of the Ecocriticism and of the Ecofeminism, the feminist approach and decoloniality that are present in the discourses of the character Conceição in analogy with colonial speeches, given by other female characters in the plot. Thus, the ideology of the speeches of the character Conceição permeates the representation of women’s struggle for their space in society, guided by respect for female autonomy. Consequently, Ecocritique is characterized as an interdisciplinary sphere that launches itself into unveiling the relationships between women and the sociocultural environment in which they live. En 1930, Rachel de Queiroz publica la obra O Quinze y desvela un personaje que rompe con los patrones de la mujer de sertão. En este contexto, esta investigación tiene como objetivo indagar, bajo el método de Análisis del Discurso de la Línea Francesa, la Ecocrítica y el Ecofeminismo, el enfoque feminista y la descolonialidad que están presentes en los discursos de la personaje Conceição en analogía con los discursos coloniales, pronunciados por demás personajes femeninos de la trama. Así, la ideología de los discursos del personaje Conceição impregna la representación de la lucha de las mujeres por su espacio en la sociedad, guiada por el respeto a la autonomía femenina. Por tanto, Ecocritique se caracteriza por ser un ámbito interdisciplinario que se lanza a desvelar las relaciones entre las mujeres y el entorno sociocultural en el que viven.

We describe a new species of the Dendropsophus decipiens Group, morphologically most resembling D . haddadi but genetically more closely related to D . oliveirai and likely endemic from the Atlantic Forest biome, northeastern Brazil. The new species can be distinguished from all species of the D . decipiens Group based on the combination of morphological features, advertisement call and phylogenetic position based on mitochondrial DNA gene sequences. The new species emits simple calls in series of 3–9 notes, each with 9–29 pulses, and dominant frequency varying from 5578–6422 Hz, and exhibit a minimum of 8% genetic distance ( 16S mitochondrial gene) in comparison to its congeners. The new taxa represent the sixth species of the D . decipiens Group, which likely harbors more undescribed taxa, corroborating the view that Neotropical species richness is fairly underestimated.

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.

Phytotelmata are habitats that house several species. Oftentimes invertebrate species need to disperse themselves sometimes carried by other animals, an interaction called phoresy. Phoresy can be influenced by different factors, therefore, we aim to investigate which factors influence the phoretic potential between anurans and invertebrates from bromeliads in semideciduous Atlantic Forest, as well as whether there is specificity of invertebrates with any anuran species. We tested if (a) phoresy is more common under conditions with higher rainfall; (b) there are some species of anurans that influence the phoresy of invertebrates more than others; (c) size is an important factor to phoresy. The study was developed during six campaigns in two sites containing the bromeliad Aechmea leptantha. In each campaign, water of bromeliads was collected and all anurans found in bromeliads were processed by washing the skin to collect adhered invertebrates. We recorded the prevalence, average intensity and average abundance of invertebrates between anuran species. We verified the similarity of invertebrates between anuran taxa and we tested the hypothesis of independence between them. In order to identify which factors affect phoresy, we performed a GAMLSS analysis. Invertebrates were present on 54.4% of anurans distributed in five species: Dendropsophus decipiens, Scinax pachycrus, S. x-signatus, S. auratus and Pristimantis ramagii. The estimated densities for prevalence, average intensity and average abundance of invertebrates showed distinct shapes among the anuran species, of which not all participate in the same way in invertebrate transport. The mean phoretic potential showed a significant relationship with anuran length and rainfall.

Species in the Adelophryne genus consist of diminutive, agile, and secretive frogs that inhabit forest leaf litter and have direct development. Species richness within Adelophryne was previously underestimated, and several new species have recently been described. Here, we describe a new species of Adelophryne from the Atlantic Forest in the Brazilian states of Alagoas, Pernambuco, and Paraíba. The new species is characterized by its small body size, small and distinct tympanum, toes with subarticular tubercles, fingers mucronate, three phalanges in the Finger IV, and an advertisement call composed of one single pulsed note with a high dominant frequency. The new species is phylogenetically related to other Adelophryne species of the Northern Atlantic Forest Clade and is endemic to the “Pernambuco Endemism Center” in the Atlantic Forest biodiversity hotspot.

Habitat structure plays a major role in the distribution of species in a given area. Edge-core gradients may be useful for examining the effects of habitat modifications, as they represent changes in habitat structure at a small spatial scale. Here, we analyzed how scorpion assemblages were affected by variations in habitat structure along an edge-core gradient in a Brazilian Atlantic forest fragment. Scorpions were collected during 20 months (May 2007 – December 2008) in 112 pitfall traps, arranged from the fragment edge to 500 m inside the forest interior. All pitfall traps were checked in each two days with all scorpions found being collected. We also measured eight environmental variables along the edge-core gradient: canopy cover, leaf litter depth, diameter at breast height (DBH), plus the densities of fallen logs, stones, trees, shrubs, and bromeliads. We collected a total of 767 scorpions, all within the Buthidae family, and five species were identified (Ananteris mauryi, Tityus brazilae, T. neglectus, T. pusillus, and T. stigmurus). The abundance of these arachnids was positively influenced by habitat structure, with more individuals occurring in areas with trees having higher DBH values. However, species richness and composition were not affected by any of the environmental variables. Our results suggest that, at small spatial scales, scorpion assemblage (i.e. abundance) is sensitive to changes in habitat structure. Here, we have highlighted the importance of habitat structure for the maintenance of scorpion assemblages in their habitats.

This study aimed to evaluate metal exposure through the concentration of essential and toxic micro-minerals in biological samples of Phrynops geoffroanus from an anthropized river. The work was carried out in four areas with different flow characteristics and uses of the river, where individuals of both sexes were captured during the dry and rainy seasons. The elements Al, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, and Zn were quantified in samples of serum (168), muscle (62), liver (61), and kidney (61) by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. The concentration of the elements varied according to the sample type, being higher in the liver and the kidney. In the serum, many elements were below the limit of quantification, but it was possible to determine Al, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, and Zn. The liver showed high levels of Cu, Fe, Pb, and Zn, and muscle for Fe, Ni, Pb, and Zn, with most of the elements accumulated in the kidney (Al, Cd, Co, Cr, Mn, Mo, and Ni) relative to other tissues. There was no significant difference between the sexes in the accumulation of elements. Between seasons, Cu was higher in serum and Mn in muscle and liver in the dry period, while in the kidney, almost all the elements were higher in the rainy period. The concentrations of the elements in the samples indicated a high degree of environmental contamination, representing risk in the use of the river and consumption of food from local fisheries.

Tadpoles are found in diverse aquatic habitats, where they share resources in various dimensions. Tadpole assemblages were studied in two temporary ponds in Atlantic Rainforest. Our aim was to analyze the temporal and spatial distribution patterns and their correlation with abiotic factors. Tadpoles were sampled weekly using nets, from March to December 2008. Samples were collected during the day and at night, and taken near the shore and in the centre of the ponds. Samples in inshore and pond centres were taken from both areas with and without aquatic vegetation. The assemblage consisted of 15 species in pond A and 12 species in pond B. The majority of species was accidental, and used the pond continuously. The assemblage was predominantly diurnal, which may be related to greater activity rate. In pond A the tadpoles primarily used the centre of ponds, whereas in pond B tadpoles primarily used shore areas. However, some populations showed preferences for particular environments. In pond A, environmental heterogeneity in the centre had the greatest influence on tadpole abundance. Our data suggest that temporal distribution facilitated the coexistence of different species of tadpoles in the pond but this conclusion is tentative and requires verification. Hence, more data needs to be collected so that we can propose effective area management plans.

Emerging infectious diseases have contributed to the decline in amphibian species around the world. Among them, ranavirus infections have major importance, as they significantly impact biodiversity and frog rearing. This study aims to conduct an integrative review of the recent literature, including epidemiological data on the distribution, prevalence, and circulating species and strains, to identify gaps that may still exist and suggest potential directions for future research. We synthesized data collected from 68 articles found in two scientific databases (Scopus and PubMed), and we provide a situational update on ranavirus infections in anurans. We found relevant reports confirming the high prevalence of this pathogen and the risk it poses, including to endangered species. However, there is still information to be clarified regarding its distribution in different territories and the identification of the species involved in infections.

We described aspects of spatial distribution, composition, and seasonality of sea turtle species stranded in the Rio Grande do Norte and Ceará States Basin (“Potiguar Basin”), northeastern Brazil, during a 7-yr period (between 2010 and 2016) and evaluated aspects related to anthropogenic impact. Our results revealed the occurrence of the 5 sea turtle species found in Brazil, and Chelonia mydas corresponded to the majority of the reported strandings.