Neotropical Biology and Conservation 7(1):21-25, january-april 2012 © 2012 by Unisinos - doi: 10.4013/nbc.2012.71.04

Distribution and conservation of the bamboo rat Kannabateomys amblyonyx (Rodentia, Echimyidae) in State, Brazil

Distribuição e conservação do rato-do-bambu Kannabateomys amblyonyx (Rodentia, Echimyidae) no Estado de Minas Gerais, Brasil

Fabiano Aguiar da Silva1 [email protected] Abstract This note reports data on occurrence of the echimyid Kannabateomys amblyonyx in Minas Clodoaldo Lopes de Assis2 [email protected] Gerais State, southeastern Brazil. Data were obtained from consult to 26 museums, bib- liography search and field sampling. We found nine municipalities with species records, Ricardo Aguiar da Silva3 eight within the Atlantic Forest biome and one in the transitional area between the Atlantic [email protected] Forest and Cerrado. Habitats occupied comprised bamboo groves in Montane Stational Semidecidual Forest, Submontane Stational Semidecidual Forest and bamboo patches Vanessa Cardoso Antunes4 located in middle of open area, originally covered by Submontane Stational Semidecidual [email protected] Forest. Potential impacts detected were deforestation, fires, hunting and the presence of livestock and domestic dogs. Gisele Lessa5 [email protected] Key words: bamboo rat, Atlantic Forest, threats, records. Fernando Marques Quintela6 [email protected]

1 Curso de Ciências Biológicas, Faculdades Integradas de , Rua Romualdo Menezes, 701, Bairro Menezes, 36773-084, Cataguases, MG, Brasil. Resumo 2 Associação Regional de Proteção Ambiental (ARPA - Cataguases), Praça Manoel Inácio Peixoto, 96, Centro, Este trabalho apresenta dados sobre a ocorrência do equimídeo Kannabateomys am- 36770-073, Cataguases, MG, Brasil. blyonyx no Estado de Minas Gerais, sudeste do Brasil. Dados foram obtidos a partir de 3 Agropecuária Santana do Deserto Ltda. Fazenda Santa consultas a 26 museus, pesquisa bibliográfica e de amostragens de campo. Encontramos Clara, estrada s/n, Sossego, Santana do Deserto, MG, Brasil. nove municípios com registros da espécie, sendo oito inseridos no bioma Mata Atlântica e 4 AMBIOTECH Consultoria, Rua Desembargador Vieira um em área de transição entre Mata Atlântica e Cerrado. Os habitats ocupados compre- Cavalcanti, 282 A, Curitiba, PR, Brasil enderam bambuzais em Floresta Estacional Semidecidual Montana, Floresta Estacional 5 Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Departamento de Biologia Animal, Museu de Zoologia João Moojen. Vila Semidecidual Submontana e manchas de bambu localizadas em meio a áreas aberta, Gianetti, casa 32, Campus Universitário, 36571-000, originalmente coberta por Floresta Estacional Semidecidual Submontana. Os potenciais Viçosa, MG, Brasil impactos detectados foram desmatamento, queimadas, caça e presença de gado e cães 6 Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Animal, domésticos. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul. Av. Bento Gonçalves 9500, Bairro Agronomia, 91501-970, Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil. Palavras-chave: rato-do-bambu, Mata Atlântica, ameaças, registros. Fabiano A. da Silva, Clodoaldo de Assis, Ricardo A. da Silva, Vanessa C. Antunes, Gisele Lessa, Fernando Quintela

Introduction conserved in museums, bibliography and potential risks to populations of information, field sampling, observa- the occurrence sites were collected. Kannabateomys amblyonyx is a large tions and photographic records. Mam- echimyid rodent, distributed from malian collections of the following Results southeastern Brazil to southeastern Par- institutions were consulted: Univer- aguay and northern Argentina. It inhab- sidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo We identified nine municipalities with its coastal Atlantic Forest, inland rain- Horizonte (CDMZ-UFMG), Funda- K. amblyonyx records in Minas Gerais forests and wet gallery forests, mainly ção Zoobotânica de , State, eight of them in Atlantic Forest in waterside bamboo groves (Emmons Belo Horizonte (FZB-BH), Museu de domains and one in a transitional area and Feer, 1997). It has nocturnal and Ciências Naturais - Pontifícia Uni- between Atlantic Forest and Cerrado arboreal habits, lives in small family versidade Católica de Minas Gerais, biomes, according to IBGE (2009) groups and defends a territory through Belo Horizonte (MCN-PUCMG), (Figure 1). Types of records and avail- vocalization. Kannabateomys am- Museu de Zoologia João Moojen- able data on geographic coordinates, blyonyx is a species closely associated Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viço- altitude and habitat on each locality with bamboos, feeds mainly on young sa (UFV), Universidade Federal de are shown in Table 1. shoots and nests in the middle of bam- , Lavras (UFLA), Universidade On 7 April 2009 at around 4 p.m., boo groves (Kierulff et al., 1991; Sil- Federal de , Ouro Preto an individual was photographed by va, 1993, 2005; Stallings et al., 1994; (UFOP), Museu de Biologia Professor RAS (Figure 2) in a locality known Oliveira and Bonvicino, 2006; Silva Mello Leitão, Vitória (MBML), Uni- as Fazenda Santa Clara (21º53’17”S, and Vieira, 2006; Silva et al., 2008). versidade Federal do Espírito Santo, 43º10’32”W; 473m a.s.l.), municipal- In Brazil, records of K. amblyonyx are Vitória (UFES), Museu de Zoologia- ity of Santana do Deserto, Atlantic restricted to the southeast and south- Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salva- Forest (IBGE, 2009). The individual ern States (from Espírito Santo to Rio dor (UFBA), Universidade Federal da was photographed on the ground, Grande do Sul) of the Atlantic For- Paraíba, João Pessoa (UFPB), Univer- crossing a short paving stone (ca. 20m est (Oliveira and Bonvicino, 2006; sidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Santa long) between two bamboo groves Bonvicino et al., 2008). In relation Cruz (UESC), Museu de Zoologia da located in the middle of grassland. to Minas Gerais, the previous authors Universidade Estadual de Campinas In this same area, individuals were mentioned a “probable occurrence” of (Unicamp) (ZUEC-MAM), Univer- often sighted with nocturnal activity. the species in the eastern part of this sidade Federal de São Carlos, São This locality was originally covered state. The Livro Vermelho das Espé- Carlos (UFSCar), Universidade Es- by Submontane Semidecidual Sta- cies da Fauna Ameaçada de Extin- tadual Paulista, Rio Claro (UNESP), tional Forest (Veloso et al., 1991), ção de Minas Gerais (Red Book of Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo which was partially cleared over the Threatened Fauna of Minas Gerais), (USP), Museu Nacional, Rio de Ja- past century for coffee cultivation and where K. amblyonyx is listed as vul- neiro (MN), Universidade do Estado livestock. The current physiognomy nerable (Rylands, 1998), points out de Mato Grosso, Nova Xavantina is characterized by remaining frag- three localities with species occur- (UNEMAT), Universidade Federal de ments in a field matrix, where bamboo rence in the state, based on unpub- Goiás, Goiânia (UFG), Universidade groves are found in the middle of open lished technical reports. In all, con- de Brasília, Brasília (UNB), Univer- formations and in the inner and border sistent information is lacking on the sidade Federal de Santa Catarina, of forest fragments. localities and habitats of occurrence Florianópolis (UFSC), Universidade On 23 March 2007 an individual was of this species, which distribution in Federal do Paraná, Curitiba (UFPR), photographed by CLA (Figure 2) in a lo- Minas Gerais State is poorly known. Museu de História Natural Capão cality known as Sapecado (21º14’12”S, Aiming to contribute to the knowl- do Imbuia, Curitiba (MCI), Funda- 42º44’00”W; 771m a.s.l.), municipality edge on the distribution and conser- ção Zoobotânica do Rio Grande do of Cataguases, Atlantic Forest (IBGE, vation of K. amblyonyx, we present Sul, Porto Alegre (FZB-RS), Museu 2009). The individual was found new occurrence sites and summarize de Ciências Naturais-Universidade around 10 p.m. in a bamboo grove in the available data on the species dis- Luterana do Brasil, Porto Alegre the inner of a Montane Semidecidual tribution, potential threats and habitat (MCNU-ULBRA), Pontifícia Univer- Stational Forest fragment (Veloso et occupancy in Minas Gerais. sidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul al., 1991). This area was impacted (PUCRS), Universidade de Blume- by wood removal for timber and coal Material and methods nau, Blumenau (FURB) and Museu Par- production and prescribed fires for aense Emílio Goeldi (MPEG), Belém. agriculture and livestock expansion, Data on localities were obtained from Whenever possible, data on geographic which ended about 45 years ago. The field notes and labels from specimens coordinates, altitude, habitat features current principal impacts include the

22 Volume 7 number 1  january - april 2012 Distribution and conservation of the bamboo rat Kannabateomys amblyonyx (Rodentia, Echimyidae)

presence of livestock and domestic dogs in the inner and outer border of fragments and predatory hunting. On 13 January 2010 an individual was donated to FAS in a locality known as Sinimbu (21º20’20”S, 42º45’45”W; 301m a.s.l.), municipality of Cata- guases, Atlantic Forest (IBGE, 2009). According to the donors, the indi- vidual was active in a bamboo grove on the border of a forest fragment around 21h that same night. The specimen, a juvenile male, is depos- ited in the mammalian collection of Museu de Zoologia João Moojen of Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa municipality, Minas Gerais (MZUFV-CM 3328) (Figure 3). The area is characterized as a Submontane Stational Semidecidual Forest frag- ment (Veloso et al., 1991), which had Figure 1. Municipalities with records of Kannabateomys amblyonyx in Minas Gerais State. been deforested over the past 70 years Full circles indicate the municipalities with records confirmed by collected specimen or pho- for hardwood exploitation and char- tography of living animal while empty circles indicate the localities cited by Rylands (1998). coal production.

Table 1. Summary of records of Kannabateomys amblyonyx in Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil (?=data not available).

Type of record Locality; municipality Latitude; longitude Altitude Biome Habitat collected specimen 19°55’47”S; Montane Semidecidual ?; 868 Atlantic Forest MCN-M 1726 43°13’36”W Stational Forest collected specimen Usina Hidrelétrica de ? ? Atlantic Forest ? CMDZ-UFMG 2290 Fumaça; Mariana collected specimen Usina Hidrelétrica de ? ? Atlantic Forest ? CMDZ-UFMG 2484 Braúnas; Braúnas collected specimen Usina Hidrelétrica de ? ? Atlantic Forest ? CMDZ-UFMG 2485 Braúnas; Braúnas Submontane collected specimen 21º20’20”S; Sinimbu; Cataguases 301 Atlantic Forest Semidecidual MZUFV-CM 3328 42º45’45”W Stational Forest 21º14’12”S; Montane Semidecidual photography Sapecado; Cataguases 771 Atlantic Forest 42º44’00”W Stational Forest collected specimen ?; Santana do Deserto ? ? Atlantic Forest ? MN 42846 bamboo patch in open area, originally Fazenda Santa Clara; 21º53’17”S; photography 473 Atlantic Forest Submontane Santana do Deserto 43º10’32”W Semidecidual Stational Forest Usina Hidrelétrica Barra do 21°23’39”S ; bamboo patch in open photography 167 Atlantic Forest Braúna; Laranjal 42°31’01”W area data compilation Reserva Peti; São Gonçalo Atlantic Forest/ ? ? ? (Rylands 1998) do Rio Abaixo Cerrado transition data compilation RPPN Guilman-Amorin; ? ? Atlantic Forest ? (Rylands 1998) data compilation Usina Hidrelétrica de Baú; ? ? Atlantic Forest ? (Rylands 1998)

Neotropical Biology and Conservation 23 Fabiano A. da Silva, Clodoaldo de Assis, Ricardo A. da Silva, Vanessa C. Antunes, Gisele Lessa, Fernando Quintela

calization of five specimens, being CMDZ-UFMG 2290 from Usina Hi- drelétrica de Fumaça (Fumaça Power Plant), municipality of Mariana, At- lantic Forest (IBGE, 2010), CDMZ- UFMG 2484 and CDMZ-UFMG 2485 from Usina Hidrelétrica de Braúnas (Braúnas Power Plant), Braúnas mu- nicipality, Atlantic Forest (IBGE, 2009), MN 42846 from Santana do Deserto municipality, Atlantic Forest (IBGE, 2009) and MCN-M 1726 from Rio Piracicaba municipality, Atlantic Forest (IBGE, 2009). In the consulted bibliography, the only reference for the species oc- currence in Minas Gerais State was found in Livro Vermelho das Espé- cies da Fauna Ameaçada de Extin- ção de Minas Gerais (Red Book of Figure 2. Individuals of Kannabateomys amblyonyx photographed in Minas Gerais state: (A) locality of Fazenda Santa Clara, Santana do Deserto municipality, R.A. Silva, (B) local- Threatened Fauna of Minas Gerais) ity of Sinimbu, Cataguases municipality, F.A. Silva, (C) locality of Sapecado, Cataguases (Rylands, 1998), where they make municipality, C.L. Assis. mention of three localities: Pri- vate Reserve of Natural Patrimony (RPPN) Guilman-Amorim, munici- pality of Nova Era, Atlantic Forest (IBGE, 2009); Usina Hidrelétrica de Baú, municipality of Ponte Nova, At- lantic Forest (IBGE, 2009); Reserva Peti, municipality of São Gonçalo do Rio Abaixo, transitional area be- tween Atlantic Forest and Cerrado (IBGE, 2009). The two first referenc- es are based on unpublished technical reports while the third corresponds to author’s personal observations. No specimen from these localities was found in the consulted collections.

Discussion

Kannabateomys amblyonyx speci- Figure 3. Kannabateomys amblyonyx specimen (MZUFV-CM 3328) collected in the local- mens from Minas Gerais had a little ity of Sinimbu, Cataguases municipality, Minas Gerais State, southeastern Brazil. representation in the consulted collec- tions, which may be a consequence of at least two main factors. First, this On 19 November 2010 an indivi- in an open area, near to Submontane may represent a sub-sampled species, dual was photographed by FAS in Semidecidual Stational Forest frag- with few captures and efforts applied an area which belongs to Barra do ment (Veloso et al., 1991). Potential in bamboo patches (the main habitat Braúna Power Plant (21º23’39”S, impacts observed in the area included occupied by K. amblyonyx) as com- 42º31’01”W; 167m a.s.l.), munici- cattle grazing and trampling and the pared to other sampled vegetal for- pality of Laranjal, Atlantic Forest exploitation of bamboo groves by a mations during mammalian surveys. (IBGE, 2009). The individual was stick factory. Added to this, once the species feeds found at 3:55 p.m. in a bamboo grove Museum consults allowed the lo- exclusively on bamboo stems, twigs

24 Volume 7 number 1  january - april 2012 Distribution and conservation of the bamboo rat Kannabateomys amblyonyx (Rodentia, Echimyidae) and leaves (Silva, 2005), it is not cap- rence of K. amblyonyx in Cerrado KIERULFF, M.C.; STALLINGS, J.R.; SABA- tured in baited traps commonly used physiognomies, however, needs to be TO, E.L. 1991. A method to capture the bam- elucidated. boo rat Kannabateomys amblyonyx in bamboo in small mammal sampling such as forests. Mammalia, 55:633-635. sherman and tomahawk live traps It is worth noting that most of the lo- OLIVEIRA, J.A; BONVICINO, C.R. 2006. (Kierulff et al., 1991). Appropriated calities with known records comprise Ordem Rodentia. In: N.R. REIS; A.L. PERAC- methods for the species record such unprotected private areas. In some of CHI; W.A. PEDRO; I.P. LIMA (eds.), Mamífe- as double entry traps installed on ar- these localities (Santana do Deserto, ros do Brasil. Londrina, Editora da Universida- de Estadual de Londrina, p. 347-406. tificial bamboo bridges (Kierulff et Laranjal and Cataguases municipali- OLMOS, F.; GALLETI, M.; PASCHOAL, M.; al., 1991), active search and listening ties) potential impacts such as defor- MENDES, S.L. 1993. Habits of the Southern efforts (Olmos et al., 1993) are gen- estation, fires, hunting and the pres- Bamboo Rat, Kannabateomys amblyonyx (Ro- erally not applied in mammalian in- ence of livestock and domestic dogs dentia, Echimyidae) in Southeastern Brazil. ventories. Second, this may represent were detected. In order to preserve Mammalia, 57:325-335. PAGLIA, A.P.; LOPES, M.O.G.; PERINI, F.A.; a less abundant species, with isolated the K. amblyonyx populations and CUNHA, H.M. 2005. Mammals of the Estação populations or meta-populations re- key habitat features, the establishment Preservação e Desenvolvimento Ambiental de stricted to the forest fragments which of private reserves in these areas is Peti (EPDA-Peti), São Gonçalo do Rio Abai- host bamboo areas with the capacity to strongly recommended. In this con- xo, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Lundiana, 6(supple- provide spatial and feeding resources text, it is also worth mentioning that ment):89-96. RIBEIRO, J.F.; WALTER, B.M.T. 1998. Fitofi- needed for maintaining such popula- a mammalian survey performed in the sionomias do bioma Cerrado. In: S.M. SANO; tions. In this context, Rylands (1998) protected area of Reserva Peti (Paglia S.P. ALMEIDA (eds.). Cerrado: ambiente e points to a possible genetic constraint et al., 2005) did not detected the spe- flora. Planaltina, EMBRAPA-CPAC, p. 89-166. due to insularization of populations, cies, which was previously reported RYLANDS, A.B. 1998. Mamíferos. In: A.B.M. which can be even more aggravated for this locality by Rylands (1998). MACHADO; G.A.B. FONSECA; R.B. MA- CHADO; L.M.S. AGUIAR; L.V. LINS (eds.), due to the species low reproductive We have presented a first approach Livro Vermelho das Espécies Ameaçadas da fitness (Silva 1993; Oliveira and Bon- on the distribution of the bamboo rat Fauna de Minas Gerais. Belo Horizonte, Fun- vicino, 2006). Kannabateomys amblyonyx in Minas dação Biodiversitas, p. 39-41. Available data from field sampling Gerais State. However, more sampling SILVA, L.F.B.M. 1993. Ecologia do rato do and stored specimens show the oc- and observation effort is needed for a bambu, Kannabateomys amblyonyx (Wagner, 1845) na Reserva Biológica de Poço das Antas, currence of K. amblyonyx, em Minas better understanding on biogeography Rio de Janeiro. Belo Horizonte, MG. Masters Gerais, in two forest types (Montane and ecology of the species in the re- Dissertation. Universidade Federal de Minas Stational Semidecidual, Submontane gion, mainly in the limits of Atlantic Gerais, 83 p. Stational Semidecidual) (Veloso et Forest and adjacent Cerrado areas. SILVA, R. B. 2005. Ecologia do rato-da-taquara al., 1991) and bamboo patches locat- (Kannabateomys amblyonyx) no Parque Es- tadual de Itapuã. São Leopoldo, RS. Masters ed in middle of open areas, originally Acknowledgements Dissertation. Universidade do Vale do Rio dos covered by Submontane Stational Sinos, 60 p. Semidecidual Forest. The most in- We are grateful to José Geraldo Soares, SILVA, R.B.; VIEIRA, E.M. 2006. Sobre ratos land occurrence site determined in João Luiz Novais Devesa, João Paulo e pandas. Ciência Hoje, 38:69-72. SILVA, R.B.; VIEIRA, E.M.; IZAR, P. 2008. So- the present study, Reserva Peti, is in- Carvalho Pinheiro and Juliana Martins cial monogamy and biparental care of the neotrop- serted in a transitional area between Silva for support in the fieldwork, Wil- ical southern bamboo rat (Kannabateomys ambly- Atlantic Forest and Cerrado biomes, liam C. Ramos for the English review, onyx). Journal of Mammalogy, 89:1464-1472. with the forest formations in the area curators, technicians and trainees of all http://dx.doi.org/10.1644/07-MAMM-A-215.1 composed by gallery forest and sec- consulted collections. STALLINGS, J.R.; KIERULFF, M.C.M.; SIL- VA, L.F.B.M. 1994. Use of space and activity ondary forest (originally Seasonal patterns of Brazilian bamboo rats (Kannabateo- Tropical Forest, inland Atlantic For- References mys amblyonyx) in exotic habitat. Journal of est) (Paglia et al., 2005). Gallery for- Tropical Ecology, 10:431-438. ests represent forest formations in the BONVICINO, C.R; OLIVEIRA, J.A; D’ANDREA, http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0266467400008099 middle of Cerrado savanna (Ribeiro P.R. 2008. Guia dos Roedores do Brasil, com chaves Veloso, H.P.; Filho, A.L.R.R.; Lima, para gêneros baseadas em caracteres externos. Rio J.C.A. 1991. Classificação da vegetação brasi- and Walter, 1998), and it is possible de Janeiro, Centro Pan-Americano de Febre Aftosa - leira, adaptada a um sistema universal. Rio de that inward from these transitional OPAS/OMS, Rio de Janeiro, 120 p. Janeiro, IBGE, 123 p. areas, the species may occur in gal- EMMONS, L.H; Feer, F. 1997. Neotropical lery forest stretches of Cerrado bi- rainforest mammals: a field guide. Chicago, ome. According to Emmons and Feer The University of Chicago Press, 307 p. INSTITUTO BRASILEIRO DE GEOGRAFIA E (1997), K. amblyonyx occurs in wet ESTATÍSTICA (IBGE). 2009. IBGE – Cidades. gallery forests and bamboo patches Available at: http://www.ibge.gov.br/cidadesat/ Submitted on June 1, 2011 between fields. The possible occur- topwindow.htm?1. Accessed on: 28/10/2010. Accepted on January 4, 2012

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