Herpetology Notes, volume 12: 709-712 (2019) (published online on 04 July 2019)
First record� �of Mesoclemmys vanderhaegei (Bour, 1973) (Testud�ines, Chelid�ae) for the North-Northeast Atlantic Basin
Elizângela Silva Brito1,*, Tainá Figueras Dorado-Rodrigues2, and Rafael Martins Valadão3
Brazil is home to 20 of the 58 extant Chelidae species al., 2013; Maffei et al., 2016) and Tocantins (Villaça et (Rhodin et al., 2017; Costa and Bérnils, 2018). Chelidae al., 1999). Tocantins, located 2000 km northeast from is distributed across Oceania and South America (van Asunción, is this species’ type locality and northern Dijk et al., 2014), and its most species-rich genus limit (Vinke et al., 2013). is Mesoclemmys, with eight species: M. gibba, M. Here, we extend the distribution of M. vanderhaegei heliostemma, M. hogei, M. nasuta, M. perplexa, to a new river basin in Maranhão State, Northeastern M. raniceps, M. tuberculata and M. vanderhaegei. Brazil. In addition to these new records, we have Mesoclemmys species occur widely across Brazil, but compiled every known distribution record of this their distributions may still be underestimated. species. Our mapping was based on a thorough review of Mesoclemmys vanderhaegei is a medium-sized the literature (comprising journal articles, dissertations, freshwater turtle, measuring up to 285 mm of carapace theses and herpetological meetings publications) length (CL) (Marques et al., 2014). It inhabits freshwater herpetological collections, SpeciesLink, GBIF, systems such as rivers, small oligotrophic streams and EMYSystem and Portal da Biodiversidade databases. In densely vegetated open lagoons (Rueda-Almonacid et order to minimize problems caused by georeferencing al., 2007; Vinke et al., 2013; Marques et al., 2014), and is errors, we excluded records that were clearly misplaced currently considered Near Threatened by the IUCN Red or dubious. We used Ernst and Barbour (1989) and List (Tortoise & Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group, Rueda-Almonacid et al. (2007) identification keys to 1996). This species is distributed across Argentina, identify captured specimens. Every individual was Paraguay and Brazil (Marques et al., 2014), and has released after biometrical measurements, sexing and been recorded in the Amazon, Tocantins, Paraguay, species identification. Paraná and Uruguay basins (Souza, 2005; Marques et We captured two individuals of M. vanderhaegei in al., 2014). In Brazil, the species occurs at the Federal Balsas river, Balsas Municipality, State of Maranhão District, and in the states of Goiás (Brandão et al., 2002), (8°39’S, 46°27’W; WGS84; Figure 1), in 2012. Both Mato Grosso (Brito et al., 2009; Brito et al., 2012), individuals were caught in funnel traps baited with Mato Grosso do Sul (Strüssmann et al., 2000; Ávila et fish, and were released after marking and measuring al., 2006), Minas Gerais (Silveira et al., 2009; Maffei procedures. One female (CL of 200 mm; Head width, et al., 2016), São Paulo (Souza et al., 2000; Marques et HW, of 4.6 mm; Figure 2A� ������������������� 207 mm; HW of 5.1 mm� ������������������������� 26 and July 17, respectively. Our records extend the known distribution of M. vanderhaegei to a new North- Northeast hydrographic basin, the Parnaíba sub-basin. 1 Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas do Pantanal, campus avançado The area is located 241 km northeast of the species’ do Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, CEP 78060-900, Cuiabá, closest known locality in Serra do Lajeado, Tocantins Mato Grosso, Brazil. State (Brandão et al., 2002). The Balsas River is a major 2 Laboratório de Herpetologia, Instituto de Biociências, affluent of the Parnaíba, and it is surrounded by Cerrado Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, CEP 78060-900, vegetation in southern Maranhão (Figure 2B). Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, Brazil. The captured individuals were sympatric with six 3 Centro Nacional de Pesquisa e Conservação de Répteis e Anfíbios, Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da individuals of Phrynops geoffroanus complex in the Biodiversidade, CEP 74605-090, Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil. Balsas river. The latter is distributed across the Parnaíba * Corresponding author: Email: [email protected] river basin (Silva et al., 2016), where another species 710 Elizângela Silva Brito et al.
Figure 1. Mesoclemmys vanderhaegei distribution. Species Link, GBIF, EMYSystem, Portal da biodiversidade, scientific literature (black circles) and new records (red star).
Figure 2. Mesoclemmys vanderhaegei and Balsas river, Balsas municipality, Maranhão state, Brazil. (A) Captured female; (B) River section where M. vanderhaegei individuals were captured.
of Mesoclemmys, M. gibba, has already been recorded occurs only peripherally (Rueda-Almonacid et al., (Barreto et al., 2007). Mesoclemmys gibba is similar in 2007; Ferrara et al., 2017). The main characteristics size to M. vanderhaegei, but it is primarily distributed separating the two species are the darker colors of the throughout the Amazon basin, where M. vanderhaegei mandible and plastron of M. gibba, contrasting with First record��� of Mesoclemmys vanderhaegei for the North-Northeast Atlantic Basin 711 the paler hues of M. vanderhaegei (Figure 2A), and the Quelônios Amazônicos: Guia de identificação e distribuição. wider head of M. vanderhaegei (larger than 20% HW Manaus, Brasil, Wildlife Conservation Society. in relation to CL) when compared to M. gibba (max of GBIF. (2018): Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Available at: http://www.gbif.org/. Accessed on 18 December 2018. 20% HW in relation to CL) (Ernst and Barbour, 1989; Maffei, F., Nascimento, B.T.M., Moya, G.M., Donatelli, R.J. Rueda-Almonacid et al., 2007; Ferrara et al., 2017). (2016): New distribution records of Mesoclemmys vanderhaegei The presence of M. vanderhaegei outside the Prata (Testudines: Chelidae) from southeastern Brazil, inlcuding river basin was previously reported (e.g., Villaça et observations on reproduction. Journal of Threatened Taxa 8: al., 1999; Silveira, 2009; Brito et al., 2012), and might 9322–9326. be related to biological characteristics of semi-aquatic Marques, T.S., Lara, N.R.F., Bassetti, L.A.B., Ferronato, B.O., Malvásio, A., Verdade, L.M. (2013): Population structure turtles, which can disperse across terrestrial landscapes. of Mesoclemmys vanderhaegei (Testudines, Chelidae) in a Mesoclemmys vanderhaegei has been observed walking silvicultural system in southeastern Brazil. Herpetology Notes on land, especially in areas where barriers such as 6: 179–182. waterfalls can limit its aquatic movement (Brito et al., Marques, T.S., Böhm, S., Brito, E.S., Cabrera, M.R., Verdade, 2012; Marques et al., 2014). This capacity allows the L.M. (2014): Mesoclemmys vanderhaegei (Bour 1973) species to occur in different basins. – Vanderhaege’s Toad-headed Turtle, Karumbé-hy. In: Conservation Biology of Freshwater Turtles and Tortoises: A Compilation Project of the IUCN/SSC Tortoise and Freshwater Acknowled�gements. We thank the Secretaria de Estado do Meio Turtle Specialist Group. Rhodin, A.G.J., Pritchard, P.C.H., Ambiente e Recursos Naturais of Maranhão State for granting van Dijk, P.P., Saumure, R.A., Buhlmann, K.A., Iverson, J.B., o o us the licence n 001/2012, environmental licensing process n Mittermeier, R.A., Eds. Chelonian Research Monographs 5: 3080/2012. 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Accepted by Eric Munscher