Banca de QUALIFICAÇÃO: MARCELA GIOVANNA SIQUEIRA DE OLIVEIRA

Uma banca de QUALIFICAÇÃO de MESTRADO foi cadastrada pelo programa.
STUDENT : MARCELA GIOVANNA SIQUEIRA DE OLIVEIRA
DATE: 18/12/2025
TIME: 14:00
LOCAL: Google Meet (https://meet.google.com/uao-gexg-did)
TITLE:

Herpetofauna of Caminho dos Gerais State Park, Minas Gerais, Brazil

KEY WORDS:

Caatinga; transition zone; conservation.

PAGES: 20
BIG AREA: Ciências Biológicas
AREA: Ecologia
SUMMARY:

Despite the increasing number of herpetofaunal inventories in the Caatinga, significant sampling gaps remain across several areas. The Caminho dos Gerais State Park (PECG) is a protected area located in the municipalities of Espinosa, Gameleiras, Mamonas, and Monte Azul, in northern Minas Gerais, encompassing 56,237.37 hectares. The PECG is situated within the Caatinga biome, in a transitional zone with the Cerrado, and therefore comprises a mosaic of native phytophysiognomies. The park also contains extensive areas with a history of degradation due to livestock grazing, agriculture, and eucalyptus plantations. Here, we present the first species checklist of the PECG herpetofauna. Sampling was conducted during two expeditions, between December 2024 and February 2025, using three methodologies: 51 Y-shaped pitfall trap arrays, time-constrained visual encounter surveys, and opportunistic records. Standardized surveys were conducted in three vegetation types: Cerrado Rupestre, regenerating Cerrado, and Cerrado Sensu Stricto. We recorded a total of 66 species: 25 amphibians and 41 reptiles. Among amphibians, the richest families were Hylidae (11) and Leptodactylidae (8), while among reptiles, Dipsadidae (12), Colubridae, Gymnophthalmidae, and Teiidae (each with 4 species) were the most diverse. Rarefaction curves were generated for amphibians, lizards, snakes, and for the entire herpetofauna, with the lizard curve being the closest to reaching an asymptote. The recorded richness exceeded the average observed in other Caatinga areas surveyed with similar methodologies, approaching values reported only for large protected areas. The first record of Heterodactylus septentrionalis in Minas Gerais—a threatened and endemic species—together with the occurrence of taxa typical of both Caatinga and Cerrado, highlights the role of the PECG as a transition zone and a faunal overlap area. Thus, this park is established as an important site for herpetofaunal conservation in northern Minas Gerais.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Externa à Instituição - TAÍS BORGES COSTA - UFPB
Presidente - 1678338 - ADRIAN ANTONIO GARDA
Externo à Instituição - FELIPE CAMURUGI ALMEIDA GUIMARÃES - UFPB