New insights into a poorly known parasite, Dero lutzi (Oligochaeta: Naididae), associated with tree frogs of the genus Scinax: morphological evaluation and genotypic data.

The oligochaete Dero lutzi follows a life strategy that alternates between free-living periods in aquatic environments and endoparasitic phases. Most occurrences of D. lutzi in anurans are reported in species with arboreal habits, with studies limited to the recording of the oligochaete's presence in the host.

Seasonal changes in taxonomic and functional diversity of lizard communities in southern Brazilian Pantanal.

Seasonal changes play a key ecological role, structuring biotic processes and communities. Yet we generally lack an understanding of how seasonal flood regimes affect communities in floodplains. Herein, we investigated the effects of seasonal changes in taxonomic and functional diversity of lizard communities in southern Pantanal ecoregion.

Extrinsic traits consistently drive microhabitat decisions of an arboreal snake, independently of sex and personality.

One pivotal topic on habitat selection is to understand the influence of intrinsic and extrinsic factors on the selection process. Although the effect of some extrinsic variables and sex has been extensively studied, almost nothing is known about the effect of personality, particularly on snakes. Here we addressed the relative importance of extrinsic (tree-related) and intrinsic (sex and personality) factors driving microhabitat selection decisions of a nocturnal tree snake (Leptodeira annulata).

Thermal ecology and microhabitat use of an arboreal lizard in two different Pantanal wetland phytophysionomies (Brazil).

Temperature is one of the main environmental variables shaping the evolution and biology of terrestrial ectotherms. The Pantanal is the largest continuous wetland in the World. However, a lack of knowlegde still exists on the thermal ecology of terrestrial ectothems from this wetland.

Hepatozoon caimani Carini, 1909 (Adeleina: Hepatozoidae) in wild population of Caiman yacare Daudin, 1801 (Crocodylia: Alligatoridae), Pantanal, Brazil.

Previous studies showed infections of Hepatozoon caimani in wild populations of caimans in wide regions from Brazil; some of those demonstrated that trophic chain are linked to natural infections through paratenic hosts or by the direct ingestion of vectors. These studies life cycle of H. caimani contributed inestimably to the knowledge of transmission routes, yet but lack enhancement tools for better detail of parasite.

What Shapes the Phylogenetic Structure of Anuran Communities in a Seasonal Environment? The Influence of Determinism at Regional Scale to Stochasticity or Antagonistic Forces at Local Scale.

Ecological communities are structured by both deterministic and stochastic processes. We investigated phylogenetic patterns at regional and local scales to understand the influences of seasonal processes in shaping the structure of anuran communities in the southern Pantanal wetland, Brazil. We assessed the phylogenetic structure at different scales, using the Net Relatedness Index (NRI), the Nearest Taxon Index (NTI), and phylobetadiversity indexes, as well as a permutation test, to evaluate the effect of seasonality.

The effect of local environmental variables on the helminth parasite communities of the pointedbelly frog Leptodactylus podicipinus from ponds in the Pantanal wetlands.

Understanding the patterns of species distribution and abundance has been at the core of ecology. In general, these patterns are determined by species dispersion as well as by abiotic and biotic environmental conditions. Similarly, host-parasite relations and the structure of parasite assemblages are also shaped by environmental conditions and landscape composition.

Helminth component community of the paradoxal frog Pseudis platensis Gallardo, 1961 (Anura: Hylidae) from south-eastern Pantanal, Brazil.

The importance of understanding the role of parasites in ecosystems and the structure of parasite communities was addressed by studying the helminth component community of the paradox frog Pseudis platensis. Thirty-two specimens of P. platensis were collected in the south-eastern Pantanal, State of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, in March 2006 and April 2008, then surveyed for helminth parasites.

Hemoparasites of the genus Trypanosoma (Kinetoplastida: Trypanosomatidae) and hemogregarines in Anurans of the São Paulo and Mato Grosso do Sul States - Brazil.

Wild animals are exposed to numerous pathogens, including hemoparasites. The Trypanosoma and hemogregarinegroup are frequently reported as parasites in anurans (frogs, tree frogs and toads). The identification of these hemoparasites is usually made through stage observation of their morphology in the peripheral blood of the host.

New species of Haplometroides (Digenea: Plagiorchiidae) from Phalotris nasutus (Gomes, 1915) (Serpentes, Colubridae).

A new species of Haplometroides (Digenea, Plagiorchiidae) is described from a specimen of Phalotris nasutus (Gomes, 1915) (Serpentes, Colubridae). The host snake was obtained in the municipality of Corumbd, Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil. Trematodes were recovered from esophagus, stomach, and small intestine of the host.