Analysis of the diet of Tamandua tetradactyla Linnaeus, 1758 (Pilosa: Myrmecophagidae) from Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais, Brazil

Submitted by Celso Magalhaes (celsomagalhaes@ufrrj.br) on 2023-01-23T11:14:59Z No. of bitstreams: 1 2019 - M?rcio Morais Silva.pdf: 4802652 bytes, checksum: bc6d09928627bb66a237cab2a5b24c8d (MD5) Made available in DSpace on 2023-01-23T11:14:59Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2019 - M?rcio Morais Silva.pdf: 4802652 bytes, checksum: bc6d09928627bb66a237cab2a5b24c8d (MD5) Previous issue date: 2019-12-18 CAPES - Coordena??o de Aperfei?oamento de Pessoal de N?vel Superior CAPES - Coordena??o de Aperfei?oamento de Pessoal de N?vel Superior The collared anteater, Tamandua tetradactyla Linnaeus, 1758 (Pilosa: Myrmecophagidae), is a small mammal predator of ants and termites. Using its nose to locate and its claws to break the structure of the colonies, this animal is able to capture its prey with the tongue. Despite of the knowledge about its diet, there are few studies describing which species are actually consumed by these mammals. The aim of this study was to investigate the diversity and abundance of insect species in the anteater diet and to verify if there is any pattern on prey diversity in the study area, comparing the richness and abundance of collected arthropods. To evaluate that, eight samples of stomach contents of T. tetradactyla, roadkilled on the BR-040 highway between the cities of Rio de Janeiro as (RJ) and Sim?o Pereira (MG), were collected from 2009 to 2014 and analyzed. Stomach contents were removed and preserved in 70% ethanol until analyzed under a stereomicroscope and identified at the lowest taxonomic level possible. A total of 22,832 specimens were obtained, distributed in 54 insect taxa of three orders: Blattodea (Isoptera), Coleoptera, and Hymenoptera. The most abundant taxa was Isoptera, represented mainly by the genus Nasutitermes Dudley, 1890 with 12,352 specimens found. To compare the similarity in species composition among the eight samples, we used the Jaccard?s test, which showed low similarity between them, suggesting that these collared anteaters eat without any apparent pattern, but according to their individual preferences. However, three species were common among the samples: Camponotus atriceps (Smith, 1858), C. rufipes (Fabricius, 1775) and Cephalotes pusillus (Klug, 1824). Such species are very common in areas of the Atlantic Forest disturbed by human activities, such as cities and roads. Total precipitation in the month of collection was positively correlated with the richness of insect species, suggesting that this factor influences the richness of food sources available for the mammals. The study of the diet of mammals, such as the anteaters, needs long-term studies with a large sample from different sources, such as feces analysis and monitoring of these animals in regions with higher density of individuals. The data presented in this study will serve as a basis for future diet-related studies of these mammals in other areas of study The collared anteater, Tamandua tetradactyla Linnaeus, 1758 (Pilosa: Myrmecophagidae), is a small mammal predator of ants and termites. Using its nose to locate and its claws to break the structure of the colonies, this animal is able to capture its prey with the tongue. Despite of the knowledge about its diet, there are few studies describing which species are actually consumed by these mammals. The aim of this study was to investigate the diversity and abundance of insect species in the anteater diet and to verify if there is any pattern on prey diversity in the study area, comparing the richness and abundance of collected arthropods. To evaluate that, eight samples of stomach contents of T. tetradactyla, roadkilled on the BR-040 highway between the cities of Rio de Janeiro as (RJ) and Sim?o Pereira (MG), were collected from 2009 to 2014 and analyzed. Stomach contents were removed and preserved in 70% ethanol until analyzed under a stereomicroscope and identified at the lowest taxonomic level possible. A total of 22,832 specimens were obtained, distributed in 54 insect taxa of three orders: Blattodea (Isoptera), Coleoptera, and Hymenoptera. The most abundant taxa was Isoptera, represented mainly by the genus Nasutitermes Dudley, 1890 with 12,352 specimens found. To compare the similarity in species composition among the eight samples, we used the Jaccard?s test, which showed low similarity between them, suggesting that these collared anteaters eat without any apparent pattern, but according to their individual preferences. However, three species were common among the samples: Camponotus atriceps (Smith, 1858), C. rufipes (Fabricius, 1775) and Cephalotes pusillus (Klug, 1824). Such species are very common in areas of the Atlantic Forest disturbed by human activities, such as cities and roads. Total precipitation in the month of collection was positively correlated with the richness of insect species, suggesting that this factor influences the richness of food sources available for the mammals. The study of the diet of mammals, such as the anteaters, needs long-term studies with a large sample from different sources, such as feces analysis and monitoring of these animals in regions with higher density of individuals. The data presented in this study will serve as a basis for future diet-related studies of these mammals in other areas of study O tamandu?-mirim, Tamandua tetradactyla Linnaeus, 1758 (Pilosa: Myrmecophagidae), ? um pequeno mam?fero predador de formigas e cupins. Utilizando o olfato agu?ado para localizar e as garras para romper a estrutura externa das col?nias, este animal ? capaz de capturar suas presas com a l?ngua. Apesar do conhecimento sobre sua dieta, existem poucos estudos descrevendo quais esp?cies s?o de fato consumidas por esses mam?feros. O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar a diversidade e abund?ncia de esp?cies de insetos na dieta do tamandu?mirim e verificar se h? algum padr?o na diversidade de presas na ?rea de estudo, comparandose a riqueza e a abund?ncia de artr?podes coletados. Para tanto, foram analisadas oito amostras de conte?do estomacal de T. tetradactyla v?timas de atropelamento na estrada BR-040 coletadas de 2009 a 2014, entre as cidades de Duque de Caxias (RJ) e Sim?o Pereira (MG). O conte?do estomacal foi removido e preservado em etanol a 70% at? ser analisado em estereomicrosc?pio e identificado no menor n?vel taxon?mico poss?vel. Foram obtidos 22.832 esp?cimes, distribu?dos em 54 t?xons de insetos de tr?s ordens: Blattodea (Isoptera), Coleoptera e Hymenoptera. O t?xon mais abundante foi Isoptera, representada principalmente pelo g?nero Nasutitermes Dudley, 1890, com 12.352 indiv?duos. Para comparar a similaridade na composi??o de esp?cies entre as oito amostras, foi utilizado o teste de Jaccard, que mostrou baixa similaridade entre elas. Isso sugere que os tamandu?s-mirins se alimentam sem nenhum padr?o aparente, provavelmente de acordo com suas prefer?ncias individuais. No entanto, tr?s esp?cies eram comuns entre as amostras: Camponotus atriceps (Smith, 1858), C. rufipes (Fabricius, 1775) e Cephalotes pusillus (Klug, 1824). Tais esp?cies s?o muito comuns em ?reas de Mata Atl?ntica perturbadas por humanos, como cidades e estradas. A precipita??o total no m?s de coleta demostrou resultados positivos quando correlacionada com a riqueza de esp?cies de insetos, sugerindo que este fator possui influ?ncia na riqueza de fontes alimentares dispon?veis para os mam?feros. O estudo da dieta de mam?feros, como os tamandu?s-mirins, necessita de estudos a longo prazo com uma grande amostragem de diferentes fontes, como a an?lise de fezes e o monitoramento destes animais em regi?es com maior densidade de indiv?duos. Os dados apresentados neste estudo servir?o de base para futuros estudos relacionados com dieta destes mam?feros em outras ?reas de estudo O tamandu?-mirim, Tamandua tetradactyla Linnaeus, 1758 (Pilosa: Myrmecophagidae), ? um pequeno mam?fero predador de formigas e cupins. Utilizando o olfato agu?ado para localizar e as garras para romper a estrutura externa das col?nias, este animal ? capaz de capturar suas presas com a l?ngua. Apesar do conhecimento sobre sua dieta, existem poucos estudos descrevendo quais esp?cies s?o de fato consumidas por esses mam?feros. O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar a diversidade e abund?ncia de esp?cies de insetos na dieta do tamandu?mirim e verificar se h? algum padr?o na diversidade de presas na ?rea de estudo, comparandose a riqueza e a abund?ncia de artr?podes coletados. Para tanto, foram analisadas oito amostras de conte?do estomacal de T. tetradactyla v?timas de atropelamento na estrada BR-040 coletadas de 2009 a 2014, entre as cidades de Duque de Caxias (RJ) e Sim?o Pereira (MG). O conte?do estomacal foi removido e preservado em etanol a 70% at? ser analisado em estereomicrosc?pio e identificado no menor n?vel taxon?mico poss?vel. Foram obtidos 22.832 esp?cimes, distribu?dos em 54 t?xons de insetos de tr?s ordens: Blattodea (Isoptera), Coleoptera e Hymenoptera. O t?xon mais abundante foi Isoptera, representada principalmente pelo g?nero Nasutitermes Dudley, 1890, com 12.352 indiv?duos. Para comparar a similaridade na composi??o de esp?cies entre as oito amostras, foi utilizado o teste de Jaccard, que mostrou baixa similaridade entre elas. Isso sugere que os tamandu?s-mirins se alimentam sem nenhum padr?o aparente, provavelmente de acordo com suas prefer?ncias individuais. No entanto, tr?s esp?cies eram comuns entre as amostras: Camponotus atriceps (Smith, 1858), C. rufipes (Fabricius, 1775) e Cephalotes pusillus (Klug, 1824). Tais esp?cies s?o muito comuns em ?reas de Mata Atl?ntica perturbadas por humanos, como cidades e estradas. A precipita??o total no m?s de coleta demostrou resultados positivos quando correlacionada com a riqueza de esp?cies de insetos, sugerindo que este fator possui influ?ncia na riqueza de fontes alimentares dispon?veis para os mam?feros. O estudo da dieta de mam?feros, como os tamandu?s-mirins, necessita de estudos a longo prazo com uma grande amostragem de diferentes fontes, como a an?lise de fezes e o monitoramento destes animais em regi?es com maior densidade de indiv?duos. Os dados apresentados neste estudo servir?o de base para futuros estudos relacionados com dieta destes mam?feros em outras ?reas de estudo