História natural de Hylodes perere Silva & Benmaman, 2008 (Anura, Hylodidae) na Serra Negra da Mantiqueira: micro-hábitat, dimorfismo sexual, dieta, distribuição e conservação

Abstract

The Atlantic Forest is an ecoregion considered to be of extreme importance for global biodiversity, partly due to its high number of endemic species. The great altitudinal variation, mountainous complexes and climatic factors associated with environments of natural fragmentation favor high levels of biodiversity and endemism for several groups, with emphasis on frogs. However, many species remain without sufficient information available on their conservation status and natural history. Hylodes perere is a species of anuran known to the Atlantic Forest of southeastern Brazil, has daytime and nighttime habits, and is classified as "Insufficient Data" at national and global level, like many other endemic species in this ecoregion. In order to increase knowledge about the natural history of this species, which can contribute to the review of its conservation status, we aimed to: (i) describe the use of the micro- habitat of H. perere, (ii) verify the existence of dimorphism sexual size based on morphometric measurements and (iii) describe the species' diet, in addition to commenting on the distribution and conservation status of the species. We observed that males and females have a preference for different micro-habitats, with males found on rocks and females using cracks in rocks. Hylodes perere showed sexual dimorphism in size, with females larger than males (28.91 mm ± 3.70 x 26.24 mm ± 1.59), while males had greater arm width and forearm width. The diet was similar for both sexes with predominance of Formicidae, Araneae families and Hymenoptera families, which suggests a similar foraging strategy between males and females. Currently, Hylodes perere has an apparently stable population in the Serra Negra da Mantiqueira State Park, but it needs attention due to the increasing loss and fragmentation of habitat in the Atlantic Forest. The results presented here can assist in the development of future conservation and in situ management strategies for this species.