NOTE ON THE FAUNA OF SMALL RODENTS IN AN ANTHROPOGENIC MOSAIC WITH A FOREST REMNANT OF THE ATLANTIC FOREST DOMAIN, SOUTHERN BRAZIL

Abstract

The study was done in a rural area of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil. The purpose was to contribute to the knowledge of the small mammal fauna of an area of the Atlantic Forest Domain. The study area, between 30°14’S and 51°02’W, comprehends pastures and crops, secondary forest remnants, eucalypt and Pinus sp. plantations. The samples were carried out on a monthly basis, from July to October 2006 and from March to June 2007, during four consecutive nights, in a native forest fragment and in an area of eucalypt plantation. The trapping effort was 1165 trap nights. Rodents were captured using Tomahawk traps set out in transect and grid trapping format. The following sigmodontine rodents were found: Akodon montensis, Oligoryzomys nigripes and Sooretamys angouya. Akodon montensis and S. angouya were captured, respectively, in the eucalypt plantation and in the native forest remnant, while O. nigripes was found in both environments. Oligoryzomys nigripes was the most abundant species, followed by S. angouya and A. montensis.