Abstract

LESSA, Leonardo G.  and  COSTA, Fabiane N.. Food habits and seed dispersal by Thrichomys apereoides (Rodentia: Echimyidae) in a Brazilian Cerrado reserve. Mastozool. neotrop. [online]. 2009, vol.16, n.2, pp.459-463. ISSN 0327-9383.

The food habits and seed dispersal promoted by Thrichomys apereoides (Rodentia, Echimyidae) were investigated in a Cerrado reserve in southeastern Brazil. Diet was determined by faecal analysis and seed dispersal was tested through seed germination experiments. As a result, 68 scats of T. apereoides were collected and in mean 76.5% contained arthropods, hymenoptera being the most frequent food item. Moderate to high germination rates obtained showed that, despite the efficiency of the rodent's feeding apparatus, small sized seeds of pioneer plants passed undamaged through the guts and remained viable. The high consumption of seeds belonging to pioneer plants (Clidemia urceolata and Miconia holosericea) emphasizes the importance of T. apereoides related to dispersal rather than predation for small sized seeds.

Keywords : Cerrado domain; Diet composition; Seed dispersal.

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