Translation of paper using Google:
PresentationThe minhocuçu, Rhinodrillus Fafner Michaelsen, 1918, is a species of worm endemic known from only one specimen and locality (district Fats Sabará) the outskirts of Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais. Its extinction risk was assessed according to the criteria of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN 2001), based on data available by 2011. The species was categorized as "Data Deficient (DD)."
RationaleThe species is not recorded since it was collected in the early twentieth century. His extension occurrence (EOO) and area occupancy (AOO) can not be calculated since it is known only one station were unaware of the ecological associations of species habitat. Also do not know the population parameters. It is assumed that the natural species is Forest Semideciduous, as Fimoscolex sporadochaetus Michaelsen, 1918, also collected in fats, around the same time (1913). Following this assumption, it can be inferred that the habitat of occurrence is in steady decline, not only by deforestation Atlantic Forest in the state of Minas Gerais, but also by increasing urbanization in type locality. However, no significant effort to locate populations of species. Righi sought species on the outskirts of Belo Horizonte on two occasions, in 1967 and 1968, without success, but it is not known efforts to locate other species since then. The presence minhocuçús of some species can be predicted by the production of coprolites (stools) of large size at the soil surface, but it is unclear whether R. Fafner produces these coprolites. It is known minhocuçús that are very difficult to be captured in some types of habitat, especially in the Atlantic, and can often go to the same place in search of minhocuçús, knowing that lie there, unable to collect them. Therefore, considering the lack of significant efforts for location of populations of this species, R. Fafner was categorized as Data Deficient (DD). If it is found, one should study their biology and ecology to assess whether this needs to stay well-preserved areas.
History of previous evaluationsNationally (MMA 2003, Machado et al. 2008): Extinct (EX)
Rationale for changeAlthough there was no record of the species since it was found at the beginning of twentieth century, it is believed that there has been significant efforts to locate populations of species. In order to properly assess whether the species is threatened, are needed population data and better understanding of their distribution (EOO and AOO), both missing to R Fafner. Therefore, the species should be categorized as Data Deficient (DD).
Minas Gerais (COPAM Deliberation 041/1995, Machado et al. 1998): Probably Extinct
Minas Gerais (COPAM Deliberation 147/2010): Critically Endangered (CR) B2ab (ii, iii)
Characteristics of the speciesThe species is known from a single specimen collected by F. Jikan in 1912 in the neighborhood of Fats Sabará the outskirts of Belo Horizonte, MG. This region was occupied Originally by Semideciduous Forest. It is known that often minhocuçús have expertise in the type of habitat or soil type (van Praagh 1997, Caballero 1973), suggesting that R. Fafner could also have specific preferences that limit occupational area within the habitat of occurrence. The specimen is in the museum Senckenberg in Frankfurt, but the lot with the type specimen in the collection contains many fragments in poor condition (Picture). To be studied taxonomically, the specimen was treated with a mixture of gelatin and cotton. Rhinodrilus Fafner is among the largest earthworms noted in scientific literature (Blakemore et al. 2007), with 2.1 m long and up to 24mm thick (Michaelsen 1918). However, the bits present in the collection totaled at the time of description, only 1.4 m length, and Michaelsen (1918) speculated that they represent only part of an animal complete, or that some pieces had been destroyed in the preparation of special animal. Currently, the fragments found in the batch type make up only 70cm in length (J. Römbke, personal communication, 2012). By poor maintenance, it was not possible observations More detailed morphology of their internal structures, especially glands calcíferas used to determine your general position (Michaelsen 1918). Therefore, its position in Rhinodrilus genus is doubtful. However, the species was considered valid and, despite being very close to Rhinodrilus horsti (Beddard, 1892), no other known worm in Glossoscolecidae family with their morphological characteristics, in particular, the nine pairs spermathecae segments 7-15 (Michaelsen 1918). It is known that Righi sought species on the outskirts of Belo Horizonte on two occasions in 1967 and 1968 without success (Righi & Mary 1998), but we do not know of other efforts to locating the species. Although Castro & D'Agosto (1999a, 1999b) have reported the presence of two individuals R. Fafner, found the 25cm deep in gallery forest in the State Park Ibitipoca, it is believed that an error has occurred and identifying those individuals that correspond to other species, since the observation of photos of individuals by GG James Brown in 2004 and S.W. (Specimens with <40cm long) differs from the expected to the description of this minhocuçu (Michaelsen 1918, James & Brown 2006).
ThreatsThe species occurs in an area with intense urban settlement, mining, deforestation and reducing habitat. The destruction of these forests may have caused population declines in single known locality.
Existing research and necessaryOne should endeavor to locate populations of the species in forested areas of possible occurrence (especially with Semideciduous Forest) and check its tolerance or vulnerability to disturbance. How many minhocuçús leave the soil and emerge in their only with surface runoff (James 1996), should be prioritized demand in the months of greatest
intensity of rainfall (summer, in case the place of occurrence of R. Fafner) and seek to use the media mass communication to facilitate the search for this species in the region of Belo Horizonte and Sabara. Also needed are studies of basic biology and ecology of the species, if it is rediscovered.
ThanksWe appreciate the information and pictures provided by Dr. Dieter Fiege (Senckenberg Museum, Frankfurt) and Jörg Römbke (ECT-Oekotoxicologie, Florsheim) on the material type in Senckenberg Museum.
ReferencesBlakemore, R.J.; Csuzdi, C.; Ito, M.T.; Kaneko, N.; Paoletti, M.G.; Spiridonov, S.E.; Uchida, T. & Van Praagh, B.D. 2007. Megascolex (Promegascolex) mekongianus Cognetti, 1922 – its extent, ecology and allocation to Amynthas (Clitellata/Oligochaeta: Megascolecidae). Opuscula Zoologica Budapest v. 36, p. 19-30.
Caballero, M.E.S. 1973. Bionomia dos Oligochaeta terrestres da Região Norte-Ocidental do Estado de São
Paulo. Tese de Doutorado, Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho, São José do Rio Preto-SP.
Castro, G.A. & d’Agosto, M. 1999a. Ocupação ambiental dos oligoquetos terrestres em diferentes ambientes
fitofisionômicos do Parque Estadual do Ibitipoca-MG. Revista Brasileira de Zoociências v. 1, p. 103-114.
Castro, G.A. & d’Agosto, M. 1999b. Distribuição vertical dos oligoquetos terrestres em diferentes ambientes fitofisionômicos do Parque Estadual do Ibitipoca-MG. Revista Brasileira de Zoociências v. 1, p. 115-121.
IUCN, 2001. IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria: Version 3.1. IUCN Species Survival Commission. IUCN,
Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge,UK. 30 p.
James, S.W. 1996. Earthworms. Em: Hall, G.S. (ed.). Methods for the examination of organismal diversity in
siols and sediments. Wallingford: CABI. p. 249-262.
James, S.W. & Brown, G.G. 2006. Earthworm ecology and diversity in Brazil. Em: Moreira, F.M.S., Siqueira, J.O.
& Brussaard, L. (eds.). Soil biodiversity in Amazonian and other Brazilian ecosystems. Wallingford: CABI. p. 56-116.
Machado, A.B.M.; Fonseca, G.A.B. da; Machado,R.B.; Aguiar, L.M. de S. & Lins, L.V. (eds.). 1998. Livro Vermelho
das Espécies Ameaçadas de Extinção da Fauna de Minas Gerais. Fundação Biodiversistas, Belo Horizonte.
608p.
Machado, A.B.M.; Drummond, G.M. & Paglia, A.P. (eds.). 2008. Livro Vermelho da fauna brasileira ameaçada de
extinção. 1 ed. MMA & Fundação Biodiversitas. 1420p.
Michaelsen, W. 1918. Die Lumbriciden. Zoologische Jahrbücher, Abteilung für Systematik v.41, p. 1-398.
Minas Gerais. 1995. Aprova a Lista de Espécies Ameaçadas de Extinção da Fauna do Estado de Minas Gerais. Deliberação Normativa COPAM n.º 041/95. Diário do Executivo Minas Gerais, 20/01/1996.
Minas Gerais. 2010. Aprova a Lista de Espécies Ameaçadas de Extinção da Fauna do Estado de Minas Gerais. Deliberação Normativa COPAM n.º 147 de 30 de abril de 2010. Diário do Executivo Minas Gerais, 04/05/2010.
MMA (Ministério do Meio Ambiente), 2003. Instrução Normativa Nº 003, de 26 de maio de 2003. Diário Oficial da
União. Nº 101, 28/05/03:88-97.
Righi, G. & de Maria, M. 1998. Oligoquetas. In: Machado, A.B.M, Fonseca, G.A.B., Machado, R.B., Aguiar, L.M.S. &
Lins, L.V. (ed.). 1998. Livro vermelho das espécies ameaçadas de extinção da fauna de Minas Gerais. Belo
Horizonte: Fundação Biodiversitas. p. 573-583.
Van Praagh, B.D. 1997. Conservation of native earthworms and the role of the giant Gippsland earthworm as a flagship taxon. Memoirs of the Museum of Victoria v. 56, p. 597-603.
