Аннотация:Preliminary distributional and ecological data on the mammal fauna of central Brazil are presented.Small mammals were intensively surveyed on adjacent ecological reserves near Brasilia, Federal District, Brazil, between July 1983 and November 1984.We also report results of small mammal surveys in Minas Gerais, Goias, Mato Grosso, and Mato Grosso do Sul.The vegetation of these five Brazilian states is dominated by cerrado ( sensu iato), with an upland landscape of xeromorphic grasslands and woodlands, and marshes and lowland gallery forests occurring along the streams and rivers.Data are presented on the habitat preferences, molting patterns, reproduction, ectoparasites, and natural history of all species of cerrado mammals we saw or collected during our research in Brazil.The cerrado is an important and extensive habitat that interconnects many of South America's major phytogeographic areas, including the Amazon rain forest, the Atlantic rain forest, the caatinga, and the chacoan thorn scrub.As such, the cerrado and its mammals could play an important role in the conservation of South America's biota.Thus, further research on cerrado mammals is to be strongly encouraged.
