while others show preference for bushes, leaf litter or sandy soils (F = 10.22; p = 0.

01), factors related to microhabitat availability. The greatest richness and diversity indexes were obtained in savannas and grasslands, while forests were the poorest habitats. Differences among sampling sites can be explained by the association between each of the lizard species and some of the environmental parameters, reflecting ecological constraints on the many sympatric lineages. Habitat heterogeneity in Cerrado determines high beta diversity, resulting in great regional diversity as well as differences in faunal composition and abundance among neighboring areas, allowing sympatry among non-syntopic species. These results indicate the importance of preserving heterogeneous areas in order to protect the greatest portion of the regional fauna, and this is applicable to management planning in Emas National Park region as well as to the definition of conservation priorities for the whole Cerrado. _____________________________________________________________________________________

* VARGAS-S. F.; GUTIERREZ-C. P. D.

(VSF) Graduate Program of Biology, University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico. 00931-3360 (GCPD) Maestra en Bosques y Conservacin Ambiental, Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Universidad Nacional, Medelln, Colombia

Preliminary observations to ecology and ontogenic changes in embryos and tadpoles of the treefrog Agalychnis spurrelli (Hylidae: Phyllomedusinae)
In Phyllomedusinae frogs (Hylidae) there are many studies about natural history, reproductive behavior, and morphological descriptions; however, few works discuss in detail the ontogenic development in this animal group. Because the knowledge of ontogenic aspects is useful for studies of systematic and phylogenetic history, we want describe some morphological traits of embryos and tadpoles of Agalychnis spurrelli through their metamorphosis. Also, we made some observations about their natural history. Between November of 1998 and march of 1999, 26 A. spurrelli egg clutches were monitored in a population breeding around one artificial pool located in Vereda Danubio, Anchicay, Pcifico Colombiano. Observations and collections of these clutches were used for know aspects such as: morphological changes in embryos, time of hatching and metamorphosis, causes and levels of mortality. 289 tadpoles were additionally collected for to complete the observations. The early stages of development of Agalychnis spurrelli followed the pattern founded in the most of amphibians however, since the stage 14 the development is different and possible according with necessitates of space, water and oxygen interchange. The ontogenic development tended to show a middle point of the traits exhibited by species located in the two evolutionary extremes of reproductive modes in frogs (totally aquatic and totally terrestrial). In the arboreal phase (stages 1 to 24), the embryos within the eggs showed some external morphological traits similar to the traits in species of terrestrial reproduction but, in the aquatic phase, the external traits are similar to the showed by species of aquatic reproduction. Preliminary ecological observations on A. spurrelli tadpoles suggesting some effects of the characteristics of the body water (permanent, low mortality, high food resources), effects of individuals density, and/or genetic influences from the parents in the relative rates of development/growth. Studies of those aspects are necessary before any conclusive affirmation. _____________________________________________________________________________________

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