DAILY ACTIVITY PATTERNS OF SMALL MAMMALS IN A CERRADO AREA FROM CENTRAL BRAZIL

We investigated the daily activity patterns of four species of small m ammals in an area of cerrado habitat in central Brazil. We checked liv e traps at 3-hour intervals during the night. Bolomys lasiurus and Cal omys tener (Rodentia, Muridae), two potential competitors, differed si gnificantly in their daily activity patterns. Bolomys lasiurus had pea ks during the twilight, whereas C. tener had a more constant activity through the night, with a peak between 2200 and 0100 h. Thalpomys cerr adensis (Rodentia, Muridae) was more active immediately after sunset a nd in the last three hours before sunrise. Thylamys velutinus (Marsupi alia, Marmosidae) was strictly nocturnal with greater activity early i n the night. Other factors, such as predation pressure or diet, may be important in determining the activity patterns observed in this study .