Giant armadillo burrows as refuges for anurans during the dry season in the Pantanal wetland

Ecosystem engineers can create shelters that offer favorable conditions for other organisms, potentially playing an important role in species conservation. The giant armadillo (Priodontes maximus) constructs burrows that function as shelters, thermal refuges, and feeding sites for many vertebrates. However, amphibian use of these burrows has not been previously documented. This study aimed to record anuran occurrence inside giant armadillo burrows and to test whether anuran abundance was higher in burrows than in surrounding areas during the dry season. Sampling was conducted between July and September 2021 in the Brazilian Pantanal wetland, using arthropod traps placed inside burrows and at control points. Four anuran species were recorded, with Physalaemus albonotatus and P. biligonigerus being the most abundant. The abundance of individuals inside the burrows was significantly greater than at control sites. Because amphibians depend on shelters to regulate physiological needs, giant armadillo burrows likely provide suitable microhabitats that combine stable humidity, mild temperatures, loose soil, and abundant prey, making them valuable refuges for terrestrial anurans during the dry season as well as for other vertebrates and invertebrates.