31
ATLANT
IC(^) O
CE
A
N
Termites
Termites are ant-sized insects
that build their own “cities.”
These huge mounds get up to
30 in (77 cm) high. The mounds
have underground chambers
where workers store wood, care
for eggs, and even grow fungal
gardens for food!
This mound houses a termite colony.
Location
The Cerrado lies in central
Brazil. While it rains a lot
here, the showers only fall
during half the year, so it
is dry for the other half.
HABITAT KEY
Tropical
forests
Deciduous
forests
Cold desert
SCALE
200 kilometers
0
0
200 miles
BR
A
Z
IL
IA
N
H
IG
H
L
A
N
D
S
So
br
ad
in
ho
da
m
Brasília
Pa
ra
ná
X
in
g
u
Helmeted
manakin
Giant ameiva
Also called the racerunner,
this lizard relies on speed
to escape predators in
the grasslands.
Jaguarundi
This cat can leap
up to 6^1 ⁄ 2 ft (2 m)
off the ground
to catch birds.
Red-legged
seriema
This bird can run at
speeds of up to 25 mph
(40 kph) for short
distances—about as
fast as a top sprinter.
The giant armadillo
can grow to 3 ft (1 m)
long. It rips open
termite mounds with
its front claws to reach
the tasty insects inside.
Giant
armadillo
This tiny frog puffs
up the two “eyespots”
above its back legs to
scare away predators.
Cuyaba
dwarf frog
This short-legged, stocky
carnivore has webbed
feet, which make it a
good swimmer.
Bush dog
Just 3^1 ⁄ 2 in (9.5 m) long,
this tiny opossum stores
fat in its tail like a camel
stores fat in its hump.
Karimi’s fat-tailed
mouse opossum
Sã
o
F
ra
n
ci
sc
o
Boettger’s
caecilian
Soldier termites
protect the mound
with their huge jaws.
Worker termites
are smaller than
soldiers and don’t
have large jaws.
Ara
gu
ai
a
To
ca
nt
in
s
US_030_031_Cerrado.indd 31 31/03/2017 14:48