GOING BEYOND THE LIMITS OF CHAPADA DIAMANTINA: FIRST RECORD OF THELYSCHISTA GHILLANYI (ORCHIDACEAE: SPIRANTHINAE) IN THE ATLANTIC FOREST

Thelyschista ghillanyi in the Atlantic Forest

Abstract

Thelyschista ghillanyi (Orchidaceae) is a rare species hitherto endemic to campos rupestres (rocky fields) of Chapada Diamantina, in the state of Bahia, northeastern Brazil, within the phytogeographic domain of Caatinga. We report here the first record of T. ghillanyi in the Atlantic Forest and present an ecological niche model of the species under current and future (2041-2060) scenarios. We found approximately 15-20 individuals of T. ghillanyi in a shrubby restinga formation in Parque Municipal das Dunas, in the municipality of Salvador, Bahia, but this population is exposed to the risk of local suppression due to habitat destruction and stochastic events. The ideal conditions for the occurrence of T. ghyllanyi include precipitation in the warmest quarter approximately 350 mm and elevation approximately 900 meters. Our results suggest that the species may have a wider distribution in the Atlantic Forest, which is not limited to the coast of Bahia.