<p><strong></strong>Characterization of the species present in a given locality by means of biological inventories provides information about diversity, even if it is done in disturbed environments such as open dumps, which are considered a threat for health due to the accumulation of heavy metals that are well known for their negative effects on human health and the environment. <strong>Objectives</strong>. To carry out a preliminary characterization of arthropods and non-flying small mammals in the <em>Morro de Moravia</em> open dump, and to determine the heavy metal contents in animal tissue samples. <strong>Materials and Methods. </strong>Arthropods were collected with pitfall traps and manually. Rodents were captured with Sherman traps. The heavy metal analysis was carried out with atomic spectroscopy. <strong>Results</strong>. A total of 9 orders, 51 families and 75 morphospecies of insects, 5 families of spiders, two syrphid and a millipede species were identified; <em>Mus musculus</em> was the only small mammal species identified. Heavy metal analysis showed various concentrations mainly of Pb and Cd. The highest content of Pb (45.05 mg/kg) was found in samples of <em>M. musculus</em> and the highest Cd content (10.31 mg/kg) was found in spiders of the family Gasteracantha. <strong>Conclusions</strong>. The <em>Morro de Moravia</em> open dump provides conditions that allow the establishment of an arthropod community with various diets and niches. The transference of heavy metals from the residue matrix towards higher levels of the trophic chain was corroborated.</p> <p><strong>Key words:</strong> arthropods, biological inventories, cadmium, <em>Mus musculus, </em>lead</p><br />