United States Department of the Interior Oscar L. Chapman, Secretary Fish and Wildlife Service Albert M. Day, Director Special Scientific Report - Wildlife No, 5 A FISH AND WILDLIFE SURVEY OF GUATEMALA By George B. Saunders Biologist Ancil D. HollovAY Charles O. Handley, Jr, Aquatic Biologist Biologist Explanatory Note The series embodies results of investigations, usually. otrestricted scope, intended to aid or direct management or utilization practices and as guides for administrative or legislative action. It is issued in limited quantities for the official use of Federal, State or cooperating agencies and in processed form for economy and to avoid delay in publication. Washington, D. C. June 1950 TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ................................................................... 1 THE GAME BIRDS AND SHOREBIRDS OF GUATEMALA ....................................... 3 Introduction ............................................................. 3 Wildlife Regions of Guatemala .............................................. 3 Game Birds and Shorebirds .................................................. 5 Tinamous ............................................................. 6 Migratory Waterfowl .................................................. 6 Quail ............................................................... 8 Doves and Pigeons .................................................... 9 Birds Which Occur in Both the United States and Guatemala ............... 10 Birds Which Occur in Guatemala Only as Migrants or Winter Visitants, and Which Breed in the'United States, Canada, or Alaska ...................................................... 10 Birds Which Occur in Both Guatemala and the United States as Breeders, and Which are More or Less Migratory .................. 13 Birds Which Occur in Both Guatemala and the United States as Breeders, but Which are Relatively Sedentary .................... 13 Some Banded Birds Recovered in Guatemala .......................... 14 Administration of the Department of Fish and Game ...................... 15 Game Regulations ................................................ 16 Itinerary of Wildlife Survey ................. 17 Notes on the Game Birds and Shorebirds of Guatemala .................... 18, 19 Species not Recorded from Guatemala but Which Are Believed to Occur There . 91 Map of Guatemala ................................. 94 Bibliography ........................................................ 95 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE FISHERY RESOURCES OF GUATEMALA ..... 99* Introduction ........................................................ 99 Fish Management Problems in the Fresh Waters of Guatemala ............... 99 Species Recommended for Introduction ...100 Streams ...101 Factors Determining the Value of Streams ...101 Streams Flowing into the Pacific Ocean ............................. 103 Streams Flowing into the Caribbean Sea ............................. 104 RIO Motagua Drainage .......................................... 104 RZO Polochic .................................................. 105 Streams Flowing into the Gulf of M4Xico .............................. 106 RfO Usumacinta Drainage ....................................... 106 Inland Lakes ........................................................... 107 Laguna de Amatitlgn .......................................... 107 Lago de Atitlgn .............................................. 108 Lago de Ayarza ................................................ 109 Laguna de Atescatempa ......................................... 110 Lago Calderas ................................................ 111 Laguna de Pine ................................................ 111 Lago Lemoa .................................................... 111 Lago Moca .................................................... 112 Lago San Cristobal ............................................ 112 Lago Ixpaco .................................................. 113 Laguna de Escondido. .......................................... 111 Small Lake Near Huehuetenango ................................. 113 Lago Izabal, El Golfete, and Reo Dulce .......................... 113 Pacific Coastal Lagoons ................................................ 115 Lakes and Streams of Petgn .............................................. 117 Summary of Stocking Recommendations ..................................... 117 Hatchery Sites and Recommendations ....................................... 119 Salt-Water Commercial Fisheries ......................................... 121 Pacific Ocean ..................................................... 121 Caribbean Sea ..................................................... 122 Future Development of the Marine Fisheries ............................... 123 Development of Fishing as a Tourist Attraction ............................ 124. Administration of the Fishery Resources ................................. 124 General Suggestions on Fresh-Water Fishery Regulations .................... 125 Marine Fisheries ....................................................... 126 Bibliography ........................................................... 127 List of Some Publications Pertaining to Fishing Equipment, Methods, and Caribbean Fisheries .............................................. 127 List of the More Important Inland Fishes of Guatemala .................... 128 Table No. 1 Compilation of Temperature and Chemical Data from Streams .......................................... 130 Table No. 2 Stream Data Showing Size, Water Flow, and Pool Evaluations .......................................... 132 Table No. 3 Stream Data Showing Composition of Riffles at Points Indicated in Table No. 4 and Map No. 3 ............... 134 Table No. 4 Locations Where Stream Data of Tables Nos. 1, 2 and 3 Were Obtained ......................................... 136 Man No. 1 RIO Dulce and El Golfete, Guatemala, Central America ....... 138 Map No. 2 Lago De Izabal, Guatemala, Central America . ..... 139 Map No. 3 Map of Guatemala showing principal streams and lakes ....... 140 ii GAM MAMMALS OF GUAMMALA .................................................... 141 Introduction ......................................................... 141 Minting in Guatemala .................................................. 141 Catalog of large Mammals of Guatemala 142 Key to the Large Mammals of Guatemala 160 References • • • • • • • • • ..................................... 162 iii A REPORT ON THE FISH AND WILDLIFE SURVEY OF GUATEMALA BY A MISSION OF THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT 1946 and 1947 INTRODUCTION The fish and wildlife survey of Guatemala, conducted during the periods March through May of both 1946 and 1947, was made by a Mission of the Fish and Wildlife Service, United States Department of the Interior, pursuant to the terms of an intergovernmental agreement concluded by representatives of the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the Republic of Guatemala. The project was organized as part of the program of he Government of the United States of America for cooperation with American Republics.AJ Personnel of the Mission were Dr. George B. Saunders, biologist, Division of Wildlife Research, Anoil D. Holloway, aquatic biologist, Division of Game-fish and Hatcheries, and Charles O. Headley, Jr., biologist, Office of Foreign Activities, all of the Fish and Wildlife Service, and Dr. Robert R. Miller, Assistant Curator, Division of Fishes, United States National Museum. Dr. Saunders served as Chief of the Mission. He, Ht. Holloway, and Dr. Miller participated in the survey both years; Mt. Handley assisted during 1947. The Mission was organized by and functioned under the administrative direction of Dr. H. J. Deacon, Chief, Office of Foreign Activities, fish and Wildlife Service. The Republic of Guatemala, Ministry of Agriculture, assigned three members Of its newly organized Department of Game and Fish to assist in the survey each year. In 1946, under the administrative direction of Dr. Roberto Guirola, Minister of Agriculture, and Sr. Gabriel Asturias Moulton, Chief, Division of Livestock, the appointments of Sr. Julio Midence, Sr. Fernando Barneond, and Sr. Julio Mendizabal as field associates, were made. In 1947, under Sr. Francisco V. Calderda, Minister of Agriculture, and Sr. Lisandro Castillo, Chief, Division of Livestock, Sr. Julio Midence, Sr. Ricardo Camacho Bory, and Sr. Bigoberto Chao& were the Guatemalans on the field staff. Unfor- tunately, illness forced Sr. Chacdn to leave the survey after two weeks. The Mission operated as two field unite, one which studied the kinds, distri- bution, and general ecology of fishes, as well as the ecology of the waters in which they occurred, and a second which studied the game birds and mammals, their distribution, and relative abundance. In one unit, Ancil D. Holloway made an appraisal of the lakes and streams, their fish populations, and the opportunities for introduction of better species for food and game. Dr. Robert R. Miller studied the kinds, distribution, and relative abundance of fishes, emphasizing taxonomy. They were assisted in 1946 by Sr. Midence and Sr. Mendizabal, and in 1947 by Sr. Midence. In another unit, Dr. George B. Saunders investigated chiefly the game birds of the Republic, while Charles O. Handley, Jr., in 1947, studied the mammals. In 1946, Sr. Barneond assisted throughout the period of field work; in 1947, Sr. Chao& and Sr. Camacho Dory assisted on several'trips. In general the