DOCSLIB.ORG

Assessment of Potential Cuban Hutia Management at U.S. Naval Base, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Assessment of Potential Cuban Hutia Management at U.S. Naval Base, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba Assessment of Potential Cuban Hutia Management at U.S. Naval Base, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba Gary W. Witmer USDA APHIS Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, Fort Collins, Colorado Martin Lowney and Harold McDaniel USDA APHIS Wildlife Services, Moseley, Virginia Deanna Rees Natural Resources Section, Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Norfolk, Virginia Abstract: The Cuban hutia ( Capromys pilorides ), known locally as the banana rat, is a large rodent native to Cuba. Endemic to the West Indies, most species of hutia are rare or extinct because of over-harvest, exotic species introductions, and habitat modifications by humans. An exception is the U.S. Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where the Cuban hutia is very common and is responsible for a variety of damage and conflicts. Conflicts with humans include damage to landscaping, gnawing through cables, damage to vehicles, and the accumulation of large amounts of feces in residential areas. Additionally, hutia are primarily herbivores and botanists have documented substantial damage to native vegetation with little subsequent regeneration of many plant species. Current management focuses on population reduction by shooting and some trapping, followed by euthanasia or relocation to remote areas. Although there is little published information on the Cuban hutia, this paper presents a literature review, population survey data (1999-2000), and biological data from a sample of hutia collected in May 2001. It appears that the hutia, the largest native mammal in Cuba, is quite prolific and well adapted to exploit most habitats and plant foods. Some considerations, including advantages and disadvantages, of potential management techniques (habitat modification, exclusion, trapping, shooting, and toxicants) to reduce damage and conflicts with hutia are presented. Finally, several areas of additional data or research needs are identified. Key Words: Capromys pilorides , Caribbean, damage, Cuban hutia, rodent, wildlife management, Cuba Proc. 20 th Vertebr. Pest Conf. (R. M. Timm and R. H. Schmidt, Eds.) Published at Univ. of Calif., Davis. 2002. Pp. 59-66. INTRODUCTION wildlife, and wildlife issues. During the trip, discussions The U.S. Navy requested assistance from USDA were held with Base personnel regarding wildlife damage Wildlife Service’s (WS) Virginia State Office (WS-VA) and management at GTMO. The entire Base property in the management of several non-native invasive (30,000 acres, of which about 20,000 is terrestrial) was vertebrate species (feral cats and dogs, chickens, goats, toured, using the existing road system, to familiarize white-tailed deer, guinea fowl, and pigeons) that posed consulting personnel with the habitats. Cuban hutia were problems (e.g., vehicle strikes, airport hazards, native collected during the course of wildlife population control vegetation damage, and predation on native wildlife) at operations (trapping and shooting) and later necropsied to the Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay (GTMO), Cuba. obtain biological and demographic information on the Several trips to GTMO were made by WS personnel to species. This paper provides the results of a literature reduce those populations. Additionally, high densities of review and population survey, biological data on hutia, a large native rodent (the Cuban hutia, Capromys and a discussion of potential strategies and techniques for pilorides ) caused a variety of damage and conflicts. A hutia management at GTMO. research scientist from the WS National Wildlife Research Center (NWRC) accompanied a WS-VA LITERATURE REVIEW wildlife specialist on a trip to GTMO in May 2001. This Although Cuba has a rich flora and avian fauna, it trip was preceded by visits by university scientists and has few native mammals. Of the 77 native mammalian personnel of The Nature Conservancy who, along with species, >80% are extinct (Woods 1989, Woods and U.S. Navy biologists, documented vegetation damage by Eisenberg 1989). Bats comprise the largest mammalian hutia and provided some information on the status of species group on the island: 33 species have been hutia populations. The objectives of the May trip by WS identified (both living and extinct). Rodents comprise the personnel were to further assess the hutia situation at next most common mammalian species group. GTMO and to recommend possible management Historically, there have been as many as 21 species strategies. WS-VA personnel had made several trips to belonging to 2 subfamilies (Capromyinae and GTMO for hutia control operations before the May trip. Heteropsomyinae), but only 4 species (all Capromys spp.) Before the May trip, a literature review was currently remain (Woods 1989). There is also one rare conducted on hutia as well as Cuban vegetation, habitats, species of insectivore ( Solenodon cubanus ). Human 59 exploitation, habitat modification, and exotic species fur is lighter colored on the underside of the animal. introductions have caused the demise of most species Hutia of various species are, in general, sexually (Woods and Eisenberg 1989, Wing 1989). It is mature at about 10 months. Based on observations of interesting that so many mammal groups (carnivores, captive animals, it appears that females can breed and ungulates, rabbits, marsupials, and most rodent genera) bear young throughout the year, but have a birth peak in that occur in North, Central, and South America are June. Females undergo a 15-16-day estrus and have a absent from the living or extinct species of Cuba; this is gestation period of about 110-125 days. The young are presumably because of the great geographic isolation of very precocial and are fully weaned in about 150 days, the Caribbean Islands (Williams 1989). Most of the although they are sampling vegetation within a few days native mammalian species of Cuba are rare or after birth. Females have a pair of lateral thoracic endangered; of terrestrial species, only the Cuban hutia is mammae on each side that are well hidden in the fur of fairly common, especially in the area of Guantanamo Bay their sides. Females typically have one young during (Alvarez and Gonzalez 1991, Anderson and Jones 1984, their first pregnancy but usually bear 2-3 (range 1-6) IUCN 1982, Nowak 1991, Wilson and Reeder 1993). young thereafter. Hutia may live 8+ years in captivity. It has been already noted that a number of non- Hutia, depending on the species, are usually solitary or native mammalian species occur in Cuba. Some of these found in family groups. were introduced purposefully (cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, The Cuban hutia is primarily nocturnal, spending the chickens, white-tailed deer, and mongoose) while others days in trees, inside hollowed-out tree trunks, in dense arrived accidentally (commensal rodents such as Rattus grass, in rocky areas, or underground in natural openings. spp. and Mus musculus ). We will not address these They forage on a variety of plant parts (bark, stems, species in this report unless they have a bearing on hutia leaves, flowers, fruit) of many species and may consume ecology or management. lizards. Presumably, they do not require free water. Because of the rarity of the Capromyids, most Cuban hutia use a wide variety of habitats from steep, human effort with them involves locating and protecting rocky, ocean cliffs to mud flats to grasslands to forests. populations, including relocation and captive breeding The chief predators of hutia are humans, large birds of programs (e.g., Alvarez and Gonzalez 1991, Brochstein prey, boas, and introduced dogs and cats. The Cuban 1987, Clough 1985). There is relatively little published crocodile may have been a significant predator of hutia, literature on the hutia, and some of what may be available but that species is now very rare in Cuba. Hutia may feed is in Spanish and located in Cuban journals that are not on the bark that they strip from trees and may feed in readily accessible in the U.S. Much of what we know gardens, but are not considered an agricultural pest, about hutia comes from observations of captive perhaps because of their rareness throughout most of populations held at zoos or at universities; furthermore, Cuba. the accounts in mammal books are usually very brief In addition to the general literature summarized (e.g., Anderson and Jones 1984, Nowak 1991, Wilson above, there have been some reports generated on hutia and Reeder 1993, Parker 1990). Most of the research on and other resources of GTMO that provide more specific hutia has been done by Charles Woods of the University information on hutia and their damage. These include a of Florida, Gainesville (e.g., Woods 1982, 1989; Woods Rapid Ecological Assessment (REA) of the entire Base and Howland 1979; Woods and McKeen 1989). (ProAmbiente/The Nature Conservancy 1999), an Unfortunately for resource managers, his research focuses assessment of plant damage (APD) by herbivores at the on species evolution, taxonomy, morphology, and Base (Areces-Mallea 2000), and a hutia population biogeography rather than on ecology, management, and management (HPM) report (Higginson and Howe 2001). species interactions. Lee (1996) provides a good, general An additional report (USFWS 1978) provides text on the natural history of Cuba, but only a very brief background information on fish and wildlife resources account of hutia. He notes that the Cuban hutia is the and their potential management at GTMO but makes no largest native mammal in Cuba and is known to Cubans mention of hutia. as “juntia Conga,” although we found them to be The REA is a lengthy document that reviews the commonly called “banana rats” at the Naval Base. status of all terrestrial and marine resources of GTMO. The following brief account of the biology and Although moderately disturbed in the past by human ecology of the Cuban hutia has been gleaned from the activities, GTMO is considered an important global above citations. The Cuban hutia is the largest of the representative of the arid, tropical ecosystems of the living species of Capromys . Adults average about 4-7 kg Caribbean.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Epidemiological Investigations on the Occurrence of Mycobacterium
    Epidemiological investigations on the occurrence of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis in different matrices from cattle and zoo animals by IS900 polymerase chain reaction assays Dissertation to obtain the Ph. D. degree in the Ph. D. Program for Agricultural Sciences in Goettingen (PAG) at the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Germany presented by Pia Münster born in Düsseldorf, Germany Göttingen, March 2012 D 7 1. Name of supervisor: Prof. Dr. Dr. Claus-Peter Czerny 2. Name of co-supervisor: Prof. Dr. Dr. Matthias Gauly Date of dissertation: 31st May 2012 Contents Contents 1 GENERAL INTRODUCTION .................................................................................... 1 2 LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................................................ 4 2.1 THE PATHOGEN ..................................................................................................................... 4 2.1.1 TAXONOMY .......................................................................................................................... 5 2.1.2 THE GENOME ........................................................................................................................ 7 2.1.2.1 GENOTYPES ....................................................................................................................... 8 2.1.2.2 INSERTION SEQUENCE (IS900) .......................................................................................... 9 2.1.3 PATHOGENESIS ..................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Introduction to Risk Assessments for Methods Used in Wildlife Damage Management
    Human Health and Ecological Risk Assessment for the Use of Wildlife Damage Management Methods by USDA-APHIS-Wildlife Services Chapter I Introduction to Risk Assessments for Methods Used in Wildlife Damage Management MAY 2017 Introduction to Risk Assessments for Methods Used in Wildlife Damage Management EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The USDA-APHIS-Wildlife Services (WS) Program completed Risk Assessments for methods used in wildlife damage management in 1992 (USDA 1997). While those Risk Assessments are still valid, for the most part, the WS Program has expanded programs into different areas of wildlife management and wildlife damage management (WDM) such as work on airports, with feral swine and management of other invasive species, disease surveillance and control. Inherently, these programs have expanded the methods being used. Additionally, research has improved the effectiveness and selectiveness of methods being used and made new tools available. Thus, new methods and strategies will be analyzed in these risk assessments to cover the latest methods being used. The risk assements are being completed in Chapters and will be made available on a website, which can be regularly updated. Similar methods are combined into single risk assessments for efficiency; for example Chapter IV contains all foothold traps being used including standard foothold traps, pole traps, and foot cuffs. The Introduction to Risk Assessments is Chapter I and was completed to give an overall summary of the national WS Program. The methods being used and risks to target and nontarget species, people, pets, and the environment, and the issue of humanenss are discussed in this Chapter. From FY11 to FY15, WS had work tasks associated with 53 different methods being used.
    [Show full text]
  • Current Status of the Carabali Hutia from South of Isla De La Juventud, Mysateles Meridionalis
    Orsis 18, 2003 7-11 Current status of the carabali hutia from South of Isla de la Juventud, Mysateles meridionalis Rafael Borroto Páez Ignacio Ramos García Instituto de Ecología y Sistemática, CITMA Carretera de Varona Km 3.5. A.P. 8029 10800 Ciudad de La Habana. Cuba Manuscript received in December 2002 Abstract The Canarreos Archipelago (Cuba) is the geographic region in the West Indies with great- est diversity of capromyid rodents, with seven taxa. Current status of conservation, dis- tribution, and systematic of the carabali hutia (Mysateles meridionalis) of the S of Isla de la Juventud were analyzed and discussed. All the factors that affect this species of hutia are pointed out. Conservation category as IUCN criterion is recommended. Key words: Capromyid rodent, conservation, Cuba, Isla de la Juventud, Mysateles meri- dionalis. Resumen. Estado actual de la jutía carabalí del sur de la Isla de la Juventud, Mysateles meridionalis. El Archipiélago de los Canarreos (Cuba) es la región geográfica de las Antillas con ma- yor diversidad de roedores caprómidos, con un total de siete taxones. En el presente es- tudio se discute el estado actual de conservación, perturbaciones del hábitat, distribución y sistemática de la jutía carabalí (Mysateles meridionalis), de la Isla de la Juventud. Se relacionan todos los factores que afectan a dicha especie. Se recomienda una recalifica- ción de la categoría de conservación según los criterios de la IUCN. Palabras claves: conservación, Rodenta, Capromyidae, Cuba, Isla de la Juventud, Mysateles meridionalis. Introduction The Isla de la Juventud (formerly known as Isle of Pines) with 2,199 km2 is the most important island of the Canarreos Archipelago.
    [Show full text]
  • Investigating Evolutionary Processes Using Ancient and Historical DNA of Rodent Species
    Investigating evolutionary processes using ancient and historical DNA of rodent species Thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) University of London Royal Holloway University of London Egham, Surrey TW20 OEX Selina Brace November 2010 1 Declaration I, Selina Brace, declare that this thesis and the work presented in it is entirely my own. Where I have consulted the work of others, it is always clearly stated. Selina Brace Ian Barnes 2 “Why should we look to the past? ……Because there is nowhere else to look.” James Burke 3 Abstract The Late Quaternary has been a period of significant change for terrestrial mammals, including episodes of extinction, population sub-division and colonisation. Studying this period provides a means to improve understanding of evolutionary mechanisms, and to determine processes that have led to current distributions. For large mammals, recent work has demonstrated the utility of ancient DNA in understanding demographic change and phylogenetic relationships, largely through well-preserved specimens from permafrost and deep cave deposits. In contrast, much less ancient DNA work has been conducted on small mammals. This project focuses on the development of ancient mitochondrial DNA datasets to explore the utility of rodent ancient DNA analysis. Two studies in Europe investigate population change over millennial timescales. Arctic collared lemming (Dicrostonyx torquatus) specimens are chronologically sampled from a single cave locality, Trou Al’Wesse (Belgian Ardennes). Two end Pleistocene population extinction-recolonisation events are identified and correspond temporally with - localised disappearance of the woolly mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius). A second study examines postglacial histories of European water voles (Arvicola), revealing two temporally distinct colonisation events in the UK.
    [Show full text]
  • Population Biology and Monitoring of the Cuban Hutia at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba
    University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln USDA National Wildlife Research Center - Staff U.S. Department of Agriculture: Animal and Publications Plant Health Inspection Service September 2007 Population biology and monitoring of the Cuban hutia at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba Gary W. Witmer USDA-APHIS-Wildlife Services, [email protected] Martin Lowney USDA Wildlife Services Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/icwdm_usdanwrc Part of the Environmental Sciences Commons Witmer, Gary W. and Lowney, Martin, "Population biology and monitoring of the Cuban hutia at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba" (2007). USDA National Wildlife Research Center - Staff Publications. 731. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/icwdm_usdanwrc/731 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the U.S. Department of Agriculture: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in USDA National Wildlife Research Center - Staff Publications by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. Article in press - uncorrected proof Mammalia (2007): 115–121 ᮊ 2007 by Walter de Gruyter • Berlin • New York. DOI 10.1515/MAMM.2007.025 Population biology and monitoring of the Cuban hutia at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba Gary W. Witmer1,* and Martin Lowney2 four species (all Capromys spp.) currently remain (Woods 1989). Human exploitation, habitat modification, and 1 USDA National Wildlife Research Center, 4101 LaPorte exotic species introductions have caused the demise of Avenue, Fort Collins, CO 80521-2154, USA, most species (Woods and Eisenberg 1989, Wing 1989). e-mail: [email protected] Most of the native mammalian species of Cuba are rare 2 USDA Wildlife Services, P.O.
    [Show full text]
  • FAUNAL REMAINS from the ARCHAIC and ARCHAIC CERAMIC SITE of VEGA DEL PALMAR, CUBA Roger H. Colten Peabody Museum of Natural
    Journal of Caribbean Archaeology Copyright 2014 ISBN 1524-4776 FAUNAL REMAINS FROM THE ARCHAIC AND ARCHAIC CERAMIC SITE OF VEGA DEL PALMAR, CUBA Roger H. Colten Brian Worthington Peabody Museum of Natural History National Park Service P.O. Box 208118 Southeast Archeological Center 170 Whitney Avenue, 2035 East Paul Dirac Drive, Suite 120 New Haven, CT 06520-8118, USA Johnson Building Tallahassee, Florida 32310 [email protected] [email protected] The earliest occupants of Cuba were hunter-gatherers that arrived from Central America approximately 5,000 years ago. While the broad outlines of Cuban prehistory are known, a lack of quantified faunal data and a limited number of radiocarbon dates hinder our ability to describe the subsistence economy in local and regional contexts. In this paper we present new vertebrate faunal data and radiocarbon dates from the pre-ceramic and early ceramic site of Vega del Palmar which is located near Cienfuegos on the south coast of Cuba, comparing the Archaic occupation with ceramics to the Archaic occupation that lacks ceramics. Les premiers occupants de Cuba étaient des chasseurs-cueilleurs qui sont arrivés d'Amérique centrale il ya environ 5000 années. Alors que un aperçu général de la préhistoire cubaine est connus, un manque de données faunistiques quantifiés et un nombre limité de dates radiocarbone entravent notre capacité à décrire l'économie de subsistance dans des contextes locaux et régionaux. Dans cet article, nous présentons de nouvelles données faunistiques vertébrés et les datations au radiocarbone du site pré-céramique et début céramique de Vega del Palmar, qui est situé près de Cienfuegos sur la côte sud de Cuba; on compare l'occupation Archaïque avec des céramiques à l'occupation Archaïque qui manque de céramique.
    [Show full text]
  • List of 28 Orders, 129 Families, 598 Genera and 1121 Species in Mammal Images Library 31 December 2013
    What the American Society of Mammalogists has in the images library LIST OF 28 ORDERS, 129 FAMILIES, 598 GENERA AND 1121 SPECIES IN MAMMAL IMAGES LIBRARY 31 DECEMBER 2013 AFROSORICIDA (5 genera, 5 species) – golden moles and tenrecs CHRYSOCHLORIDAE - golden moles Chrysospalax villosus - Rough-haired Golden Mole TENRECIDAE - tenrecs 1. Echinops telfairi - Lesser Hedgehog Tenrec 2. Hemicentetes semispinosus – Lowland Streaked Tenrec 3. Microgale dobsoni - Dobson’s Shrew Tenrec 4. Tenrec ecaudatus – Tailless Tenrec ARTIODACTYLA (83 genera, 142 species) – paraxonic (mostly even-toed) ungulates ANTILOCAPRIDAE - pronghorns Antilocapra americana - Pronghorn BOVIDAE (46 genera) - cattle, sheep, goats, and antelopes 1. Addax nasomaculatus - Addax 2. Aepyceros melampus - Impala 3. Alcelaphus buselaphus - Hartebeest 4. Alcelaphus caama – Red Hartebeest 5. Ammotragus lervia - Barbary Sheep 6. Antidorcas marsupialis - Springbok 7. Antilope cervicapra – Blackbuck 8. Beatragus hunter – Hunter’s Hartebeest 9. Bison bison - American Bison 10. Bison bonasus - European Bison 11. Bos frontalis - Gaur 12. Bos javanicus - Banteng 13. Bos taurus -Auroch 14. Boselaphus tragocamelus - Nilgai 15. Bubalus bubalis - Water Buffalo 16. Bubalus depressicornis - Anoa 17. Bubalus quarlesi - Mountain Anoa 18. Budorcas taxicolor - Takin 19. Capra caucasica - Tur 20. Capra falconeri - Markhor 21. Capra hircus - Goat 22. Capra nubiana – Nubian Ibex 23. Capra pyrenaica – Spanish Ibex 24. Capricornis crispus – Japanese Serow 25. Cephalophus jentinki - Jentink's Duiker 26. Cephalophus natalensis – Red Duiker 1 What the American Society of Mammalogists has in the images library 27. Cephalophus niger – Black Duiker 28. Cephalophus rufilatus – Red-flanked Duiker 29. Cephalophus silvicultor - Yellow-backed Duiker 30. Cephalophus zebra - Zebra Duiker 31. Connochaetes gnou - Black Wildebeest 32. Connochaetes taurinus - Blue Wildebeest 33. Damaliscus korrigum – Topi 34.
    [Show full text]
  • The Zooarchaeology and Isotopic Ecology of the Bahamian Hutia (Geocapromys Ingrahami): Evidence for Pre-Columbian Anthropogenic Management
    RESEARCH ARTICLE The zooarchaeology and isotopic ecology of the Bahamian hutia (Geocapromys ingrahami): Evidence for pre-Columbian anthropogenic management 1 2 3 1 Michelle J. LeFebvreID *, Susan D. deFrance , George D. Kamenov , William F. Keegan , John Krigbaum2* 1 Florida Museum of Natural History, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America, 2 Department of Anthropology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America, 3 Department of Geological Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America a1111111111 a1111111111 * [email protected] (MJL); [email protected] (JK) a1111111111 a1111111111 a1111111111 Abstract Bahamian hutias (Geocapromys ingrahami) are the only endemic terrestrial mammal in The Bahamas and are currently classified as a vulnerable species. Drawing on zooarchaeologi- cal and new geochemical datasets, this study investigates human management of Baha- OPEN ACCESS mian hutias as cultural practice at indigenous Lucayan settlements in The Bahamas and the Citation: LeFebvre MJ, deFrance SD, Kamenov GD, Turks & Caicos Islands. In order to determine how hutia diet and distribution together were Keegan WF, Krigbaum J (2019) The zooarchaeology and isotopic ecology of the influenced by Lucayan groups we conducted isotopic analysis on native hutia bone and Bahamian hutia (Geocapromys ingrahami): tooth enamel recovered at the Major's Landing site on Crooked Island in The Bahamas and Evidence for pre-Columbian anthropogenic introduced hutias from the Palmetto Junction site on Providenciales in the Turks & Caicos management. PLoS ONE 14(9): e0220284. https:// 13 doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0220284 Islands. Results indicate that some hutias consumed C-enriched foods that were either provisioned or available for opportunistic consumption.
    [Show full text]
  • List of Taxa for Which MIL Has Images
    LIST OF 27 ORDERS, 163 FAMILIES, 887 GENERA, AND 2064 SPECIES IN MAMMAL IMAGES LIBRARY 31 JULY 2021 AFROSORICIDA (9 genera, 12 species) CHRYSOCHLORIDAE - golden moles 1. Amblysomus hottentotus - Hottentot Golden Mole 2. Chrysospalax villosus - Rough-haired Golden Mole 3. Eremitalpa granti - Grant’s Golden Mole TENRECIDAE - tenrecs 1. Echinops telfairi - Lesser Hedgehog Tenrec 2. Hemicentetes semispinosus - Lowland Streaked Tenrec 3. Microgale cf. longicaudata - Lesser Long-tailed Shrew Tenrec 4. Microgale cowani - Cowan’s Shrew Tenrec 5. Microgale mergulus - Web-footed Tenrec 6. Nesogale cf. talazaci - Talazac’s Shrew Tenrec 7. Nesogale dobsoni - Dobson’s Shrew Tenrec 8. Setifer setosus - Greater Hedgehog Tenrec 9. Tenrec ecaudatus - Tailless Tenrec ARTIODACTYLA (127 genera, 308 species) ANTILOCAPRIDAE - pronghorns Antilocapra americana - Pronghorn BALAENIDAE - bowheads and right whales 1. Balaena mysticetus – Bowhead Whale 2. Eubalaena australis - Southern Right Whale 3. Eubalaena glacialis – North Atlantic Right Whale 4. Eubalaena japonica - North Pacific Right Whale BALAENOPTERIDAE -rorqual whales 1. Balaenoptera acutorostrata – Common Minke Whale 2. Balaenoptera borealis - Sei Whale 3. Balaenoptera brydei – Bryde’s Whale 4. Balaenoptera musculus - Blue Whale 5. Balaenoptera physalus - Fin Whale 6. Balaenoptera ricei - Rice’s Whale 7. Eschrichtius robustus - Gray Whale 8. Megaptera novaeangliae - Humpback Whale BOVIDAE (54 genera) - cattle, sheep, goats, and antelopes 1. Addax nasomaculatus - Addax 2. Aepyceros melampus - Common Impala 3. Aepyceros petersi - Black-faced Impala 4. Alcelaphus caama - Red Hartebeest 5. Alcelaphus cokii - Kongoni (Coke’s Hartebeest) 6. Alcelaphus lelwel - Lelwel Hartebeest 7. Alcelaphus swaynei - Swayne’s Hartebeest 8. Ammelaphus australis - Southern Lesser Kudu 9. Ammelaphus imberbis - Northern Lesser Kudu 10. Ammodorcas clarkei - Dibatag 11. Ammotragus lervia - Aoudad (Barbary Sheep) 12.
    [Show full text]
  • Population Abundance and Range Use of Desmarest's Hutia
    Caribbean Journal of Science (2020), 50: pp. 258–264. © Copyright 2020 by the College of Arts and Sciences of the University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Population Abundance and Range Use of Desmarest’s Hutia (Capromyidae: Capromys pilorides) in Southeastern Cuba ISRAEL D. PARKER1,*, ANDREA E. MONTALVO2, BRIAN L. PIERCE1, ROEL R. LOPEZ2, GEORGE KENNY3, CHRISTOPHER PETERSEN4, AND MATTHEW CRAWFORD1 1Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute, College Station, Texas, U.S.A.; [email protected]; brian. [email protected]; [email protected] 2Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute, San Antonio, Texas, U.S.A.; [email protected]; roel. [email protected] 3Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southeast, Jacksonville, Florida, U.S.A.; [email protected] 4Naval Facilities Engineering Command Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, U.S.A.; [email protected] *Corresponding author: [email protected] ABSTRACT–The Desmarest’s hutia (hereafter hutia, Capromys pilorides) is a rodent endemic to the Republic of Cuba (hereafter Cuba) and its associated islands. There is little recent research focused on hutia population abun- dance and range use in southeastern Cuba. We evaluated the current status of the hutia population in southeastern Cuba through (1) estimation of population density via walking and driving surveys, and (2) hutia spatial ecology via Global Positioning System (GPS) collars. Driving surveys indicated lower mean hutia density (¯x = 0.14 hutias/ ha) than walking transects (¯x = 1.13 hutias/ha). Three of 13 GPS-collared hutias provided sufficient data for range analyses as 10 hutias severely damaged their GPS units. Ranges were relatively small (50% Core Area, ¯x = 0.50 ha; 95% Range, ¯x = 2.63 ha) and individuals tended to stay very close to tree cover, only emerging at night to forage.
    [Show full text]
  • Rodentia, Caviomorpha), an Extinct Megafaunal Rodent from the Anguilla Bank, West Indies: Estimates and Implications Audrone R
    Claremont Colleges Scholarship @ Claremont WM Keck Science Faculty Papers W.M. Keck Science Department 11-12-1993 Body Size in Amblyrhiza inundata (Rodentia, Caviomorpha), an Extinct Megafaunal Rodent From the Anguilla Bank, West Indies: Estimates and Implications Audrone R. Biknevicius Ohio University Donald A. McFarlane Claremont McKenna College; Pitzer College; Scripps College Ross D. E. MacPhee American Museum of Natural History Recommended Citation Biknevicius, A., D.A. McFarlane, and R.D.E. MacPhee. (1993) "Body size in Amblyrhiza inundata (Rodentia; Caviomorpha) an Extinct Megafaunal Rodent From the Anguilla Bank, West Indies: Estimates and Implications." American Museum Novitates 3079: 1-25. This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the W.M. Keck Science Department at Scholarship @ Claremont. It has been accepted for inclusion in WM Keck Science Faculty Papers by an authorized administrator of Scholarship @ Claremont. For more information, please contact [email protected]. AMERICAN MUSEUM Novitates PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY CENTRAL PARK WEST AT 79TH STREET, NEW YORK, N.Y. 10024 Number 3079, 25 pp., 7 figures, 9 tables November 12, 1993 Body Size in Amblyrhiza inundata (Rodentia: Caviomorpha), an Extinct Megafaunal Rodent from the Anguilla Bank, West Indies: Estimates and Implications A. R. BIKNEVICIUS,1 D. A. McFARLANE,2 AND R. D. E. MAcPHEE3 ABSTRACT Rodent species typically evolve larger mean body oral measurements, but the significance ofthis will sizes when isolated on islands, but the extinct ca- remain unclear until matched limb bones (i.e., viomorphAmblyrhiza inundata, known only from specimens from the same animal) are recovered. Quaternary cave deposits on the islands of An- Incisor measurements are also highly variable, but guilla and St.
    [Show full text]
  • Phylogeny and Evolutionary Patterns of South American Octodontoid Rodents
    Phylogeny and evolutionary patterns of South American octodontoid rodents DIEGO H. VERZI, A. ITATÍ OLIVARES, and CECILIA C. MORGAN Verzi, D.H., Olivares, A.I., and Morgan, C.C. 2014. Phylogeny and evolutionary patterns of South American octodontoid rodents. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 59 (4): 757–769. Octodontoidea is the most diverse clade of hystricognath rodents, and is richly recorded in South America since at least the Oligocene. A parsimony-based morphological phylogenetic analysis of a wide range of extant and extinct octodon- toids recovered three major clades, here recognised as Echimyidae, Octodontidae, and Abrocomidae. Taxa previously assigned to Echimyidae or Octodontoidea incertae sedis are here interpreted for the first time as early representatives of Ctenomyinae (Octodontidae), Octodontinae or Abrocomidae. Based on our results, we estimate the divergence of octodontoid families and subfamilies to have occurred during the Late Oligocene, which is consistent with molecular estimates, but older than previous inferences based on the fossil record. Contrary to previous suggestions, we show the first appearances of modern members of Abrocomidae, Octodontinae and Ctenomyinae to be distinctly decoupled from the origin of these clades, with different stages in the evolutionary history of octodontoids seemingly following distinct phases of palaeoenvironmental change. Depending on the phylogenetic pattern, fossils from the stage of differentiation bear evolutionary information that may not be provided by crown groups, thus highlighting the unique and important contribution of fossils to our understanding of macroevolutionary patterns. Key words: Mammalia, Rodentia, Hystricognathi, Octodontoidea, phylogeny, evolution, divergence dates, Cenozoic, South America. Diego H. Verzi [[email protected]], A. Itatí Olivares [[email protected]], and Cecilia C.
    [Show full text]