Brigham Young University Science Bulletin, Biological Series

Volume 20 Number 5 Article 1

6-1978

Mammals of the Smithsonian Venezuelan Project

Charles O. Handley Jr. Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C. 20560

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Recommended Citation Handley, Charles O. Jr. (1978) "Mammals of the Smithsonian Venezuelan Project," Brigham Young University Science Bulletin, Biological Series: Vol. 20 : No. 5 , Article 1. Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/byuscib/vol20/iss5/1

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MAMMALS OF THE SMITHSONIAN VENEZUELAN PROJECT

by

Charles O. Handley, Jr.

BIOLOGICAL SERIES — VOLUME XX, NUMBER 5 JUNE 1976/ISSN 0068-1024 Editor: Stanley L. Welsh, Department of Botany, Rriclwim YdiiiH' T]iii\ crsifx Prnvn TJtnli

Members of the I'Utitonal Hoard;

Tipton, Zoology Vernon J. Ferron L. Andersen, Zoology Joseph R. Murdock, Botany Wllmer W. Tanner, Zoology

Ex officio Members:

A. Lester Allen, Dean, College of Biological and Agricultural Sciences Ernest L. Olson, Director, University Press

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Science Bulletin

MAMMALS OF THE SMITHSONIAN VENEZUELAN PROJECT

by

Charles O. Handley, Jr.

BIOLOGICAL SERIES — VOLUME XX, NUMBER 5 JUNE 1976/ISSN 0068-1024 This piiWicalion is a coiUribiilion nt llii- Smillisoiiinn Vonc/iiclan Project, supported liv a rorilrart (DA-.tn-MD-27881 of the Medical Researrli and DcvehiiMiient Coiiiniaiiil, Office nf the SiUKeoii General U. S Army. TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABSTRACT Subfamilv Stcnodcnnatinae INTRODUCTION Urodcrma 26

Background Vampyrops , 27 Objectives Vampyrodc.i 28 Personnel Vampyrcssa 29 (Collections 2 Chimdcrma 29 Data 3 EctophyUa 30 Format of Accounts of Species 3 Artibeiis 30 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 4 Ametrida 33 Sphaeronycteris 33 ACCOUNTS OF SPECIES ; 5 Centtirio 34 Oder Marsupialia Famil) Didelphidae Subfamily Desmodontinae Desniodus Caluromi/s 5 34 Monodelphis 6 Diphylla 35 Marmosa 6 Family Natalidae Philander 8 Nafnhis 35 Metachirus 8 FamiK' Furipteridae Lutreolina 8 Ftiripterus 35 Didelphis 8 Famil\- Thyropteridae Chironectes 9 Tht/roptera 35 i'amily Caenolestidae Family Vespertilionidae Caenolestes 9 Myotis 35 Order Insectivora Eptesicus 37 Family Soricidae Hlstiotus 38 Crijptotis 9 Rhogccssa 38 Order Cliiroptera Lasiimis 38 Famil\- Emballonuridae FamiK Molossidae Rhijnchonijcleris 10 Molossops 39 Saccoptertjx 10 Neoplatymops 39 Cormura 11 Tadarida 39 Feroptenjx 11 Eumops 39 Diclidtniis 12 Molosstis 40 Family Noctilionidae Pfomops 41 Noctilio 12 Order Primates FamiK Mormoopidae Family Cebidae Ptcrnnofiis 13 Aotus 41 Mormoops 14 CaUicehus 41 41 Family Phvllostomidae Cacajao 41 Subfamilv Phyllostominae Pithecia 42 Micront/ctcris 14 Chi.ropotes 42 Ghjphoni/cteris 16 AloiiaUa 42 Lonchorhina 16 Cehiis 43 Macrophi/lliim 16 Saimiri 43 Tonatia 16 Ateles Mimoii 17 Order Edentata PhijUostomus 17 FamiK' M\ rmecophagidae PhyUoderma 18 Mi/nnecophaga 43 Trachops 19 Tamandua 43 Chrotopterus 19 Ci/clopes 44 Vampynim 19 FamiK Bradypodidae Subfamily Cllossophaginae Bradt/pus 44 Glossophaga 19 Choloepus 44 LionxjCteris 21 Fami!\ Dasypodidae LonchophtjUa 21 Priodontes 44 Anoura 21 Dasypus 44 Choeroniscus 22 Order Lagomorpha Leptontjctem 22 Famil)' Leporidae Lichomicteris 23 Sylvilagus 45 ScJcronijcteris 23 Order Rodentia SubfamiK CaroUiinae SulKirder Sciuromorpha Carollia 23 Famil)' Sciuridae Rhinophi/Ua 24 Sciunis 45 SubfamiK Sturnirinae Familv Heteroniyidae Sturnira 25 Heteromys 46 Suborder Myomorpha Order Cetacea Family Miiridae Family Platanistidae Subfamily Cricetinae Inia 58 Onjzomys 47 Order Camivora Neacomijs 49 Family Canidae Nectomys 49 Vrocyon 58 Rhipidomys 50 Cerdocyon 58 Thomasoniijs 51 Family Ursidae Chilomys 51 Tremarctos 58 Akodon 51 Microxus 52 Family Procyonidae Zygodontomys 52 Procyon 58 Calomys 53 Nasua 59 Holochilus 53 Namdla 59 Sigviodoti 53 Potos 59 Sigtnomys 53 Bassaricyon 59 Anotomys 53 Family Mustelidae Daptomys 54 Mustela 59 Subfamily Murinae Eira 59 Rattus' 54 Galictis 60 Mus 54 Conepatus 60 Suborder Caviomorpha Ultra 60 Pteronura 60 Family Erethizontidae Coendou 55 Family Felidae Family Caviidae Felis 60 Cavia 55 Order Perissodactyla Family Hydrochaeridae Family Tapiridae Tapirus 61 Hydrochaeris 55 Family Dasyproctidae Order Artiodactyla Family Tayassuidae Agouti 55 Tayassu 61 Dasyprocta 56 Dicotyles 61 Myoprocta 56 Family Echimyidae Family Cervidae Odocoileus 61 Proechimys 56 Mazama 62 Mesomys 57 hothrix 57 GAZETTEER 62 Echimys 57 LITERATURE CITED 85 MAMMALS OF THE SMITHSONIAN VENEZUELAN PROJECT

by

Charles O. Handley, Jr.'

ABSTRACT

Mammals and their ectoparasites were col- Ecological and geographical data are sum- lected in all parts of between 1965 marized here for .38,21.3 specimens of 270 species and 1968 b\ the Smithsonian Venezuelan Project. of mammals obtained bv the project.

INTRODUCTION

Background specimen; 4) develop standard procedures for conduct of e.xtensive epidemiological surveys; The Smithsonian Venezuelan Project had its 5) convert all data to machine-readable form; roots in the collections of mammals and ecto- publish monographs or summary papers on parasites accumulated in Panama in the late 6) the mammals and on each group of parasites; 1950s and early by many in\estigators 7) studv mammal-parasite-habitat relationships. associated with the Gorgas Memorial Labora- The first group of summary papers on the tory, Middle America Research Unit, U.S. Army parasites was published as volume 17, Brigham Malaria Control Unit, and Smithsonian Institu- Young Universittj Science BuUetin, 1972. Tlie tion. These diverse collections and data were second group of papers constitutes volume 20, brought together belatedly through the coopera- Bri<;Jmm Young Universittj Science Bulletin, tive effort of many scientists in The Ectopara- 1975-76. Work is underway on a larger "Mam- sites of Panama, edited by Wenzel and Tipton mals of \'enezuela" and on the mammal-parasite- (1966). The logical follow-up of the Panamanian habitat correlations. To date the project collec- work was a similar cooperatixe effort with pre- tions have been the basis of about fifty papers. planned objectives and uniform data collection techniques. Personnel Venezuela was selected as the site of the new project because it had 1) a large and diverse A consortium of scientists who agreed to fauna, part of which was related to the no\\' study and report on parts of the collection was familiar Panamanian fauna; 2) an exceptionallv gathered in the planning stage of the project, good and extcnsi\e s\stem of roads and airstrips; and about thirty scientists—entomologists, niam-

3 ) a wide spectrum of well-docinnented endemic malogists, virologists, and ecologists— in seven arthropod-borne viral diseases; 4) a friendlv countries have participated. and interested scientific communitv; and 5) a Charles O. Handley, Jr., and V. J. Tipton, stable political environment. who coordinated the project, visited in May 1965 to discuss the proposed project with Objectives the Venezuelan scientists. The first field group reached Venezuela the following July, and there- The project was titled at the outset, "Distri- after project personnel were in Venezuela al- bution and ecolog\' of mammalian ectoparasites, most continuously until September 1968, on a 1 arboviruses, and their hosts in \'enezuela." Its September to 31 August rotation schedule. objectives were to 1) collect as large and repre- The field groups were constituted as follows: sentative a sample of mammals as possible in all parts of \'enezuela; 2) collect whole popula- 1965-1966 tions of ectoparasites from as many mammals Croup I—Norman E. Peterson, leader as possible; 3) collect a standard set of biologi- Jim Flanigan cal, geographical, and ecological data with eveiy Chris Parrish

'SmiUiwni.m Inslllulion. W.nshinRlon. DC. 20Wn :

BitK:HAM Young Univkusitv Sciknck Bui.lei in

Martin L. Taylor representing at least 270 species. Among these David G. Young an^ 12 species which had not been described at Group II-Mcrlin D. Tuttle, leader the time of their collection, as well as numerous Arden L. Tuttle others which had not been taken previously in Claudettc II. Tuttle Wnezuela. 1966-1967 The 270 species represented in the collections include nearly 90 percent of the land and fresh Group I—Norman E. Peterson, leader water niaiiiinalian fauna of Vi'nezuela. Those Daniel B. lY'acock missing from the collections, to oc- Richard B. Peacock which ought cur or which are known bv previous collections Group II-Merlin D. Tuttle, leader to occur in Venezuela, are as follows (with an Fred L. Harder indication of where they should be sought ) Virginia E. II;u-der Claudctte H. Tutde Marmosa tijleriana Tate, of Bolivar 1967-1968 and T. F. Amazonas Group I—NoiTnan E. Peterson, leader Saccopteri/x ii,ijmmira Thomas, southern Ve-

Fred P. Brown, Jr. nezuela John O. Matson Pcrowjimts Icucopterus Peters, southern Ve- Group II—Arden L. Tuttle, leader nezuela Benjamin Inquilla Centwni/cferis vinximiliani Fischer, anv place Ernest L. Stromcyer in Venezuela Charlotte A. Tuttle Cijttawps alecto Thomas, soiitluiii ;uid wc>st- The following also participated l^riefly in em \^enezuela the field work: D. P. Furman, C. O. Ilandley, Micronijcfens pusilla Sanbom. southern Jr., C. L. Hayward, Carlos Machado, Carlos Na- Venezuela ranjo, Juhani Ojasti, R. H. Pine, \'. Tipton, J. Gh/phonijcfeiis daviesi Hill, anywhere in and C. E. Yunker. Venezuela

Mimon benneftii Gray, anywhere in Venezu- Collections ela Major collections were made in nineteen of Phyllnstomus latifolitis Thomas, Bolivar the twenty-four states, territories, districts, and RhinophijUa fischcrae Carter, southern \'ene- dependencies in Venezuela in an attempt to o;ain zuela adequate samples of all of the faunas. Unfor- Vampifressa hrocki Peterson, southern ^^ene- tunately there are several important gaps in the zuela collections because significant regions were not Thijroptcra discifera Lichtenstein and Peters, sampled. Another year of field work \\'ould northern Venezuela Iiave been required to complete the sampling to Lasitinis egregius Peters, an\where in \'ene- perfection. The areas missed were: BOLIVAR, zuela Serrania de Imataea, the tepuis, and upper Rio Tadarida auiispinosa Peale, an\'\\here in Caura; DEPENDENCES FEDERAL, the Ca- \'enezuela ribbean islands; GUARICO, the central ; Tadarida nwcrofis Grav, mountains of ^'ene- , Cerro Turimiquirc; TACHIRA, Paramo zuela Batallon and trans-Andean passes near Indepen- Eumops imuinis Thomas, Bolivar dencia; T. F. AMAZONAS, , Cerro de Eumops pcrofis Schinz, northern Venezuela la Neblina, and otlier peaks along the Brazilian fAimops Ininihulli Tliomas, southern Vene- frontier; T. F. , Rio Orino- zuela co delta and border region; and , Cohassoiis unicinctus Linnaeus, anywhere in higher elevations in the Sierra de Perija. Venezuela As far as possible the field personnel used Sciunis flammifer Thomas, Bolivar a variety of collecting techniques, including Nracomiis iinianac Thomas, Bolivar trapping, netting, hunting, and purchase at each Rhipidomiis sclateri Thomas, Bolivar major sampling point. Mannnals were taken at Podoxijiiujs roraiiuac Anthony, tepuis of Bo- 100 localities, 25 of which were represented b\- livar more than 500 specimens ( 11 abo\e 1,000; ma.x- IchtJu/omi/s hi/diol)ates Winge, Andes imum 5,642 at San Juan Rio Manapiare). Alto- Irhthiioiiii/s juttieii Handle}' and Mondolfi, gether there are records for .38,213 mammals. Si(>rra de la Costa Bioi.oGicAi, Series, Vol. 20, No. 5 Mammals or the SMiTHSONrAN Venezuelan Project

Coendou melaminis Wagner, .soiithem Vene- marked for keypunching. Then the carded data zuela were transferred to magnetic tape. A verified Hi/thocluieris i.stlnnius Coldnian, Zulia host list, arranged by SVP" number, was one of Dasiiprocta guanuira Ojasti, T. F. Delta Ama- the early products of the machine-readable data curo base. This was used by the entomologists to Thrinacodus edax Thomas, Andes associate host names with SVP numbers in vials Sotalia guiancmis Van Beneden, Maiacaibo of parasites. and basins Later, after much geographical research, a Speothos venaticus Lund, anywhere in Vene- precise gazetteer was completed. Standardized zuela locality data were taped and used to override Trichechus iimnguis Natterer, southern T. F. the less exact geographical data of the field Amazonas sheets. Next, a master printout of the 38,213 and Trichechus manatus Linnaeus, Rio Orinoco mammal records, arranged by species drainage amounting to 229,296 lines, was run off. Other sorted and summarized the data base Mazama ritfina Bourcier and Pucheran, And- programs locality and by various es for each species by ecological parameters. For example, altitudinal Most individuals of the uncommon kinds of distribution was sorted for each species in blocks mammals and a sample of each of the common of 500 meters and the exact minimum and maxi- kinds were searched for arthropod ectoparasites. mum were listed. Volunteers collected data for Whenever a mammal was examined for para- individual species from each of the printouts. sites, an attempt was made to recover ever)' These data were then converted to a narrative parasite on it. In all, nearly 25,000 mammals form for the accounts of species. were searched for parasites. All of the collec- tions came originallv to the Smithsonian, where Format of Accounts of Species the mammals were retained to be studied. The Npmenclatiire arthropods were distributed widely to specialists Arrangement of families and genera, with for studv. Upon completion of studies the collec- minor exceptions, follows Simpson (1945). Spe- tion of mammals is being divided between the cies are arranged alphabetically. The original ci- Smithsonian Institution and the government of tation for each species is included in the LITER- Venezuela. The collections of parasites are ATURE CITED section. Except in a few in- being divided among the Smithsonian, the en- stances, identified by footnotes, each reference tomologists, and \'enezuela. was actually examined. Ignored here, for the sake of brevity, subspecies and synonymys of Data Venezuelan mammals will be the subjects of A data sheet with eight\'-column fonnat was future papers. Another paper (Handley, in filled out in the field for each mammal. Data press) describes and names the new species, categories included geographical infonnation here given alphabetical designations, and dis- (locality code, latitude, longitude, and eleva- cusses departures from conventional nomencla- tion), ecological information (vegetative life ture (as found, for example, in Cabrera, 1958 zone, capture site, cover, forest succession, site and 1961). moisture, and topography), capture information General Distribution S