Mammals of Belize

1. Mammals of Belize

2. What is a mammal? • - Fur (pelage) • Mammary glands • 3 inner ear ossicles (bones)

3. Do you think the mammals in Belize will be the same as the mammals in WV/V? • Why?/Why not? • No cold season, but dry season • Fruit everywhere • Dense canopy  very little light reaches ground  ……..

4. Most of the vegetation (food/cover) is in the canopy so that is where you will find most of the mammals

5. If there are spp. of mammals in WV that are also found in Belize what characteristics would they likely exhibit? • arboreal (at least partially) • dietary generalists (omnivores)

6. Virginia Opossum Didelphis virginiana filin.km.ru/mammels/ opossum.htm www.terrambiente.org/.../metatheria/ didelphimorphia/ Local Name: Possum Semi-arboreal Omnivores – eat pretty much anything that they can get in their mouths

7. Gray Fox – Urocyon cinereoargenteus “tree fox” is distributed from Canada to Venezuela Mostly nocturnal and crepuscular Opportunistic hunters

8. Raccoon Procyon lotor The tail is bushy with alternating dark and light bands, a characteristic which distinguishes the raccoon from all other mammals

9. Tropics (rainforest) - Highest diversity of mammals in the world • Approximately 150 spp. of mammals in Belize/northern Guatemala • Roughly half are bats

10. When you think about a rainforest (jungle) what animals come to mind?...... Monkeys CITES endangered species Order: Primates Important seed dispersal agents

11. Yucatan Black Howler-Monkey Alouatta pigra Troops of 4-10 – lowland evergreen forests Known as the “baboon” in Belize Noisiest animal in the Belize jungle

12. Central-American Spider Monkey Ateles geoffroyi Occupy small branches of the high strata Troops of up to 100 Need undisturbed tracks of forest

13. Bats: order Chiroptera Bats are either carnivorous (insects) or fruit/nectar eaters

14. Lesser White-lined Bat Saccipteryx leptura Often found roosting in or near human habitations www.batcon.org/home/brazil2001/ batlist.html

15. Fishing Bat Noctilio leporinus Adapted for catching fish Local Name: Greater Bulldog Bat www.thorns.com.br/HTM_FotosGeral/ FotosMorcegos.htm www.guidedculturaltours.com/ barbados.php

16. Jamaican Fruit-eating Bat Atribeus jamaicensis www.conservationcentre.org/ scase10.html www.edomexico.gob.mx/se/BIO_INTERNET/ fauna_c.html

17. Brown Long-tongued Bat Glossophaga commissarisi www.biologie.uni-ulm.de/bio3/ mtschapka/bats.html Local Name: Commissaris’ Long-tongued Bat www.batcon.org/avscripts/ script11.html

18. Order Carnivora: Meat eaters Family Felidae: All species of wild felid are listed as at least species of concern by CITES

19. Jaguaroundi - Herpailurus yagouaroundi Sometimes known as an otter cat – Semi- aquatic environments – diurnal and more common in disturbed areas

20. Ocelot -Leopardus pardalis found in forested areas but is at risk from hunting for its fur and trapping for the pet trade.

21. Margay – Leopardus weidii Long Tailed Spotted Cat, similar to the Ocelot - body smaller has longer legs and tail Semi-arboreal, has specially adapted rear claws and ankle joints which can move through 180 degrees

22. Puma - Felis concolor Most widely distributed felid in western hemisphere. Diet varies from small mammals to deer and tapir

23. Jaguar – Panthera onca Largest terrestrial predator in Central/South America. Often confused w/ Leopard Jaguar has no natural predators

24. Weasel family Family Mustelidae

25. Tayra - Eira barbara Long, slender body has short limbs and a long tail Diet – fruit, insects, small mammals Diurnal

26. Grison – Galictis vittata Burrowing and terrestrial Feeds on small mammals, reptiles, invertebrates

27. Family Prcyonidae Raccoons and related critters

28. Kinkajou – Potos flavus “night walker” in Belize One of the most commonly seen tropical forest animals Arboreal and nocturnal Primarily eats fruit

29. Ringtail – Bassariscus sumichrasti Also known as the Ringtail Cat, Cacomistle, or Miner's Cat Nocturnal and shy - rarely seen Smaller than a house cat

30. Coati – Nasua narica Also known as the White-nosed Coati Locally in Belize, the coati is known as "quash" Often is seen in large groups of up to 30 individuals

31. Order artiodactyla Even-toed ungulates – Deer, cows, antelope, etc. Family Cervidae

32. Red Brocket – Mazama americana Active during both the day and the night and are usually solitary Found in thick forest where there is dense undergrowth

33. White-tailed Deer- Odecoileus virginianus

34. Collared Peccary Tayassu tajacu A piglike animal (although they are not pigs) resembling a razorback hog, but with heavier neck and shoulders Feed on fruits, seeds, roots, vegetable matter, invertebrates social

35. Order Perissodactyla Odd-toed ungulates rhinos, equids, tapirs

36. Baird’s Tapir – Tapirus bairdii Status: Endangered – heavily hunted Avoid human disturbance Good hill climbers, runners, sliders, waders, divers, swimmers

37. Order Rodentia Most diverse order of mammals Primary consumers in most ecosystems Seldom seen considering their prevalence….why?

38. Forest Spiny Pocket Mouse – Heteromys desmerastanius Often seen foraging on the ground at night in wet forests Can also be found in areas of secondary growth or seasonally dry forest

39. Vesper RatNictomys sumichrasti The eyes are large, and the hind feet are modified for nocturnal arboreal life

40. Hispid Cotton Rat Sigmodon hispidus Preferred habitat consists of grassy fields, brushy pastures, ditches, marshes, and along the brushy borders of cultivated fields

41. Mexican Porcupine –Coendou mexicanus Large, furry rodent with characteristic yellowish spines or quills covering its back and tail Different genus than our porcupine, prehensile tail

42. Paca - Agouti paca forested habitats near water Upper body is dark brown or black and usually has 4 longitudinal rows of white spots on the sides Solitary and little interaction occurs between individuals

43. male sprays female with urine, which causes her to go into a "frenzy dance." After several sprays she allows the male to approach Eat seeds and will cache (bury) seeds in times of excess  seed dispersal Central American Agouti – Dasyprocta punctata

44. Order Didelphimorphia New world opposums Marsupials – non placental mammals with a pouch - marsupium

45. Water Opossum Chironectes minimus Local Name: Water Dog, Yapo filin.km.ru/mammels/ opossum.htm

46. Order Xenarthra Anteaters, sloths, armadillos

47. Northern Tamandua Tamandua mexicana www.tikalpark.com/tough2.htm Local Name: Antsbear www.ceiba.org/articles/ tamandua.htm

48. Northern, Naked-tailed Armadillo Cabassous centralis www.sagan-gea.org/.../ paginas/hoja2_31.html Local Name: Dilly

49. Order Cetacea Marine mammals – whales and dolphins

50. Short-finned Pilot Whale Dark gray to black Can be seen resting at the surface during the day