Nasua Narica Research Articles

Hair-Snares: A Non-Invasive Method for Monitoring Felid Populations in the Selva Lacandona, Mexico

Non-invasive techniques such as hair snares have been used in conjunction with molecular methods to study species that occur at low densities and have elusive behavior, as an alternative to invasive methods such as trapping and hunting. This study was designed to evaluate the use of hair snares as a non-invasive method for the collection of felid and other mammalian samples in the tropical rainforest of the Selva Lacandona, Chiapas, Mexico. Hair snares were placed along transects in Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve for four months a year in 2005 and 2006. Hairs were selected based on morphological characteristics and identification of species was done based on a diagnostic portion of mtDNA cytochrome b region. A total of 389 hits on 888 hair-snare checks were recorded, representing a capture rate of 43%. The species identified included margay ( Leopardus wiedii, n=2), ocelot ( Leopardus pardalis, n=1), jaguarundi ( Puma yagouaroundi, n=1), gray fox ( Urocyon cinereoargenteus, n=1), tayra ( Eira barbara, n=3), coati ( Nasua narica, n=1), four-eyed opossum ( Metachirus nudicaudatus, n=6), and common opossum ( Didelphis marsupialis, n=16). The present study is the first to report the successful collection of hair samples from jaguarundi and margay in the wild and hair samples from ocelots in tropical areas. The deficit of information on carnivore populations in tropical rainforests is due mainly to the lack of appropriate methodologies that are reliable and cost-effective. This study supports the assumption that hair-snaring is viable and cost-effective in ecosystems such as the Selva Lacandona, particularly when monitoring carnivore populations that have wide geographic distributions and low densities.

What coatis and mongooses have in common?

The coatis (Procyonidae) and some species of mongooses (Herpestidae) are diurnal, small to medium-sized carnivores that live in groups and feed opportunistically on small animals and fruits. A comparison of selected features is here presented for two coati species (Nasua narica and N. nasua) and the banded mongoose (Mungos mungo). The former two dwell in the Neotropical region, whereas the latter occurs in the Ethiopian realm. Both the coatis and the mongoose are apt to live near human settlements and capitalise on food refuse. Additionally, coatis and mongooses habituate to humans, and sometimes are a nuisance. These habits, plus their almost constant quest for food, lead these carnivores to meet other mammal types at feeders and garbage dumps and associate with these animals. White-nosed coatis associate with the Baird's tapir (Tapirus bairdii) and pick ticks on its body, whereas the banded mongoose does so with the common warthog (Phacochoerus africanus). These seem to be the two sole recorded instances of mammals cleaning non-conspecific mammals, and illustrate a remarkable case of convergence.

Raptor Pit Mortality in Mongolia and a Call to Identify and Modify Death Traps Wherever they Occur

Raptor Pit Mortality in Mongolia and a Call to Identify and Modify Death Traps Wherever they Occur

New rabies virus variant found during an epizootic in white-nosed coatis from the Yucatan Peninsula.

In February 2008, three white-nosed coatis (Nasua narica) were found dead in a recreational park in Cancun, Mexico. The diagnosis of rabies virus (RABV) infection was confirmed by direct immunofluorescence test. The phylogenetic analysis performed with the complete RABV nucleoprotein gene positioned this isolate close to a sequence of a human rabies case reported during 2008 from Oaxaca, Mexico, sharing 93% similarity. In turn, these two variants are related to another variant found in rabid Tadarida brasiliensis mexicana bats across North America. Anti-RABV neutralizing activity (1.3 IU/ml) was found in the serum of one white-nosed coati captured with another five that cohabited with the dead animals. Enhanced rabies surveillance and pathogenesis studies should be conducted in coatis and insectivorous bats of the region to clarify the role of these species as potential emergent or long-term unidentified RABV reservoirs.

Fototrampeo de mamíferos en la Sierra Nanchititla, México: abundancia relativa y patrón de actividad

Species conservation and their management depend on the availability of their population behavior and changes in time. This way, population studies include aspects such as species abundance and activity pattern, among others, with the advantage that nowadays new technologies can be applied, in addition to common methods. In this study, we used camera-traps to obtain the index of relative abundance and to establish activity pattern of medium and large mammals in Sierra Nanchititla, Mexico. The study was conducted from December 2003 to May 2006, with a total sampling effort of 4 305 trap-days. We obtained 897 photographs of 19 different species. Nasua narica, Sylvilagus floridanus and Urocyon cinereoargenteus were the most abundant, in agreement with the relative abundance index (RAI, number of independent records/100 trap-days), and according to previous studies with indirect methods in the area. The activity patterns of the species showed that 67% of them are nocturnal, except Odocoileus virginianus, Nasua narica and others. Some species showed differences with previously reported patterns, which are related with seasonality, resources availability, organism sex, principally. The applied method contributed with reliable data about relative abundance and activity patterns.

Avian reproductive failure in tropical forest fragments

Avian reproductive failure in tropical forest fragments

Seasonal Variation in the Diet of Ring-Tailed Coatis (Nasua nasua) in Iguazu, Argentina

There is widespread evidence that feeding ecology can lead to differences in mammalian social systems. To understand how diet and ecology affect the social behavior of ring-tailed coatis (Nasua nasua), detailed measures of feeding behavior were recorded from 2 well-studied groups over a 2-year period. The proportion of fruit and invertebrates in the diet of ring-tailed coatis in Iguazu, Argentina, was very similar to that in diets of white-nosed coatis (N. narica) and ring-tailed coatis studied at field sites in Brazil. Consumption of vertebrates in Iguazu was exceptionally rare. The proportion of time spent foraging for invertebrates and fruit generally matched seasonal changes in the abundance these foods in the environment. During the winter, when invertebrate and fruit availability was low, coatis spent a large amount of time feeding on 2 exotic fruit species. The presence of exotic fruits provided coatis with food during the lean winter season and may have influenced the high reproduction and survivorship found in this population. Coatis spent about 44% of their fruit-foraging time exploiting pindo palm (Syagrus romanzoffianum) fruits and it appeared that this fruit species played a major role in shaping the ranging and feeding behavior of coati groups. The time spent foraging at fruit trees and the total number of fruits eaten varied depending on the species of tree. Coati groups spent an average of 2.5–12.5 min feeding on different species of fruit trees, and coati groups ate an average of 2.6–269.8 fruits per tree species. The quick depletion of fruit trees and high density of foraging individuals, especially when feeding on pindo, plays an important role in shaping the social system of coatis.

Exploratory Use of Track and Camera Surveys of Mammalian Carnivores in the Peloncillo and Chiricahua Mountains of Southeastern Arizona

Abstract We explored use of non-invasive track and camera surveys to provide baseline information on distribution, activity, and habitat associations of mammalian carnivores within the Chiricahua and Peloncillo mountains of southeastern Arizona. In total, track and camera stations recorded 241 and 149 detections, respectively, of carnivores and other vertebrates in both mountain ranges. In order of frequency of detections, we recorded gray foxes (112 track and camera detections), white-nosed coatis (33), large skunks (25), ringtails (13), domestic dogs (13), coyotes (9), cougars (7), bobcats (3), and western spotted skunks (2) in both the Chiricahua and Peloncillo mountains, and one American black bear was photographed in the Chiricahua mountains. Other vertebrates detected included cattle (12), deer (10), and a variety of small rodents (83), birds (33), lizards (22), and lagomorphs (12). The combination of track and camera data were effective at detecting a variety of species in a range of habitat types,...

Feeding encounters between a group of howler monkeys and white-nosed coatis in a small forest fragment in Los Tuxtlas, Mexico

Interactions between sympatric species are of particular interest for understanding the mechanisms that allow animal coexistence in the ecological community. The mantled howler monkey (Alouatta palliata Gray) and the white-nosed coati (Nasua narica Linnaeus) are similar-sized mammals with a sympatric distribution in the Neotropics (Nowak 1999). Since these two species are partly frugivorous (howler, Crockett & Eisenberg 1987; coati, Gompper 1997), and fruit is often limited (Laurance et al. 2003), howlers and coatis might be observed foraging from the same fruiting tree, but there is no information regarding this possibility. We studied the feeding encounters between these two species in a small forest fragment, and discuss the conditions under which these episodes occur.

Habitat use, home range and foraging preferences of the coati Nasua nasua in a pluvial tropical Atlantic forest area

AbstractCoatis (genus Nasua) occupy a large range of forested habitats. The aim of this study was to describe the use of habitat by Nasua nasua in a continuous pluvial tropical Atlantic forest area, the Carlos Botelho State Park (CBSP) in south‐eastern Brazil. Use of space by N. nasua in the CBSP was characterized by an average home range area for one group of 445 ha by the minimum convex polygon method and 544 ha by the fixed kernel method, which was used across 2 months; the use of trees for foraging and travelling was superior to that reported for N. nasua and Nasua narica until now, being higher in the drier season. The home range of three coati groups shifted during the 3 years of this study; the home range of one habituated group changed by 91%. The proportion of ground foraging increased with the higher availability of soil invertebrates during the rainy season, but cannot be explained solely on the basis of resource availability.

Characterization of oligosaccharides in milk of a mink, Mustela vison

Carbohydrates were extracted from a sample of milk from a mink, Mustela vison (Family Mustelidae). Free neutral and acidic oligosaccharides were isolated from the carbohydrate fraction and their chemical structures were compared with those of white-nosed coati ( Nasua narica, Procyonidae) and harbour seal ( Phoca vitulina, Phocidae) that we had studied previously. The ratio of free lactose to milk oligosaccharides was similar to that in milk of the white-nosed coati; in both species, this ratio was much lower than that in the milk of most eutherians. The neutral oligosaccharides of mink milk had α(1–3)-linked Gal or α(1–2)-linked Fuc residues at their non-reducing ends, as in the neutral oligosaccharides of white-nosed coati milk. Some of the neutral and acidic oligosaccharides, determined here, had been found also in harbour seal milk, but the harbour seal oligosaccharides did not contain α(1–3)-linked Gal residues.

A Possible Foraging Association between White Hawks and White-nosed Coatis

Some species of birds commonly forage by following other animals and capturing prey flushed by the movements of the latter. Here we describe a possible foraging association between White Hawks (Leucopternis albicollis) and white-nosed coatis (Nasua narica) in Tikal National Park, Guatemala. The frequency of association varied seasonally, perhaps due to differences in availability of reptiles, the hawks' main prey.

Lek‐like mating in white‐nosed coatis (Nasua narica): socio‐ecological correlates of intraspecific variability in mating systems

AbstractThe mating system displayed by a species or population is a complex result of interactions among many factors, including social organization and resource distribution. Lekking is rare among mammals, and despite decades of research and theoretical debate, there is still little agreement concerning the socio‐ecological conditions that give rise to this mating system. This study documents a lek‐like mating system in a population of white‐nosed coatis Nasua narica: the first such system observed in a carnivore species. Male coatis in Tikal National Park, Guatemala, aggregated around mobile bands of females during the mating season. The males displayed from the forest canopy above the bands, and females ascended to a male's perch when they were ready to mate. Males did not provide resources or parental care. Thus, the mating system, which differed from classic lekking only in the lack of an arena, can be best described as mobile lekking. Male coatis apparently resort to self‐advertisement when the large size and large home ranges of female groups make defence of females or resources impractical.

USE OF CENTURY PLANTS (AGAVE PALMERI) BY COATIS (NASUA NARICA)

Abstract We report observations and quantification of white nosed coatis (Nasua narica) using century plants (Agave palmeri) as a novel food source in Arizona. After observing a female coati eating in century plants, we inspected all flowering century plants in areas of coati activity for presence of scratch marks. Use of agaves by coatis was relatively common. Coatis climbed plants with large diameter at breast height relative to unscratched plants, but did not preferentially use agaves based on height or number of flower aggregations. Agaves in areas of high coati activity were more likely to possess scratch marks. Flowering agaves contain nectar, pollen, and arthropod species, all of which likely provide nutrition. The opportunistic foraging and willingness of coatis to experiment with unique food sources might partially explain the expansive distribution of the species under a wide variety of ecological conditions.

Animal dispersal of two secondary-vegetation herbs into the evergreen rain forest of south-eastern Mexico

Rain forests at Los Tuxtlas are islands surrounded by anthropogenic vegetation containing invasive species. Epizoochory is an important dispersal syndrome among invasive species but ecological studies are scant. In order to evaluate the movement of epizoochore diaspores into the mature forest, we selected two abundant secondary herbs with contrasting diaspore morphology, and five dispersers with different pelage type. We used stuffed mammals as a dummy and passed them through patches of these two plant species, counting the number of adhered diaspores. For dispersal into the forest, diaspores were manually adhered to dispersers, these were pulled along 100-m forest transects, counting the number of diaspores remaining at distance intervals. We observed the highest amount of detachment in the first 20 m of the forest edge. For Desmodium incanum diaspores with sticky hairs, adhesion to dispersers showed no differences among pelage types, therefore dispersal is determined mainly by diaspore detachment. Dispersers with long pelage (Didelphis marsupialis, Nasua narica and Procyon lotor) move diaspores for shorter distances, while dispersers with short pelage (Silvilagus floridanus and Philander opossum) are more likely to move diaspores for longer distances. In Pavonia schiedeana more diaspores (seeds with spines and hooks) were attached and remained attached on dispersers with long and thick pelage. Mean distance travelled for P. schiedeana diaspores varied between 11 and 2700 m. In D. incanum the distance travelled did not exceed 500 m. Based on comparisons between dispersal patterns and on ecological data of these two plant species and their potential dispersers, P. schiedeana has a higher probability of invading the forest and finding suitable habitats for establishment than D. incanum.

Tail Autotomy in the Central American Spiny Rat, Proechimys semispinosus

We studied the effects of sex, age, density and island size and isolation on tail autotomy within twelve island populations of the Central American spiny rat (Proechimys semispinosus, Rodentia: Echimyidae). The proportion of individuals losing their tail differed among islands but not between sexes. Most P. semispinosus lost their tail as adults. Population density and island size and isolation did not influence tail autotomy. Overall tail loss (8.0%) was lower than that previously reported in other populations of P. semispinosus. We suggest that low frequencies of tail loss were due to low rates of attack by mammalian predators typical of small, isolated islands and that differences among islands were due largely to the occasional appearance of transient predators such as coatis (Nasua narica). However, we caution against using tail loss as an index of predation because such a link has not been established yet.

HOME-RANGE DYNAMICS OF WHITE-NOSED COATIS IN SOUTHEASTERN ARIZONA

Abstract I studied a population of white-nosed coatis (Nasua narica) in southeastern Arizona from 1996 to 2000 to quantify home-range size and overlap among matriarchal groups (troops) and solitary males. Home ranges of coatis averaged 13.57 km2 ± 1.72 SE for troops (n = 9) and 6.11 ± 1.42 km2 for solitary males (n = 7; kernel-density estimator). Sizes of home ranges and core areas did not change during the study, even though density of coatis declined by ≥60%. Home ranges of males overlapped ≤61%, home ranges of troops overlapped ≤80%, and home ranges of males overlapped those of troops ≤67%. Locations of annual home ranges and core areas shifted slightly from year to year, indicating minor range drift but no nomadism by radiocollared coatis in this population. Mortality due to predation was significantly higher in the periphery of the home range than that predicted based on the probability of occurrence.

Home‐range use by white‐nosed coatis (Nasua narica): limited water and a test of the resource dispersion hypothesis

AbstractThe resource dispersion hypothesis (RDH) proposes that in a spatially and temporally heterogeneous environment the territory size of social carnivores increases as the dispersion of limited resources is more widely spaced, whereas group size is limited, independently, by the richness or abundance of those resources or key habitats. To assess if white‐nosed coatis Nasua narica behave in accordance with the RDH, the relationship between home‐range size and spatio‐temporal availability of resources in Mexican tropical dry forests with marked seasonal rainfall was examined. Specifically, home‐range sizes were compared at two study sites that were broadly similar but contrasting in resource abundance and dispersion. Home‐range estimates for seven white‐nosed coati bands varied between 45 and 362 ha. Home‐range size did not correlate with food resource abundance and was better explained by the dispersion of water sources during the dry season. Average home‐range size was three times greater at the site where water sources were more widely separated during the dry season. These results are in accordance with the predictions of the RDH, and provide an example where the critical resource determining range size and configuration is water.

Anti-predator benefits of group living in white-nosed coatis (Nasua narica)

Predation is often considered an important factor in the evolution of sociality among animals. We studied mortality patterns and grouping behavior of white-nosed coatis (Nasua narica) at sites in southern Arizona, USA, and western Jalisco, Mexico. Coatis were monitored by radio-tracking and recaptures for more than 3 years at each site. In both populations, predation by large felids, including jaguars (Panthera onca) and pumas (Puma concolor), accounted for more than 50% of mortality of adult coatis. Predation rates were significantly higher on solo coatis than on coatis in groups at both study sites. Predation rates were negatively related to group size in Arizona. However, mortality of juveniles, as measured by the ratios of juveniles to adult females, was not related to the number of adult females per group in Arizona or Jalisco. Coatis exhibit a suite of behaviors, including foraging with the juveniles in the center of the group, sharing vigilance, alarm calling, mobbing and attacking predators, and a highly synchronous birth season, that are all consistent with the hypothesis that predation has played an important role in shaping coati social behavior.

Porrorchis nickoli n. sp. (Acanthocephala:: Plagiorhynchidae) from mammals in southeastern Mexico, first known occurrence of Porrorchis in the western hemisphere.

Porrorchis nickoli n. sp. is described from the intestine of the gray four-eyed opossum Philander opossum (type host), the Virginia opossum Didelphis virginiana, the common opossum Didelphis marsupialis, and the white-nosed coati Nasua narica. Hosts were collected in southeastern Mexico in the Los Tuxtlas region of the state of Veracruz (type locality) and in the states of Tabasco and Chiapas. This new species is distinguished from other Porrorchis species by its small proboscis (0.286-0.428 mm long x 0.273-0.438 mm wide), a proboscis armature consisting of 22-24 vertical rows of 7 or 8 hooks per row, and the male reproductive system extending postequatorially and occupying only half of the trunk. This is the first known occurrence of a Porrorchis species in the Western Hemisphere.