We examined quantity and quality components of primary seed dispersal for an assemblage of sigmodontine rodents in ahigh-elevationmontane tropical forest in Peru. We collected faecal samples from 134individuals belonging to seven rodent species from the subfamily Sigmodontinae (Cricetidae) over a 2-y period. We conducted seed viability tests for seeds found in faecal samples. We identified seeds from eight plant families (Bromeliaceae, Annonaceae, Brassicaceae, Ericaceae, Melastomatacae, Myrtaceae, Rosaceae, Solanaceae), nine genera and 13 morphospecies. The most abundant seeds belonged to Gaultheria sp. 1 (46% of total) and Miconia sp. 1 (31% of total), while the most viable seeds belonged to Greigia sp. (84% viability) and Guatteria sp. (80% viability). We utilized relative rodent abundance, seed species diversity, seed abundance and seed viability per rodent species to calculate an index of rodent disperser effectiveness, and found that Thomasomys kalinowskii was the most effective disperser, followed by Akodon torques, Calomys sorellus, Thomasomys oreas, Oligoryzomys andinus and Microryzomys minutus. Plant genera dispersed by sigmodontine rodents overlappedmore with bird-and terrestrial-mammal-dispersed plants than with bat-dispersed plants. Future neotropical seed dispersal studies should consider small rodents as potential seed-dispersers, especially in tropical habitats where small-seeded, berry-forming shrubs and trees are present.
Knowledge of feeding habits of small rodents is necessary for understanding food webs, trophic structure, and plant-animal interactions in Neotropical forests. Despite several studies that have investigated community structure and feeding behavior of rodents, large gaps remain in our understanding of their guild occupancy. Our objective was to investigate the diets of 7 species of small (< 100 g) sympatric sigmodontine rodents in a high (3,500 m) Andean montane rainforest in Peru. We qualitatively and quantitatively assessed diet items in fecal samples from livetrapped rodents from 2009 to 2012. Frequency data for 4 diet categories indicated that all 7 species of rodents contained 4 diet categories in fecal samples: arthropods (88%), remains of leaves and fibers from plants (61%), intact seeds (with or without fruit pulp; 50%), and mycorrhizal spores (45%). Omnivory was found to be a strategy used by all species, although contingency table analysis revealed significant differences among and within species in diet categories. Cluster analysis showed 2 main groupings: that of the Thomasomys spp. plus Calomys sorellus group which included high amounts of intact seeds and plant parts in their fecal samples, and those of the genera Akodon, Microryzomys, Oligoryzomys, which included a greater proportion of arthropods in their fecal samples, but still consumed substantial amounts of fruit and plant parts. Intact seed remains from at least 17 plant species (9 families) were found in fecal samples. We concluded that this assemblage of sigmodontine rodents is omnivorous but that they likely play an important role as frugivores and in seed dispersal in tropical montane forests in Peru. (C) The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of American Society of Mammalogists.
This study documents the mammalian diversity in the Tambopata River middle basin, one of the most important information gaps in Peru. Five sites were evaluated in Puno (San Fermín 850 m, Curva Alegre 950 m, Challohuma 1200 m, Yanahuaya 1600 m, and Yanacocha 1985 m). The trapping effort was 7072 trap-nights and 201 mistnet-nights. 76 species were recorded in the study area, including 16 species under some conservation’s category. Bats and rodents were the most diverse orders (67.5%). The diversity indices of Shannon-Wiener and Simpson for small mammals show a moderate and mild negative correlation with elevation, respectively. Meanwhile the altitude is negatively correlated with the relative abundance (RA) of bats, and positively with the RA of non-volant mammals. The marsupials Marmosa (Micoureus) demerarae, Marmosops bishopi and Marmosops impavidus; the rodent Neacomys musseri, and bats Platyrrhinus albericoi, P. masu, P. nigellus, Eumops auripendulus and Cormura brevirostris are first records for the department of Puno. Akodon baliolus and Oxymycterus juliacae are considered valid species. The species Sturnira lilium and Akodon baliolus were those with the highest RA. Our records, added to published and unpublished data, indicate that the Río Tambopata watershed is habitat of 141 species of mammals. Finally, we recommend the extension of the southern part of the buffer zone of the PNBS to include the montane forests of Yanacocha, to protect the unique middleelevation fauna of the Río Tambopata watershed.
We present an annotated list for all land, aquatic and marine mammals known to occur in Peru and their distribution by ecoregions. We also present species conservation status according to international organizations and the legal conservation status in Peru. At present, we record 508 species, in 13 orders, 50 families, and 218 genera, making Peru the third most diverse country with regards to mammals in the New World, after Brazil and Mexico, and the fifth most diverse country for mammals in the World. This diversity includes 40 didelphimorphs, 2 paucituberculates, 1 manatee, 6 cingulates, 7 pilosa, 39 primates, 162 rodents, 1 rabbit, 2 soricomorphs, 165 bats, 34 carnivores, 2 perissodactyls, and 47 cetartiodactyls. Bats and rodents (327 species) represent almost two thirds of total diversity (64%) for Peru. Five genera and 65 species (12.8%) are endemics to Peru, with the majority of these being rodents (45 species, 69,2%). Most of the endemic species are restricted to the Yungas of the eastern slope of the Andes (39 species, 60%) followed by Selva Baja (14 species, 21.5%). The taxonomic status of some species is commented on, when those depart from accepted taxonomy. The marsupial Marmosa phaea; the rodents Melanomys caliginosus, M. robustulus, and Echinoprocta rufescens; the shrew Cryptotis equatoris; the bats Anoura fistulata, Phyllostomus latifolius, Artibeus ravus, Cynomops greenhalli, Eumops maurus, and Rhogeessa velilla; and the carnivore Nasuella olivacea are first records of species occurrence in Peru. Finally, we also include a list of 15 non-native species.
This study documents the mammalian diversity in the Tambopata River middle basin, one of the most important information gaps in Peru. Five sites were evaluated in Puno (San Fermín 850 m, Curva Alegre 950 m, Challohuma 1200 m, Yanahuaya 1600 m, and Yanacocha 1985 m). The trapping effort was 7072 trap-nights and 201 mistnet-nights. 76 species were recorded in the study area, including 16 species under some conservation’s category. Bats and rodents were the most diverse orders (67.5%). The diversity indices of Shannon-Wiener and Simpson for small mammals show a moderate and mild negative correlation with elevation, respectively. Meanwhile the altitude is negatively correlated with the relative abundance (RA) of bats, and positively with the RA of non-volant mammals. The marsupials Marmosa (Micoureus) demerarae, Marmosops bishopi and Marmosops impavidus; the rodent Neacomys musseri, and bats Platyrrhinus albericoi, P. masu, P. nigellus, Eumops auripendulus and Cormura brevirostris are first records for the department of Puno. Akodon baliolus and Oxymycterus juliacae are considered valid species. The species Sturnira lilium and Akodon baliolus were those with the highest RA. Our records, added to published and unpublished data, indicate that the Río Tambopata watershed is habitat of 141 species of mammals. Finally, we recommend the extension of the southern part of the buffer zone of the PNBS to include the montane forests of Yanacocha, to protect the unique middleelevation fauna of the Río Tambopata watershed.
Platyrrhinus ismaeli is reported for the first time in the department of Ancash, Peru, becoming the sourthermost record from the western slope of the Peruvian Andes. We discuss the lateral folds in the pinna as a valid diagnostic character for P. ismaeli, suggesting this character does not discriminate P. ismaeli from other species; and present an updated distribution map for the species.
ABSTRACT Manu National Park of southern Peru is one of the most renowned protected areas in the world, yet large‐bodied vertebrate surveys conducted to date have been restricted to Cocha Cashu Biological Station, a research station covering <0.06 percent of the 1.7 Mha park. Manu Park is occupied by >460 settled Matsigenka Amerindians, 300–400 isolated Matsigenka, and several, little‐known groups of isolated hunter–gatherers, yet the impact of these native Amazonians on game vertebrate populations within the park remains poorly understood. On the basis of 1495 km of standardized line‐transect censuses, we present density and biomass estimates for 23 mammal, bird, and reptile species for seven lowland and upland forest sites in Manu Park, including Cocha Cashu. We compare these estimates between hunted and nonhunted sites within Manu Park, and with other Neotropical forest sites. Manu Park safeguards some of the most species‐rich and highest biomass assemblages of arboreal and terrestrial mammals ever recorded in Neotropical forests, most likely because of its direct Andean influence and high levels of soil fertility. Relative to Barro Colorado Island, seed predators and arboreal folivores in Manu are rare, and generalist frugivores specializing on mature fruit pulp are abundant. The impact of such a qualitative shift in the vertebrate community on the dynamics of plant regeneration, and therefore, on our understanding of tropical plant ecology, must be profound. Despite a number of external threats, Manu Park continues to serve as a baseline against which other Neotropical forests can be gauged. Abstract in Spanish is available at http://www.blackwell‐synergy.com/loi/btp .
El Perú reporta una alta diversidad de mamíferos, sin embargo no existe al presente un departamento o región con una lista actualizada de mamíferos. Por ello, se presenta aquí una lista actualizada para Ucayali, la que incluye 192 especies, en 11 órdenes y 35 familias (38% de la mastofauna peruana). Del total de especies, 56 son registradas en Áreas Protegidas y 189 especies en Áreas No Protegidas. En Ucayali se encuentran tres especies endémicas para el país: la ardilla Sciurus pyrrhinus, el ratón cricétido Neusticomys peruviensis y el ratón equímido Makalata rhipidura. Se encontraron 86 localidades diferentes con registros de especímenes (la mayoría ubicados a lo largo de ríos). Se identificaron dos zonas con pocos o ningún registro denominadas "vacíos de información": 1) la zona Nor Oriental de Ucayali (parte de la Reserva Nacional Sierra del Divisor), y 2) la zona oriental de Ucayali, conformada por el territorio cruzado por el río Yucanya, el río Yurúa y, la cuenca baja del río Purús (parte del Parque Nacional Alto Purús). Estas zonas son recomendadas para estudios de biodiversidad y conservación.
We present an annotated list for all land, aquatic and marine mammals known to occur in Peru and their dis- tribution by ecoregions. We also present species conservation status according to international organizations and the legal conservation status in Peru. At present, we record 508 species, in 13 orders, 50 families, and 218 genera, making Peru the third most diverse country with regards to mammals in the New World, after Brazil and Mexico, and the fifth most diverse country for mammals in the World. This diversity includes 40 didelphimorphs, 2 paucituberculates, 1 manatee, 6 cingulates, 7 pilosa, 39 primates, 162 rodents, 1 rabbit, 2 soricomorphs, 165 bats, 34 carnivores, 2 perissodactyls, and 47 cetartiodactyls. Bats and rodents (327 species) represent almost two thirds of total diversity (64%) for Peru. Five genera and 65 species (12.8%) are endemics to Peru, with the majority of these being rodents (45 species, 69,2%). Most of the endemic species are restricted to the Yungas of the eastern slope of the Andes (39 species, 60%) followed by Selva Baja (14 species, 21.5%). The taxonomic status of some species is commented on, when those depart from accepted taxonomy. The marsupial Marmosa phaea; the rodents Melanomys caliginosus, M. robustulus, and Echinoprocta rufescens; the shrew Cryptotis equatoris; the bats Anoura fistulata, Phyllostomus latifolius, Artibeus ravus, Cynomops greenhalli, Eumops maurus, and Rhogeessa velilla; and the carnivore Nasuella olivacea are first records of species occurrence in Peru. Finally, we also include a list of 15 non-native species.
Peru reports a very high diversity of mammals; however no Peruvian department or region has an updated list of mammals to date. Therefore, we present an updated list for Ucayali, which includes 192 species, belonging to 11 orders and 35 families (comprising 38% of all Peruvian mammals). Of these, 56 are recorded in protected areas and 189 species in unprotected areas, respectively. Three endemic species for the country were found in Ucayali: Sciurus pyrrhinus, a squirrel, Neusticomys peruviensis a cricetid mouse, and Makalata rhipidura an echimyd rodent. 86 different locations had specimen records (mostly located along rivers). Two areas with scarce or lack of records were found and rated as "Information gaps": 1) northeast of Ucayali (part of the Sierra del Divisor National Reserve), and 2) eastern Ucayali, composed of the territory crossed by the Yucanya River, the Yurua River, and downstream Purus River (part of the Alto Purus National Park). These areas are recommended for biodiversity and conservation studies.
The bat fauna of the Pacific Tropical rainforest region in Peru is poorly known. Here we report noteworthy range extensions of 12 bat species, including: Diaemus youngi, Chrotopterus auritus, Micronyeteris minuta, Mimon crenulatum, Vampyrum spectrum, Chiroderma salvini, Enchisthenes hartii, Noctilio leporinus, Thyroptera discifera, Eptesicus chiriquinus, Rhogeessa io, and Myotis riparius. These document the first confirmed records for the department of Tumbes. All, except E. hartii and N. leporinus, are also first records for the western slope of Peru. The record of R. io is the first for Peru, while that of C. auritus is the first for the Pacific versant of the Andes. In total, 41 bat species are present in the Pacific Tropical rainforests and surrounding dry forests, at the new Parque Nacional Cerros de Amotape, in Tumbes. This region requires urgent conservation programs, because the Pacific Tropical rainforest is threatened by human settlement, and resource exploitation in spite of its protected status.
The present work documents the diversity of mammals in the headwaters of the Apurímac river, one of the most important information gaps in Peru, based on an evaluation of fi ve sampling areas in the departments of Apurímac (Cconoc, Velavelayoc), Ayacucho (Yanamonte, Ccentabamba) and Cuzco (Catarata). Capture's effort was 1280 trap-nights and 41 mistnet-nights. Sixty species were recorded in the study area and included 15 threatened species and four species endemic to Perú. As expected, bats and rodents were the most diverse orders (66,7 %). The species diversity in the sites sampled declines signifi cantly with elevation from the lowest elevation sites (Ccentabamba and Catarata) to the highest (Velavelayoc). The marsupial Monodelphis peruviana and the Dwarf Brocket deer Mazama chunyi are fi rst records Mazama chunyi are fi rst records Mazama chunyi
El presente trabajo documenta la diversidad de los mamíferos de la cuenca del río Apurímac, uno de los vacíos de información más importantes del Perú, en base a una evaluación de cinco lugares de muestreo en los departamentos de Apurímac (Cconoc, Velavelayoc), Ayacucho (Yanamonte, Ccentabamba) y Cusco (Catarata). El esfuerzo de captura fue de 1280 trampas noche y 41 redes noche. Se registraron 60 especies en el área de estudio; incluyendo 15 especies bajo alguna categoría de conservación y cuatro endémicas a nivel del país. Como era de esperarse, los murciélagos y los roedores fueron los órdenes más diversos (66,7 %). La diversidad de especies en los sitios de muestreo decrece signifi cativamente con la elevación desde los puntos de muestreo más bajos (Ccentabamba y Catarata) hasta el más alto (Velavelayoc). El marsupial Monodelphis peruviana y el venado enano Mazama chunyi son primeros registros para el departamento de Ayacucho. Los murciélagos Artibeus planirostris y Myotis keaysi así como la nutria Lontra longicaudis son primeros registros para el departamento de Apurímac. La abundancia relativa presentó una correlación negativa signifi cativa con la elevación para los murciélagos pero no fue signifi cativa para los mamíferos pequeños terrestres. Las especies de Sturnira, Akodon y Thomasomys fueron las que obtuvieron una mayor abundancia relativa. Los índices de diversidad de Shannon-Wiener y Simpson mostraron también una correlación negativa signifi cativa con la elevación. Se estima que la cuenca del río Apurímac alberga al menos 97 especies de mamíferos lo que resulta de compilar nuestros resultados con publicaciones previas. Se recomienda establecer áreas de conservación en Huanipaca, Yanamonte y Catarata e incrementar el área del Santuario Histórico Machu Picchu hasta incluir la zona del complejo arqueológico Choquequirao.