The Mammals of Costa Rica: A Natural History and Field Guide / Edition 1

by Mark Wainwright, Oscar Arias

Overview

From the raucous mantled howler monkeys and the charismatic white-nosed coatis to the elusive jaguar, The Mammals of Costa Rica offers authoritative accounts of the fascinating creatures of the neotropics. With more than four hundred spectacular illustrations and a wealth of detailed information drawn from firsthand observation, new research, and synthesis of the scientific literature, this book describes all of Costa Rica's readily identifiable terrestrial and freshwater mammals. The clear and entertaining text is perfectly suited to meet the needs of naturalists, students, and researchers, as well as both experienced and first-time visitors to Costa Rica and the American tropics.

The mammal descriptions include key identification features, range maps, vocalizations, local folklore and mythology, and comprehensive information about natural history and conservation. The color illustrations show not only the mammals themselves but also their tracks, foods, and skulls. Also included are illustrations of numerous other animals and plants with which the mammals have close ecological links. By presenting mammals in a broader context, The Mammals of Costa Rica provides an entry point into a general study of tropical ecology and conservation.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780801473753
Publisher:	Cornell University Press
Publication date:	07/15/2007
Series:	Zona Tropical Publications
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	488
Product dimensions:	5.00(w) x 7.75(h) x (d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Mark Wainwright is a nature guide and instructor for tropical ecology courses in Costa Rica. Oscar Arias is the current President of Costa Rica and a Nobel Peace Prize laureate.

Table of Contents

Foreword     ix
Acknowledgments     xi
Introduction     xiii
Measurements     1
Opossums (order Didelphimorphia)     3
Common Opossum (Didelphis marsupialis)     7
Virginia Opossum (Didelphis virginiana)     11
Central American Woolly Opossum (Caluromys derbianus)     14
Brown Four-Eyed Opossum (Metachirus nudicaudatus)     18
Common Gray Four-Eyed Opossum (Philander opossum)     21
Yapok or Water Opossum (Chironectes minimus)     24
Mouse Opossums
Alston's Mouse Opossum (Micoureus alstoni)     27
Mexican Mouse Opossum (Marmosa mexicana)     28
Anteaters, Sloths, & Armadillos (order Xenarthra)     32
Giant Anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla)     39
Northern Tamandua (Tamandua mexicana)     42
Silky Anteater (Cyclopes didactylus)     46
Brown-Throated Three-Toed Sloth (Bradypus variegatus)     50
Hoffmann's Two-Toed Sloth (Choloepus hoffmanni)     55
Northern Naked-Tailed Armadillo (Cabassous centralis)     59
Nine-Banded Long-Nosed Armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus)     62
Shrews (order Insectivora)     68
Least Shrews (Cryptotis spp.)     72
Bats (orderChiroptera)     76
Sac-Winged or Sheath-Tailed Bats (Emballonuridae)
Long-Nosed Bat (Rhynchonycteris naso)     87
Greater White-Lined Bat (Saccopteryx bilineatus)     87
Northern Ghost Bat (Diclidurus albus)     88
Gray Sac-Winged Bat (Balantiopteryx plicata)     88
Fishing or Bulldog Bats (Noctilionidae)
Greater Fishing Bat (Noctilio leporinus)     92
Lesser Fishing Bat (Noctilio albiventris)     92
Leaf-Chinned or Mustached Bats (Mormoopidae)
Davy's Naked-Backed Bat (Pteronotus davyi)     96
Parnell's Mustached Bat (Pteronotus parnellii)     96
American Leaf-Nosed Bats (Phyllostomidae)     99
Spear-Nosed Bats (Phyllostomidae; Phyllostominae)
Frog-Eating Bat (Trachops cirrhosus)     100
Tome's Long-Eared Bat (Lonchorhina aurita)     100
False Vampire Bat (Vampyrum spectrum)     101
Nectar-Feeding or Long-Tongued Bats (Phyllostomidae; Glossophaginae)
Pallas' Long-Tongued Bat (Glossophaga soricina)     106
Geoffroy's Tailless Bat (Anoura geoffroyi)     106
Orange Nectar Bat (Lonchophylla robusta)     107
Short-Tailed Fruit Bats (Phyllostomidae; Carollinae)
Seba's Short-Tailed Fruit Bat (Carollia perspicillata)     110
Tailless or Neotropical Fruit Bats (Phyllostomidae; Stenodermatinae)
Highland Epauleted Bat (Sturnira ludovici)     115
Common Tent-Making Bat (Uroderma bilobatum)     115
White Tent Bat (Ectophylla alba)     116
Wrinkle-Faced Bat (Centurio senex)     116
Vampire Bats (Phyllostomidae; Desmodontinae)
Common Vampire Bat (Desmodus rotundus)     121
White-Winged Vampire Bat (Diaemus youngi)     122
Hairy-Legged Vampire Bat (Diphylla ecaudata)     122
Funnel-Eared, Thumbless, and Disk-Winged Bats (Natalidae, Furipteridae, and Thyropteridae)
Mexican Funnel-Eared Bat (Natalus stramineus)     127
Thumbless Bat (Furipterus horrens)     127
Spix's Disk-Winged Bat (Thyroptera tricolor)     128
Plain-Nosed Bats (Vespertilionidae)
Black Myotis (Myotis nigricans)     132
Southern Yellow Bat (Lasiurus ega)     133
Western Red Bat (Lasiurus blossevillii)     133
Free-Tailed or Mastiff Bats (Molossidae)
Brazilian Free-Tailed Bat (Tadarida brasiliensis)     137
Sinaloan Mastiff Bat (Molossus sinaloae)     137
Monkeys (order Primates)     142
Central American Squirrel Monkey (Saimiri oerstedii)     149
White-Throated Capuchin (Cebus capucinus)     154
Mantled Howler Monkey (Alouatta palliata)     160
Central American Spider Monkey (Ateles geoffroyi)      168
Rodents (order Rodentia)     175
Alfaro's Pygmy Squirrel (Microsciurus alfari)     180
Deppe's Squirrel (Sciurus deppei)     183
Red-Tailed Squirrel (Sciurus granatensis)     186
Variegated Squirrel (Sciurus variegatoides)     189
Montane or Poas Squirrel (Syntheosciurus brochus)     194
Pocket Gophers (Geomyidae)
Chiriqui Pocket Gopher (Orthogeomys cavator)     197
Variable Pocket Gopher (Orthogeomys heterodus)     197
Cherrie's Pocket Gopher (Orthogeomys cherriei)     198
Underwood's Pocket Gopher (Orthogeomys underwoodi)     198
Spiny Pocket Mice (Heteromyidae)
Salvin's Spiny Pocket Mouse (Liomys salvini)     202
Forest Spiny Pocket Mouse (Heteromys demarestianus)     203
Mountain Spiny Pocket Mouse (Heteromys oresterus)     203
Native Murid Rodents (Muridae; Sigmodontinae)
Vesper Rat (Nyctomys sumichrasti)     206
Alston's Singing Mouse (Scotinomys teguina)     206
Hispid Cotton Rat (Sigmodon hispidus)     207
Goldman's Water Mouse (Rheomys raptor)     207
Dusky Rice Rat (Melanomys caliginosus)     208
Watson's Climbing Rat (Tylomys watsoni)     208
Non-Native Murid Rodents (Muridae; Murinae)
Roof Rat (Rattus rattus)      212
Norway Rat (Rattus norvegicus)     213
House Mouse (Mus musculus)     213
Mexican Hairy Porcupine (Coendou mexicanus)     216
Central American Agouti (Dasyprocta punctata)     220
Paca (Agouti paca)     224
Spiny Rats
Tome's Spiny Rat (Proechimys semispinosus)     228
Armored Rat (Hoplomys gymnurus)     228
Rabbits (order Lagomorpha)     233
Tapiti and Dice's Cottontail (Sylvilagus brasiliensis and Sylvilagus dicei)     238
Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus)     241
Carnivores (order Carnivora)     245
Dog Family (Canidae)     251
Gray Fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus)     256
Coyote (Canis latrans)     259
Raccoon Family (Procyonidae)     264
Central American Cacomistle (Bassariscus sumichrasti)     268
Crab-Eating Raccoon (Procyon cancrivorus)     272
Northern Raccoon (Procyon lotor)     275
White-Nosed Coati (Nasua narica)     279
Kinkajou (Potos flavus)     285
Olingos (Bassaricyon gabbii and Bassaricyon lasius)     289
Weasel Family (Mustelidae)     293
Long-Tailed Weasel (Mustela frenata)     297
Greater Grison (Galictis vittata)      300
Tayra (Eira barbara)     305
Striped Hog-Nosed Skunk (Conepatus semistriatus)     308
Spotted Skunk (Spilogale putorius)     311
Hooded Skunk (Mephitis macroura)     315
Neotropical River Otter (Lutra longicaudis)     318
Cat Family (Felidae)     324
Oncilla (Leopardus tigrina)     330
Margay (Leopardus wiedii)     333
Ocelot (Leopardus pardalis)     336
Jaguarundi (Herpailurus yagouaroundi)     340
Puma (Puma concolor)     344
Jaguar (Panthera onca)     349
Manatees (order Sirenia)     356
West Indian Manatee (Trichechus manatus)     361
Tapirs (order Perissodactyla)     368
Baird's Tapir (Tapirus bairdii)     372
Peccaries and Deer (order Artiodactyla)     379
Collared Pectary (Tayassu tajacu)     386
White-Lipped Peccary (Tayassu pecari)     391
Red Brocket Deer (Mazama americana)     397
White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus)     401
Dolphins and Whales (order Cetacea)     408
Tucuxi (Sotalia fluviatilis)     413
Bibliography     417
Index     443

What People are Saying About This

Alan Rabinowitz

The Mammals of Costa Rica is an extremely useful and comprehensive guide to the mammal species of Costa Rica, one of the most important countries for conservation in the Americas today. This book goes beyond the realm of normal field guides, providing detailed scientific information as well as the conservation status of particular species.

Editorial Reviews

Entertaining, clear, and fact-filled.... Containing an incredible wealth of information, this book is an excellent reference for serious naturalists, tour guides, educators, and researchers who teach or work in the tropics.

Journal of Mammalogy

"The Mammals of Costa Rica is an extremely useful and comprehensive guide to the mammal species of Costa Rica, one of the most important countries for conservation in the Americas today. This book goes beyond the realm of normal field guides, providing detailed scientific information as well as the conservation status of particular species."

Alan Rabinowitz

"Entertaining, clear, and fact-filled . . . . Containing an incredible wealth of information, this book is an excellent reference for serious naturalists, tour guides, educators, and researchers who teach or work in the tropics."—Journal of Mammalogy

"The Mammals of Costa Rica is an extremely useful and comprehensive guide to the mammal species of Costa Rica, one of the most important countries for conservation in the Americas today. This book goes beyond the realm of normal field guides, providing detailed scientific information as well as the conservation status of particular species."—Alan Rabinowitz, Wildlife Conservation Society

From the Publisher