Tamandua mexicana, Saussure, 1860

Russell A. Mittermeier & Don E. Wilson, 2018, Myrmecophagidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 8 Insectivores, Sloths and Colugos, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 88-90 : 89

2 .

Northern Tamandua

Tamandua mexicana

French: Tamandua du Mexique / German: Nordlicher Tamandua / Spanish: Oso melero septentrional

Other common names: Mexican Anteater

Taxonomy. Myrmecophaga tamandua var. mexicana Saussure, 1860 ,

“Tabasco,” Mex- 1CO .

The name 7. mexicana was first used by R. M. Wetzel in 1975. In 1982, Wetzel recog- nized five subspecies, but A. L. Gardner in 2005 accepted only four. Both species of Tamandua are mostly allopatric, but in some areas of the extreme northern South America, they may occur in sympatry. Four subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution.

T.m.mexicanaSaussure,1860—SMexico(fromColimaandMichoacanstatesinthePacificslopeandSanLuisPotosiStateintheGulfside)andthroughoutCentralAmericaStoHonduras.

T:m.instabilisJ.A.Allen,1904—NColombia(N&EofEAndesRange)andNWVenezuela.

T.m.opistholeucaGray,1873—SHondurastoWColombiaandWEcuador;alsoonBarroColoradoI(Panama).

T: m. punensisJ. A. Allen, 1916 — W & SW Ecuador (including Puna I) and NW Peru.

Descriptive notes. Head-body ¢.560 mm, tail 400-675 mm, ear 40-46 mm, hindfoot 80-110 mm; weight 3-6 kg. The Northern Tamandua is not outwardly sexually dimorphic. It is medium-sized but slightly smaller than the Southern Tamandua (7: tetradactyla ). Head of the Northern Tamandua is slender and intermediate in size between those of the Giant Anteater ( Myrmecophaga tridactyla ) and the Common Silky Anteater (Cyclopes didactylus). Rostrum is more than 40% oftotal length of cranium. Skull of the

Northern Tamandua has four pairs of orbital foramina, but there are usually three in Southern Tamandua. Ears of the Northern Tamandua are smaller than those of the Southern Tamandua. Eyes and mouth are tiny, the latter without teeth. The 400mm tongue is contractile and has circumvallate papillae that produce sticky saliva. Northern Tamanduas have distinctive black vests on paler fur background (tan or yellowish). Dense short hair covers body. Muscles of forelimbs are strong and well adapted to tear apart nests of prey. There are four claws on forefeet, with second and third well developed. Northern Tamanduas walk on sides of their hands, with toes inward and distributing weight on thickened tissue of the pad. Hindfeet are plantigrade and have five smaller claws. Prehensile tail is nearly naked for the last three-quarters ofits length, and it has 40-42 caudal bones, more than in the Southern Tamandua (31-39). Chromosomal complementis 2n = 54, FN = 104.

Habitat. Wide variety of habitats from open savannas, thorn scrublands, and mangroves to forests (lowland, gallery, evergreen, and deciduous tropical) and humanaltered areas. Northern Tamanduas use terrestrial habitats and forest canopies, where they spent almost one-half of their time when active.

Food and Feeding. Northern Tamanduas exploit terrestrial and arboreal nests of ants and termites. Prey is found with a keen sense of smell; prominent claw is used with a twisting motion to break the nest. Northern Tamanduas can eat ¢.9000 insects/ day. One larvae and pupae are consumed for every nine mature ants; immature forms have higher caloric values than adults, so they are nutritionally important. Northern Tamanduas exploit 50-80 nests of ants or termites daily. They eat ant genera Camponotus, Crematogaster, Azteca, Procryptocerus, and Dolichoderus and termite genera Nasulilermes and Microcerotermes. Northern Tamanduas also eat palm fruits ( Attalea butyracea, Arecaceae ) in Panama.

Breeding. Northern Tamanduasare solitary but come together to breed. A wild mating pair was observed in Costa Rica. When the pair met, the male sniffed female's rump and then followed her; on several occasions, he touched her from behind. Sometimes, the female was antagonistic to the male, including standing up bipedally in defense. Two copulations were observed in five minutes, and each lasted 10-30 seconds. Mating is aseasonal. Gestation lasts 130-150 days. Northern Tamanduas commonly give birth to one young that is cared for by its mother for c.1 year. Young may be left for short periods while the mother forages. Longevity is 9-5 years.

Activity patterns. Northern Tamanduas are scansorial, and they can exploit arboreal and terrestrial habitats. They can be active for up to eight hours, day, or night. When they are active, 40% of the time is spent in trees, and 90% ofrest sites are in trees, tree hollows, and liana tangles; they also rest in abandoned armadillo burrows. Northern Tamanduas maintain ¢.20 different restsites in core areas of their home ranges, and they use 1-2 of them each day. Features of restsites include high tree densities (especially palms), heights, and dense vegetation. Trees are preferred as restsites probably to avoid predation from Ocelots (Leopardus pardalis), Pumas (Puma concolor), and Jaguars (Panthera onca).

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Northern Tamanduas moved arboreally from one tree crown to another, spending about three minutes in each tree and visiting ¢.20 trees/hour. Lianas and thick branches facilitate progress. When Northern Tamanduas are active, movement is continuous, except for rests of ¢.30 minutes; long feeding bouts are related to finding high caloric prey. Average daily movement is 1000 m, but up to 3400 m have been recorded. Northern Tamanduas swim skillfully, with snouts held above the water. They are most active in peripheries of home ranges. Home range size was 0-25 km? in Panama, and overlap can occur near edges. In Costa Rica (Punta Leona Private Refuge) and Panama (Barro Colorado Island), densities were very low at 0-0006 ind/km? and 0-0005 ind/km?, respectively. In coastal forest of Cabo Blanco, Costa Rica, Northern Tamanduas are described as abundant.

Status and Conservation. CITES Appendix III (Guatemala). Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. The Northern Tamandua is considered common across most of its distribution, but in the northern part in Mexico, it is endangered. Risks to some populations include deforestation, habitat loss, fires, poaching, road kills, and conflict with dogs. In some regions of Mexico, traditional people eat Northern Tamanduas, and Yucatan people use their claws in cock fighting. They are illegally kept as pets. More research is needed for a better conservation assessment of the Northern Tamandua.

Bibliography. Aguiar & Fonseca (2008), Alfredo & Cuaron (1987), Allen (1904, 1916), Brown (2011), Brown, LaPoint et al. (2012), Brown, Montgomery et al. (2014), Burton & Ceballos (2006), Ceballos & Arroyo-Cabrales (2012), Esser et al. (2010), Gardner (2005, 2008), Genoways & Timm (2003), Jorge & Pereira (2008), Lubin (1983), Lubin & Montgomery (1981), Matlaga (2006), Montgomery (1985b, 1985c), Montiel et al. (2000), Navarrete & Ortega (2011), Ortega et al. (2014), Redford & Dorea (1984), Rodrigues et al. (2008), Rossoni et al. (1981), SEMARNAT (2010), Silveira (1968), Superina et al. (2010), Timm et al. (2009), Timock & Vaughan (2002), Tlapaya & Gallina (2010) , Urquiza-Haas et al. (2011), Wetzel (1975, 1982, 198b5a).

Figures

Plate 3 Species Accounts

Subspecies and Distribution. T.m.mexicanaSaussure,1860—SMexico(fromColimaandMichoacanstatesinthePacificslopeandSanLuisPotosiStateintheGulfside)andthroughoutCentralAmericaStoHonduras. T:m.instabilisJ.A.Allen,1904—NColombia(N&EofEAndesRange)andNWVenezuela. T.m.opistholeucaGray,1873—SHondurastoWColombiaandWEcuador;alsoonBarroColoradoI(Panama). T: m. punensisJ. A. Allen, 1916 — W & SW Ecuador (including Puna I) and NW Peru.