fbpx
Wikipedia

Tayra

January 01, 1970

The tayra (Eira barbara) is an omnivorous animal from the weasel family, native to the Americas. It is the only species in the genus Eira.

Tayra
A male tayra, Brazil
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Mustelidae
Subfamily: Guloninae
Genus: Eira
Hamilton Smith, 1842
Species:
E. barbara
Binomial name
Eira barbara
Tayra range
Synonyms

Mustela barbara Linnaeus, 1758

Tayras are also known as the tolomuco or perico ligero in Central America, motete in Honduras, irara in Brazil, san hol or viejo de monte in the Yucatan Peninsula, and high-woods dog (or historically chien bois) in Trinidad.[2] The genus name Eira is derived from the indigenous name of the animal in Bolivia and Peru, while barbara means "strange" or "foreign".[3]

Description edit

Tayras are long, agile mustelids, similar in appearance to a large fisher or marten, but slightly more reminiscent of a sleeker, smaller wolverine. They range from 56 to 71 cm (22 to 28 in) in length, not including their 37- to 46-cm-long (15 to 18 in) bushy tail, and weigh 2.7 to 7.0 kg (6.0 to 15.4 lb). Males are larger and slightly more muscular than females. They have short, dark brown to black fur, which is relatively uniform in length and color across the body, limbs, and tail—except for a yellowish or orange "heart"-shaped spot on the chest. Each tayra's chest patch is unique in color, shape and size, and thus may be used by biologists, rescuers and other specialists to identify individuals.[4] The fur on the head and neck is lighter, typically tan or greyish in colour. Albino, white, or beige-yellow individuals are also known, with genetic color morphs being not nearly as rare in tayras as among other mustelids.[3]

The feet have toes of unequal length with tips that form a strongly curved line when held together. The claws are short and curved, but strong, being adapted for climbing and running rather than digging. The pads of the feet are hairless, but are surrounded by stiff sensory hairs. The head has small, rounded ears, long sensory whiskers, and black eyes with a blue-green shine. Like other musteloids, tayras possess anal scent glands, albeit not nearly as large, nor as pungent in odor, as in other species. Additionally, tayras typically only employ scent-marking for territorial demarcation and identifying other animals in the vicinity, and not as a self-defense tactic, such as with skunks.[3]

Range and habitat edit

 
Distribution of tayra subspecies.

Tayras are found across most of South America, with the exceptions of Chile, Uruguay, Argentina (other than the far northern regions) and parts of the Brazilian east coast. They are found across the whole of Central America, where their range begins in México—as far north as Tamaulipas and Veracruz, on the east coast, and south Sinaloa and Nayarit on the west coast—and continues south to Panamá. Tayras are also found on the island of Trinidad.[1] They are generally found in only tropical and subtropical forests; still, they may traverse grasslands or other habitats at nighttime, as they move between forest patches,[5] and they also are seen in cultivated areas, tree plantations and farmlands.[1]

Subspecies edit

Currently, seven regional subspecies are recognised:[3]

Behaviour and diet edit

Tayras are diurnal animals, although occasionally active during the evening or at night.[5] The social behaviour of tayras is not well understood. Assumed solitary, they have been seen in larger groups, presumably of mother and her larger offspring.[6] They are opportunistic omnivores, hunting rodents and other small mammals, as well as birds, lizards, other reptiles, and invertebrates, and climbing trees to get fruit and honey.[3][7][8] They locate prey primarily by scent, having relatively poor eyesight, and actively chase it once located, rather than stalking or using ambush tactics.[5]

They are expert climbers, using their long tails for balance. On the ground or on large horizontal tree limbs, they use a bounding gallop when moving at high speeds.[9] They can also leap from treetop to treetop when pursued.[citation needed] They generally avoid water, but are capable of swimming across rivers when necessary.[3]

They live in hollow trees, or burrows in the ground. Individual animals maintain relatively large home ranges, with areas up to 24 km2 (9.3 sq mi) having been recorded. They may travel at least 6 km (3.7 mi) in a single night.[3]

An interesting instance of caching has been observed among tayras: a tayra will pick unripe green plantains, which are inedible, and leave them to ripen in a cache, coming back a few days later to consume the softened pulp.[10]

The tayra was found to be a host of an intestinal acanthocephalan parasitic worm, Pachysentis gethi.[11]

Reproduction edit

Tayras breed year-round, with the females entering estrus several times each year for 3 to 20 days at a time.[12] Unlike some other mustelids, tayras do not exhibit embryonic diapause, and gestation lasts from 63 to 67 days. The female gives birth to one to three young, which she cares for alone.[3][13]

The young are altricial, being born blind and with closed ears, but are already covered in a full coat of black fur; they weigh about 100 g (3.5 oz) at birth. Their eyes open at 35 to 47 days, and they leave the den shortly thereafter. They begin to take solid food around 70 days of age, and are fully weaned by 100 days. Hunting behaviour begins as early as three months, and the mother initially brings her young wounded or slow prey to practise on as they improve their killing technique. The young are fully grown around 6 months old, and leave their mother to establish their own territory by 10 months.[3]

Conservation edit

Wild tayra populations are slowly shrinking, especially in Mexico, due to habitat destruction for agricultural purposes. The species is listed as being of least concern.[1]

Gallery edit

  •  
    Identified individuals of E. barbara in the Peruvian Amazon
  •  
    Records of E. barbara in the Peruvian Amazon 1 of 2
  •  
    Records of E. barbara in the Peruvian Amazon 2 of 2
  •  
    A tayra from above
  •  
    A rare white tayra at Ipswich Museum, Ipswich, Suffolk, England
  •  
    Eira barbara male, Pantanal Brazil

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d Cuarón, A.D.; Reid, F.; Helgen, K.; González-Maya, J.F. (2016). "Eira barbara". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T41644A45212151. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T41644A45212151.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. ^ . Archived from the original on 2011-07-22. Retrieved 2010-10-29.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Presley, S.J. (2000). "Eira barbara" (PDF). Mammalian Species. 636: 1–6. doi:10.1644/1545-1410(2000)636<0001:eb>2.0.co;2. S2CID 198968925.
  4. ^ Villafañe-Trujillo, Álvaro José; López-González, Carlos Alberto; Kolowski, Joseph M. (2018-01-24). "Throat patch variation in tayra (Eira barbara) and the potential for individual identification in the field". Diversity. 10 (1): 7. doi:10.3390/d10010007.
  5. ^ a b c Defler, T.R. (1980). "Notes on interactions between tayra (Eira barbara) and the white-fronted capuchin (Cebus albifrons)". Journal of Mammalogy. 61 (1): 156. doi:10.2307/1379979. JSTOR 1379979.
  6. ^ Hunter, Luke (2018). Field Guide to Carnivores of the World, 2nd edition. Bloomsbury Wildlife.
  7. ^ Galef, B.G.; et al. (1976). "Predation by the tayra (Eira barbara)". Journal of Mammalogy. 57 (4): 760–761. doi:10.2307/1379450. JSTOR 1379450.
  8. ^ "Eira barbara (Tayra)". Animal Diversity Web.
  9. ^ Kavanau, J.L. (1971). "Locomotion and activity phasing of some medium-sized mammals". Journal of Mammalogy. 52 (2): 396–403. doi:10.2307/1378681. JSTOR 1378681.
  10. ^ Soley, F.G. & Alvarado-Díaz, I. (8 July 2011). "Prospective thinking in a mustelid? Eira barbara (Carnivora) cache unripe fruits to consume them once ripened". Naturwissenschaften. 98 (8): 693–698. Bibcode:2011NW.....98..693S. doi:10.1007/s00114-011-0821-0. PMID 21739130. S2CID 6205887.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  11. ^ Machado-Filho, D.A. (1950). "Revisão do gênero Prosthenorchis Travassos, 1915 (Acanthocephala)" [Revision to the genus Prosthenorchis Travassos, 1915 (Acanthocephala)]. Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (in Portuguese). 48: 495–545. doi:10.1590/S0074-02761950000100020. PMID 24539413. from the original on 18 June 2022.
  12. ^ Poglayen-Neuwall, I. "Copulatory behavior, gestation and parturition of the tayra." Bull. Br. Mus. (Nat. Hist.) Zool. 7 (1974): 1-140.
  13. ^ Vaughan, R. (1974). "Breeding the tayra (Eira barbara) at Antelope Zoo, Lincoln". International Zoo Yearbook. 14: 120–122. doi:10.1111/j.1748-1090.1974.tb00791.x.

Further reading edit

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Eira barbara.
 
Wikispecies has information related to Eira.
  • Nowak, Ronald M. (2005). Walker's Carnivores of the World. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Press. ISBN 0-8018-8032-7
  • Emmons, L.H. (1997). Neotropical Rainforest Mammals, 2nd ed. University of Chicago Press ISBN 0-226-20721-8

January 01, 1970
tayra, tayra, eira, barbara, omnivorous, animal, from, weasel, family, native, americas, only, species, genus, eira, male, tayra, brazil, conservation, status, least, concern, iucn, scientific, classification, domain, eukaryota, kingdom, animalia, phylum, chor. The tayra Eira barbara is an omnivorous animal from the weasel family native to the Americas It is the only species in the genus Eira Tayra A male tayra Brazil Conservation status Least Concern IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classification Domain Eukaryota Kingdom Animalia Phylum Chordata Class Mammalia Order Carnivora Family Mustelidae Subfamily Guloninae Genus EiraHamilton Smith 1842 Species E barbara Binomial name Eira barbara Linnaeus 1758 Tayra range Synonyms Mustela barbara Linnaeus 1758 Tayras are also known as the tolomuco or perico ligero in Central America motete in Honduras irara in Brazil san hol or viejo de monte in the Yucatan Peninsula and high woods dog or historically chien bois in Trinidad 2 The genus name Eira is derived from the indigenous name of the animal in Bolivia and Peru while barbara means strange or foreign 3 Contents 1 Description 2 Range and habitat 2 1 Subspecies 3 Behaviour and diet 4 Reproduction 5 Conservation 6 Gallery 7 References 8 Further readingDescription editTayras are long agile mustelids similar in appearance to a large fisher or marten but slightly more reminiscent of a sleeker smaller wolverine They range from 56 to 71 cm 22 to 28 in in length not including their 37 to 46 cm long 15 to 18 in bushy tail and weigh 2 7 to 7 0 kg 6 0 to 15 4 lb Males are larger and slightly more muscular than females They have short dark brown to black fur which is relatively uniform in length and color across the body limbs and tail except for a yellowish or orange heart shaped spot on the chest Each tayra s chest patch is unique in color shape and size and thus may be used by biologists rescuers and other specialists to identify individuals 4 The fur on the head and neck is lighter typically tan or greyish in colour Albino white or beige yellow individuals are also known with genetic color morphs being not nearly as rare in tayras as among other mustelids 3 The feet have toes of unequal length with tips that form a strongly curved line when held together The claws are short and curved but strong being adapted for climbing and running rather than digging The pads of the feet are hairless but are surrounded by stiff sensory hairs The head has small rounded ears long sensory whiskers and black eyes with a blue green shine Like other musteloids tayras possess anal scent glands albeit not nearly as large nor as pungent in odor as in other species Additionally tayras typically only employ scent marking for territorial demarcation and identifying other animals in the vicinity and not as a self defense tactic such as with skunks 3 Range and habitat edit nbsp Distribution of tayra subspecies Tayras are found across most of South America with the exceptions of Chile Uruguay Argentina other than the far northern regions and parts of the Brazilian east coast They are found across the whole of Central America where their range begins in Mexico as far north as Tamaulipas and Veracruz on the east coast and south Sinaloa and Nayarit on the west coast and continues south to Panama Tayras are also found on the island of Trinidad 1 They are generally found in only tropical and subtropical forests still they may traverse grasslands or other habitats at nighttime as they move between forest patches 5 and they also are seen in cultivated areas tree plantations and farmlands 1 Subspecies edit Currently seven regional subspecies are recognised 3 E b barbara northern Argentina Paraguay western Bolivia and central and southern Brazil E b inserta Guatemala to central Costa Rica E b madeirensis western Ecuador to northern Brazil E b peruana the eastern Andean foothills of Peru and Bolivia E b poliocephala eastern Venezuela Trinidad the Guianas and northeastern Brazil E b senex central Mexico to northern Honduras E b sinuensis Panama and Colombia to western Venezuela and northern Ecuador Behaviour and diet editTayras are diurnal animals although occasionally active during the evening or at night 5 The social behaviour of tayras is not well understood Assumed solitary they have been seen in larger groups presumably of mother and her larger offspring 6 They are opportunistic omnivores hunting rodents and other small mammals as well as birds lizards other reptiles and invertebrates and climbing trees to get fruit and honey 3 7 8 They locate prey primarily by scent having relatively poor eyesight and actively chase it once located rather than stalking or using ambush tactics 5 They are expert climbers using their long tails for balance On the ground or on large horizontal tree limbs they use a bounding gallop when moving at high speeds 9 They can also leap from treetop to treetop when pursued citation needed They generally avoid water but are capable of swimming across rivers when necessary 3 They live in hollow trees or burrows in the ground Individual animals maintain relatively large home ranges with areas up to 24 km2 9 3 sq mi having been recorded They may travel at least 6 km 3 7 mi in a single night 3 An interesting instance of caching has been observed among tayras a tayra will pick unripe green plantains which are inedible and leave them to ripen in a cache coming back a few days later to consume the softened pulp 10 The tayra was found to be a host of an intestinal acanthocephalan parasitic worm Pachysentis gethi 11 Reproduction editTayras breed year round with the females entering estrus several times each year for 3 to 20 days at a time 12 Unlike some other mustelids tayras do not exhibit embryonic diapause and gestation lasts from 63 to 67 days The female gives birth to one to three young which she cares for alone 3 13 The young are altricial being born blind and with closed ears but are already covered in a full coat of black fur they weigh about 100 g 3 5 oz at birth Their eyes open at 35 to 47 days and they leave the den shortly thereafter They begin to take solid food around 70 days of age and are fully weaned by 100 days Hunting behaviour begins as early as three months and the mother initially brings her young wounded or slow prey to practise on as they improve their killing technique The young are fully grown around 6 months old and leave their mother to establish their own territory by 10 months 3 Conservation editWild tayra populations are slowly shrinking especially in Mexico due to habitat destruction for agricultural purposes The species is listed as being of least concern 1 Gallery edit nbsp Identified individuals of E barbara in the Peruvian Amazon nbsp Records of E barbara in the Peruvian Amazon 1 of 2 nbsp Records of E barbara in the Peruvian Amazon 2 of 2 nbsp A tayra from above nbsp A rare white tayra at Ipswich Museum Ipswich Suffolk England nbsp Eira barbara male Pantanal BrazilReferences edit a b c d Cuaron A D Reid F Helgen K Gonzalez Maya J F 2016 Eira barbara IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016 e T41644A45212151 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2016 1 RLTS T41644A45212151 en Retrieved 19 November 2021 Sistema de Publicaciones del INE Archived from the original on 2011 07 22 Retrieved 2010 10 29 a b c d e f g h i Presley S J 2000 Eira barbara PDF Mammalian Species 636 1 6 doi 10 1644 1545 1410 2000 636 lt 0001 eb gt 2 0 co 2 S2CID 198968925 Villafane Trujillo Alvaro Jose Lopez Gonzalez Carlos Alberto Kolowski Joseph M 2018 01 24 Throat patch variation in tayra Eira barbara and the potential for individual identification in the field Diversity 10 1 7 doi 10 3390 d10010007 a b c Defler T R 1980 Notes on interactions between tayra Eira barbara and the white fronted capuchin Cebus albifrons Journal of Mammalogy 61 1 156 doi 10 2307 1379979 JSTOR 1379979 Hunter Luke 2018 Field Guide to Carnivores of the World 2nd edition Bloomsbury Wildlife Galef B G et al 1976 Predation by the tayra Eira barbara Journal of Mammalogy 57 4 760 761 doi 10 2307 1379450 JSTOR 1379450 Eira barbara Tayra Animal Diversity Web Kavanau J L 1971 Locomotion and activity phasing of some medium sized mammals Journal of Mammalogy 52 2 396 403 doi 10 2307 1378681 JSTOR 1378681 Soley F G amp Alvarado Diaz I 8 July 2011 Prospective thinking in a mustelid Eira barbara Carnivora cache unripe fruits to consume them once ripened Naturwissenschaften 98 8 693 698 Bibcode 2011NW 98 693S doi 10 1007 s00114 011 0821 0 PMID 21739130 S2CID 6205887 a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a CS1 maint multiple names authors list link Machado Filho D A 1950 Revisao do genero Prosthenorchis Travassos 1915 Acanthocephala Revision to the genus Prosthenorchis Travassos 1915 Acanthocephala Memorias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz in Portuguese 48 495 545 doi 10 1590 S0074 02761950000100020 PMID 24539413 Archived from the original on 18 June 2022 Poglayen Neuwall I Copulatory behavior gestation and parturition of the tayra Bull Br Mus Nat Hist Zool 7 1974 1 140 Vaughan R 1974 Breeding the tayra Eira barbara at Antelope Zoo Lincoln International Zoo Yearbook 14 120 122 doi 10 1111 j 1748 1090 1974 tb00791 x Further reading edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Eira barbara nbsp Wikispecies has information related to Eira Nowak Ronald M 2005 Walker s Carnivores of the World Baltimore Johns Hopkins Press ISBN 0 8018 8032 7 Emmons L H 1997 Neotropical Rainforest Mammals 2nd ed University of Chicago Press ISBN 0 226 20721 8 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Tayra amp oldid 1220763406, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

article

, read, download, free, free download, mp3, video, mp4, 3gp, jpg, jpeg, gif, png, picture, music, song, movie, book, game, games.