Canis latrans (Say, 1823)

Álvarez-Córdova, Fernando & Fernández, Jesús A., 2021, Medium-sized and large mammals of the pine-oak forests and grasslands of the Rancho Experimental Teseachi in Chihuahua, Mexico, Check List 17 (2), pp. 669-681 : 676-677

Canis latrans (Say, 1823)

Coyote

Figure 2F

Material examined. MEXICO – Chihuahua • 15; Municipality of Namiquipa ; 28°46′32″N, 107°27′33″W; el- evation 2,191 m a.s.l.; 21 April, 20 May 2018; obs. F. Álvarez-Córdova • 41; Municipality of Namiquipa; 28°46′42″N, 107°27′45″W; elevation 2,170 m a.s.l.; 21 April, 11 October , 12 December 2018; 26 January, 28 October 2019; obs. F. Álvarez-Córdova • 88; Municipality of Namiquipa ; 28°47′01″N, 107°28′12″W; elevation 2,138 m a.s.l.; 5 October, 12, 21 December 2018, 26 January 2019; obs. F. Álvarez-Córdova • 48; Municipality of Namiquipa ; 28°47′18″N, 107°28′36″W; elevation 2,121

m a.s.l.; 21 April , 5 October, 12, 21 December 2018, 26 January, 28 October 2019; obs. F. Álvarez-Córdova • 2; Municipality of Namiquipa ; 28°47′30″N, 107°28′49″W; elevation 2,124 m a.s.l.; 11 October 2018; obs. F. Álvarez- Córdova • 2; Municipality of Namiquipa ; 28°27′39″N, 107°29′01″W; elevation 2,110 m a.s.l.; 21 December 2018; obs. F. Álvarez-Córdova • 10; Municipality of Namiq- uipa; 28°47′49″N, 107°29′02″W; elevation 2,107 m a.s.l.; 13 October 2018, 18 January 2019; obs. F. Álvarez-Córdova; UACH-CF-6120-6325 .

Identification. Canis latrans is the only species of the genus occurring in the study area. It has a dog-like body, the color of the pelage ranges from gray-brown to yellowbrown on the dorsum, and there is whitish fur ventrally. It has a long, narrow snout, the ears are triangular on top of the head, and the tail is long and bushy ( Bekoff 1977).

Distribution. Canada, USA, and Mexico to Panama ( Bekoff 1977). Recorded habitats in Chihuahua are sier- ras, valleys, and arid lands.

Remarks. Two members of the genus Canis Linnaeus, 1758 ( C. latrans and Gray Wolf, C. lupus Linnaeus, 1758 ) were sympatric in some parts of Chihuahua. However, C. lupus was extirpated in the state, possibly allowing for Coyote to expand its distribution.