Lontra longicaudis (Olfers, 1818) . In Eschwege, J. Brasilien, Neue Bibliothek Reisenb., 15(2):233.

TYPE LOCALITY: " Brasilien."

DISTRIBUTION: Mexico, Central America, W South America south to Peru, E South America south to Uruguay.

STATUS: CITES - Appendix I; U.S. ESA - Endangered; IUCN - Vulnerable as L. I. longicaudis .

SYNONYMS: annectens Major, 1897; colombiana J. A. Allen, 1904; emerita Thomas, 1908; enudris Cuvier, 1823; fusco-rufa Gray, 1865; incarum Thomas, 1908; insularis Cuvier, 1823; latidens J. A. Allen, 1908; latifrons Nehring, 1887; lutris Larranaga, 1923; mesopetes Cabrera, 1924; mitis Thomas, 1908; paraensis Burmeister, 1861; parilina Thomas, 1914; platensis Waterhouse, 1838; pratensis Gerrard, 1862; repanda Goldman, 1914; solitaria Wagner, 1842 .

COMMENTS: Van Zyll de Jong (1972) included annectens, enudris, incarum, mesopetes, and platensis; however, Pohle (1920), Cabrera (1958), and Harris (1968) recognized these taxa as distinct species. These taxa, often referred to as the annectens-group were chiefly distinguished by variation in the shape of the rhinarium; van Zyll de Jong's (1972) analysis suggested that these should be considered conspecific.