Caluromys philander (Linnaeus)

VOSS, ROBERT S., LUNDE, DARRIN P. & SIMMONS, NANCY B., 2001, The Mammals Of Paracou, French Guiana: A Neotropical Lowland Rainforest Fauna Part 2. Nonvolant Species, Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2001 (263), pp. 1-236 : 18-20

Caluromys philander (Linnaeus)

VOUCHER MATERIAL: AMNH 266402 , 266408 , 266409 , 267330 , 267331 , 267333– 267337 ; MNHN 1995.884 – 1995.886 , 1995.894 , 1995.902 . Total = 15 specimens (not including pouch young) .

IDENTIFICATION: Our material agrees closely in external and craniodental characters with Husson’s (1978) detailed description of topotypic specimens from Surinam, and measurements of adult Paracou vouchers (table 1) broadly overlap those of topotypic adults (op. cit.: table 1).

In view of the fact that Caluromys has never been revised, it is noteworthy that published measurements of some nominal taxa currently regarded as synonyms of C. philan­ der (see Gardner, 1993) fall outside the known range of variation among Surinamese and French Guianan specimens. In particular, specimens from Trinidad and northern Venezuela formerly referred to C. trinitatis Thomas (type locality: ‘‘Botanic Gardens, Trinidad’’) are substantially smaller and differ from typical philander in coloration (Thomas, 1894, 1903, 1904; Pérez­Hernández et al., 1994). Furthermore, we have personally observed conspicuous variation in size and pelage traits among populations currently referred to C. philander from Amazonian Brazil. Although Cabrera (1958) recognized C. p. philander (including trinitatis as a synonym), C. p. affinis (type locality: Mato Grosso, Brazil), and C. p. dichrurus (type locality: ‘‘Ypanema’’, São Paulo, Brazil) as valid subspecies, the empirical basis for a trinomial nomenclature has never been established. The material now available to evaluate geographic variation and subspecies (or species) limits within what might be called the Caluromys philander complex is too large to review in this faunal report, but from the close similarity noted above between Surinamese and French Guianan material it seems clear that the Paracou popu­

TABLE 1 Measurements (mm) and Weights (g) of Adult Caluromys philander from Paracou

lation is referable either to the nominate subspecies (if a trinomial nomenclature is warranted) or to C. philander sensu stricto (if additional species are recognized in this group).

FIELD OBSERVATIONS: All of our 15 vouchered records of Caluromys philander at Paracou are from specimens trapped or shot at night in trees in primary forest, at both welldrained and swampy sites. In addition, we recorded three unvouchered nocturnal observations of this species, two of which were sighted in trees in roadside secondary growth and the third on a liana in primary forest. Seven (47%) of our vouchers were obtained by shooting animals sighted in the forest canopy or subcanopy, and eight others (53%) were taken in subcanopy platform traps. Measured heights above the ground for the trapped specimens ranged from 12 to 16 m, whereas visually estimated heights of sightings of free­ranging (untrapped) animals ranged from 3 to 20 m. Figure 8 provides a typical view of the subcanopy habitat of this species at Paracou.

All four of our adult female vouchers were carrying suckling young. The first, captured on 10 August 1991, had three nursing young measuring 36 mm crown­rump; the second, taken on 14 August 1991, had five young measuring 47 mm crown­rump; the third, taken on 16 November 1992, had two young measuring 14 mm crown­rump; and the fourth, taken on 28 August 1993, had four young measuring 54 mm crown­rump. With these exceptions, all of our vouchered and unvouchered records of Caluromys philander are based on solitary individuals; no others were trapped or sighted together.

Figures

Fig. 8. Subcanopy habitat of Caluromys philander and other arboreal mammals (e.g., Micoureus demerarae, Potos flavus, Oecomys rutilus, O. auyantepui, Rhipidomys nitela) sampled by platformtrapping and by hunting at Paracou.