Tamandua tetradactyla (Linnaeus, 1758)

Voss, Robert S. & Fleck, David W., 2017, Mammalian Diversity And Matses Ethnomammalogy In Amazonian Peru Part 2: Xenarthra, Carnivora, Perissodactyla, Artiodactyla, And Sirenia, Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2017 (417), pp. 1-1 : 1-

Tamandua tetradactyla (Linnaeus, 1758)

VOUCHER MATERIAL (TOTAL = 7): Nuevo San Juan (AMNH 268233; MUSM 11095, 11096), Orosa (AMNH 73752, 74114, 74115), Santa Cecilia (FMNH 86892).

OTHER INTERFLUVIAL RECORDS: Actiamë ( Amanzo, 2006), Choncó ( Amanzo, 2006), Divisor ( Jorge and Velazco, 2006), Río Yavarí (Salovaara et al., 2003), Río Yavarí-Mirím (Salovaara et al., 2003), San Pedro (Valqui, 1999), Tapiche ( Jorge and Velazco, 2006).

IDENTIFICATION: The seven tamandua specimens we examined from the Yavarí-Ucayali interfluve exhibit all the pelage color variants that Wetzel (1975) reported for the species, from entirely blond (FMNH 86892, MUSM 11095) to completely blackish (AMNH 74115, 268233) and vested (with dark-brownish midbody, shoulders and nape but pale legs, face,

and tail; FMNH 74115, MUSM 11096). As noted by Wetzel (1975), these phenotypes appear to be uncorrelated with age or sex and seem to represent genuine coat-color polymorphisms. All of our specimens are females, of which four could be called subadults (Wetzel’s age class 1; with co-ossified occiputs but otherwise unfused cranial sutures) and three are young adults (with fused midfrontal sutures). Measurements of the latter specimens (AMNH 74114, FMNH 86892, MUSM 11095) are all within the range of variation for homologous dimensions of Tamandua tetradactyla provided by Wetzel (1985b). All of our specimens have three foramina in the back of the orbital fossa, a trait that is said to reliably distinguish T. tetradactyla from its trans-Andean congener T. mexicana (see Wetzel, 1975: fig. 3). Selected measurements of FMNH 86892 and MUSM 11095 (the specimens with the most complete data in our series) are, respectively: head-andbody length, 605 and 538 mm; length of tail, 515 and 497 mm; hind foot, 102 and 111 mm; ear, 51 and 56 mm; condylonasal length, 129.3 and 121.7 mm; nasal length, 45.9 and 38.2 mm; least interorbital breadth, 22.7 and 24.0 mm; posterior zygomatic breadth, 39.6 and 44.2 mm; breadth of braincase, 40.1 and 44.9 mm. The weight of MUSM 11095 (our only adult specimen accompanied by this datum) was 5.3 kg.

ETHNOBIOLOGY: The collared tamandua has only one name, bëwi. It is not analyzable but it is a common term for this species in other Panoan languages. The Matses are aware of different color morphs (black, blond, and vested), but these are not named or considered subtypes. Some informants describe the coat variation as analogous to that found among domestic dogs. Informants agree that it is similar and closely related to the giant anteater.

The tamandua is not hunted, eaten, or kept as a pet by the Matses. Tamanduas sometimes injure dogs, when dogs attack them. When such a fight is in progress, a hunter will try to kill the tamandua with a stick. Tamanduas may try to claw people if approached too closely.

People don’t look at tamanduas, lest their children become ill.

MATSES NATURAL HISTORY: Tamanduas have a tail with a bare patch (the ventral prehensile surface), an elongated snout, a long thin tongue, small eyes, small ears, and very strong forelegs. The claws of its forefeet are similar to those of a two-toed sloth. Some tamanduas are black, others are tan, and other have a black body with light-colored head and limbs. They have a strong, bad smell, like a termite nest.

Tamanduas are found in all habitats: upland forest, floodplain forest, and along rivers and streams, in primary forest, and in abandoned swiddens.

Tamanduas sleep in holes in trees and also in abandoned paca and armadillo burrows.

Tamanduas are diurnal and nocturnal. They forage up in trees and on the ground. They travel long distances while foraging. They rest curled up on branches.

Tamanduas are usually solitary, although sometimes more than one are found travelling together.

When dogs bark at a tamandua, it rears up on its haunches and spreads its arms. Tamanduas are preyed upon by jaguars, pumas, and large raptors.

Tamanduas dig into rotten logs and arboreal termite nests to eat termites. They also dig into binsan (black arboreal ants) nests and eat the ants and their larvae. (Some informants say tamanduas dig into stingless-bee hives to lick up the honey, but other informants deny this.)

REMARKS: Matses observations are completely consistent with published natural history information about tamanduas ( Emmons, 1997; Hayssen, 2011b; Navarrete and Ortega, 2011). Among the few novel items mentioned by our interviewees, the Matses add pumas (Puma concolor) to the very short list of predators known to attack this species.

Our three specimens from Nuevo San Juan were all killed by Matses hunters in primary floodplain forest.