| White-nosed coati | |
|---|---|
 | |
| A white-nosed coati near San Miguel, Alajuela, Costa Rica | |
_relaxing_in_a_tree_in_Tulum%2c_Quintana_Roo%2c_Mexico.png) | |
| In Tulum, Mexico | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Carnivora |
| Family: | Procyonidae |
| Genus: | Nasua |
| Species: | N. narica |
| Binomial name | |
| Nasua narica (Linnaeus, 1766) | |
| Subspecies[2] | |
| |
 | |
| The native range of the white-nosed coati.Note: ItsColombian range is restricted to the far northwest (seetext). | |
| Synonyms | |
Viverra narica(Linnaeus, 1766) | |
Thewhite-nosed coati (Nasua narica),[2] also known as thecoatimundi (/koʊˌɑːtɪˈmʌndi/),[1][3] is a species ofcoati and a member of the familyProcyonidae (raccoons and their relatives). Local Spanish names for the species includeantoon,gato solo,pizote, andtejón, depending upon the region.[4] It weighs about 4–6 kg (8.8–13.2 lb), and the nose-to-tail length of the species is about 110 cm (3.6 ft) with about half of that being the tail length.[5] However, small females can weigh as little as 3.1 kg (6.8 lb), while large males can weigh as much as 9 kg (20 lb).[6][7]
The white-nosed coati is distributed from as far north asFlagstaff, Arizona,[8]New Mexico, throughMexico, Central America, and the far northwestern region ofColombia near the border withPanama.[9][10] It inhabits wooded areas intropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests and intropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests at elevations from sea level to 3,000 m (9,800 ft).[11]
Coatis fromCozumel Island have been treated as a separate species, theCozumel Island coati, but the vast majority of recent authorities treat it as a subspecies,N. narica nelsoni, of the white-nosed coati.[2][1][11][12] They are smaller than white-nosed coatis from the adjacent mainland (N. n. yucatanica), but when compared more widely to white-nosed coatis the difference in size is not as clear.[9] The level of other differences also support its status as a subspecies rather than separate species.[9]
White-nosed coatis have also been found inFlorida, where they were introduced. It is unknown precisely when introduction occurred; an early specimen in theFlorida Museum of Natural History, labeled an "escaped captive", dates to 1928. There are several later documented cases of coatis escaping captivity, and since the 1970s there have been a number of sightings, and several live and dead specimens of various ages have been found. These reports have occurred over a wide area of southern Florida, and there is probable evidence of breeding, indicating that the population is well established.[13]
Although rare, there is evidence of the White-nosed coatis inTexas in Cameron County, as far back as 1877. Other sightings occurred inMaverick (1938),Brewster (1939), andUvalde (1943) counties. There were sightings inAransas andKerr Counties, and three sightings were reported in theBig Bend area from 1959 to 1966. A possible escaped pet was discovered as road-kill nearAbilene in 1975. The latest two sightings were on 27 Jul 1994, near theGuadalupe River and on 29 Apr 1995, a coati was seen crossingState Road 175, 2 miles (3.2 km) north of the intersection ofTexas State Highway 77 and State Road 175.[14]
Unlike many of their Procyonidae cousins, such as raccoons andkinkajous, coatis are diurnal and therefore do much of their foraging during the day.[15]
White-nosed coatis are knownpollinators of thebalsa tree, as observed in a study of a white-nosed coati population in Costa Rica.[16] The coati were observed inserting their noses into the flowers of the tree and ingestingnectar, while the flower showed no subsequent signs of damage. Pollen from the flowers covers the face of the coati following feeding and disseminates through the surrounding forest following detachment. Scientists observed adependent relationship between the balsa tree, which provides a critical resource of hydration and nutrition to the white-nosed coati when environmental resources are scarce, and the coati, which increases proliferation of the tree through pollination.[17][18]
The white-nosed coati is anomnivore and forages mostly on the ground for smallvertebrates,fruits,carrion,insects,snakes, andeggs. It can climb trees easily and uses its tail for balancing.[19]
Adult male coatis live solitary lives except during the mating season. Female coatis live in groups, called bands, with their offspring, including males less than two years old. Gestation lasts 10 to 11 weeks, and litters consist of two to seven young. The young are weaned at four months and reach adult size at 15 months.[20]
Coatis can live as long as seven years in the wild. In captivity, the average lifespan is about 14 years, but some coatis in human care have been known to live into their late teens.[20]
The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists both the white-nosed coati and the South American coati as least concern. However, the coati is an endangered species in New Mexico.[20]
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)