| Kinkajou | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Carnivora |
| Family: | Procyonidae |
| Subfamily: | Potosinae |
| Genus: | Potos Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire &G. Cuvier, 1795 |
| Species: | P. flavus |
| Binomial name | |
| Potos flavus (Schreber, 1774) | |
| Subspecies | |
List
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| Distribution of kinkajou (2010)[1] | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
Thekinkajou (/ˈkɪŋkədʒuː/KING-kə-joo;Potos flavus) is atropical rainforestmammal of the familyProcyonidae related toolingos,coatis,raccoons, and theringtail andcacomistle. It is theonly member of thegenusPotos and is also known as the "honey bear" (a name that it shares with the unrelatedsun bear). Though kinkajous arearboreal, they are not closely related to any other tree-dwelling mammal group (primates, somemustelids, etc.).
Native to Mexico, Central and South America, this mostlyfrugivorous mammal is seldom seen by people because of its strictnocturnal habits. However, it is hunted for the pet trade, its skin (to make wallets and horsesaddles), and its meat. The species has been included in Appendix III ofCITES by Honduras, which means that exports from Honduras require an export permit, and exports from other countries require a certificate of origin or of re-export. They may live up to 40 years incaptivity.
The common namekinkajou derives fromFrench:quincajou, based on theAlgonquian name for thewolverine. It is similar to theOjibwe wordkwi·nkwaʔa·ke.[3][4] Its other names in English include honey bear, night ape, and night walker. Throughout its range, several regional names are used; for instance, theDutch namesnachtaap,rolbeer, androlstaartbeer are used in Suriname. Many names come fromPortuguese,Spanish, and local dialects, such asjupará,huasa,cuchi cuchi,leoncillo,marta,perro de monte, andyapará.[2][5]
A. M. Husson, of theRijksmuseum van Natuurlijke Historie (Leiden), discussed the rather complicated nomenclature of the kinkajou inThe Mammals of Suriname (1978).[5] In his 1774 workDie Säugethiere in Abbildungen nach der Natur,Schreber listed three items under the name "Lemur flavus Penn.": on page 145 is a short translation ofPennant'sdescription of the yellow maucauco (later identified to beLemur mongoz, presently known as themongoose lemur) from his 1771 workA Synopsis of Quadrupeds (page 138, second figure on plate 16); on plate 42 is a depiction of the yellow maucauco by Schreber; the last item is a reference toA Synopsis of Quadrupeds itself.[6] Husson noted that the last item is actually Pennant's description of an animal that is clearly a kinkajou. Husson therefore concluded thatLemur flavus is actually a "composite species" based on Schreber's specimen of the mongoose lemur and Pennant's specimen of the kinkajou, and identified the latter as thelectotype for the species.[7] Thetype locality reported by Schreber forL. flavus ("the mountains in Jamaica") was clearly based on Pennant's description of the kinkajou, who claimed, however, that his specimen was "shown about three years ago in London: its keeper said it came from the mountains of Jamaica".[5] This error was pointed out byThomas in 1902, who corrected the type locality to Suriname. He used the namePotos flavus for the kinkajou.[8] The genusPotos was erected bySaint-Hilaire andCuvier in 1795, with thetype speciesViverra caudivolvula described by Schreber in 1778 (later identified as asynonym ofPotos flavus).[2][9] In 1977 the family Cercoleptidae was proposed with the kinkajou as the sole member, but this classification was later dismissed.[2][10]
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| The five clades withinP. flavus[11] |
Eightsubspecies have been proposed (type localities are listed alongside):[2][12]
A 2016phylogenetic study based onmitochondrial genecytochrome b analyzed kinkajou specimens from a variety of locations throughout most of their range. The results showed 27haplotypes split into fiveclades corresponding to geographical divisions: Costa Rica (clade 1), northern Brazil and the Guianas (clade 2), northern Peru (clade 3), Ecuador and Panama (clade 4),interfluves between theBranco River andRio Negro in theBrazilian Amazon, low-lying Amazonian areas (in Bolivia, western Brazil and Peru), and easternAtlantic Forest (clade 5). Given the diverse clades, the researchers suggested that some of the subspecies might be independent species.[11]
A 2007 phylogenetic study showed that kinkajous form abasal lineagesister to the rest of theProcyonidae. They diverged 21.6–24 Mya. Two clades, one leading toBassaricyon (olingos and theolinguito) plusNasua (coatis), and one leading toBassariscus (thering-tailed cat and thecacomistle) plusProcyon (racoons), appeared subsequently andradiated during theMiocene (23.8 to 5.3 million years ago). Kinkajous are thought to have evolved in North America and invaded South America as part of theGreat American Interchange that followed the formation of theIsthmus of Panama.[13] The phylogenetic relationships obtained in the 2007 study are given below; these were supported by similar studies in the following years.[14][15][16]
| Procyonidae |
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The kinkajou has a round head, large eyes, a short, pointedsnout, short limbs, and a longprehensile tail. The total head-and-body length (including the tail) is between 82 and 133 cm (32 and 52 in), and the tail measures 39 to 57 cm (15 to 22 in).[2] Its mature weight ranges from 1.4 to 4.6 kg (3.1 to 10.1 lb). Females are generally smaller than males.[17] The short, rounded ears measure 3.6 to 5.4 cm (1.4 to 2.1 in). The eyes reflectgreen or bright yellow against light. The long, thick tongue is highly extrudable. The snout is dark brown to black. The claws are sharp and short.[2][17]
The coat color varies throughout the range and at different times of the year. Several shades such as tawny olive, wood brown, and yellowish tawny have been reported for the upper part of the coat and the upper side of the tail, while the underparts and the lower side of the tail have been observed to be buff, tawny, or brownish yellow. Some individuals have a black stripe running along the midline of the back.[2][17] The color seems to become lighter from the south to the north, though no seasonal trends have been observed.[2] The fur is short, woolly and dense.[18] Hairs are of two types - light yellowish and darker with brown tips. The darker hairs reflect light poorly relative to the lighter ones, often creating an illusion of spots and dark lines on the coat. The tail is covered with thick fur up to the end.[5]
The kinkajou is distinguished from other procyonids by its small, rounded ears, extensible tongue, and prehensile tail. Olingos are similar enough in appearance that many native cultures do not distinguish the two.[19] Compared to olingos, kinkajous are larger, have foreshortenedmuzzles, and lackanal scent glands (in addition to the previously described differences). Thebinturong, a Southeast Asianviverrid, has similar limb proportions and is the only other carnivoran with a prehensile tail. The kinkajou resemblesneotropical monkeys in having a prehensile tail and big, forward-facing eyes, but has a different dentition and heavy fur on the soles of the feet.[2][17]
Kinkajousrange from east and south of theSierra Madre in Mexico, throughout Central America toBolivia east of theAndes and theAtlantic Forest of southeasternBrazil. Their altitudinal range is from sea level to 2,500 m. They are found in closed-canopytropical forests, includinglowland rainforest,montane forest,dry forest,gallery forest, andsecondary forest.Deforestation is thus a potential threat to the species.[1]
Although the kinkajou is classified in the orderCarnivora and has sharp teeth, itsomnivorous diet consists mainly of fruit, particularlyfigs.[20] Some 90% of their diet consists of (primarily ripe) fruit. To eat softer fruits, they hold it with their forepaws, then scoop out the succulent pulp with their tongue. They may play an important role inseed dispersal. Leaves, flowers, nectar, and various herbs make up much of the other 10% of their diet.[21][22] They sometimes eat insects, particularly ants. They may occasionally eat bird eggs and small vertebrates.[21] Their frugivorous habits are actually convergent with those of (diurnal)spider monkeys.[21]
The kinkajou's slender 5-inch extrudabletongue helps the animal to obtain fruit and to licknectar from flowers, so it sometimes acts as apollinator. (Nectar is also sometimes obtained by eating entire flowers.) Although captive specimens avidly eathoney (hence the name "honey bear"), honey in the diet of wild kinkajous is not well reported.[citation needed]
Kinkajou spend most of their lives in trees, to which they are particularly well adapted.[23] Likeraccoons, kinkajous' remarkable manipulatory abilities rival those ofprimates. The kinkajou has a short-haired, fullyprehensile tail (like someNew World monkeys), which it uses as a "fifth hand" in climbing. It does not use its tail for grasping food. It can rotate its ankles and feet 180°, making it easy for the animal to run backward over tree limbs and climb down trees headfirst.[23]Scent glands near the mouth, on the throat, and on the belly allow kinkajous to mark their territory and their travel routes. Kinkajous sleep in family units andgroom one another.[24]
While they are usually solitary when foraging, they occasionally forage in large groups, and sometimes associate with olingos (which are also nocturnal arboreal frugivores).[25] The larger kinkajous are dominant and will drive olingos away when food is scarce.[19] Kinkajous have a much more extensive range than olingos and tend to be more common.[19] However, olingos may have greater agility,[19] perhaps facilitating theirsympatry with kinkajous.
As a nocturnal animal, the kinkajou's peak activity is usually between about 7:00 pm and midnight, and again an hour before dawn. During daylight hours, kinkajous sleep in tree hollows or in shaded tangles of leaves, avoiding direct sunlight.
Kinkajous breed throughout the year, giving birth to one or occasionally two small babies after a gestation period of 112 to 118 days.
Kinkajous are sometimes kept asexotic pets. They are playful, generally quiet, docile, and have little odor, but they can occasionally be aggressive. Kinkajous dislike sudden movements, noise, and being awake during the day. An agitated kinkajou may emit a scream and attack, usually clawing its victim and sometimes biting deeply. In 2011, theCenters for Disease Control and Prevention reported that pet kinkajous in the United States can be carriers (fecal–oral route) of the raccoon roundwormBaylisascaris procyonis, which is capable of causing severe morbidity and even death in humans if the brain is infected.[26] In 2023, National Geographic reported that escaped kinkajou pets were living in Florida.[27]
InEl Salvador,Guatemala, andHonduras, pet kinkajous are commonly calledmicoleón, meaning "lion monkey". InPeru, pet kinkajous are frequently referred to aslirón (the Spanish word fordormice), often described as a "bear-monkey". These names reflect its monkey-like body and obviously carnivoran head.
They typically live about 23 years in captivity, with a maximum recorded lifespan of 42 years.[28]
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