Chacoan peccary
Chacoan peccary | |
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Male at the Phoenix Zoo | |
Female at the San Diego Zoo | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Artiodactyla |
Family: | Tayassuidae |
Genus: | Catagonus |
Species: | C. wagneri
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Binomial name | |
Catagonus wagneri (Rusconi, 1930)
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Synonyms | |
Parachoerus wagneri Rusconi, 1930 |
The Chacoan peccary or tagua (Catagonus wagneri or Parachoerus wagneri) is the last extant species of the genus Catagonus;[3] it is a peccary found in the Gran Chaco of Paraguay, Bolivia, and Argentina. Approximately 3,000 remain in the world.
The Chacoan peccary has the unusual distinction of having been first described in 1930 based on
Taxonomy
The Chacoan peccary is notable in that it is not the type species of its genus, Catagonus, despite being the only living representative. Instead, the type is the extinct Catagonus metropolitanus. Such a case is an example of a Lazarus taxon, and shares this trait with another South American native, the bush dog. The Chacoan peccary was first described by scientists in 1972.[4]
A 2017 study on the phylogenetic systematics of
Habitat
The Chacoan peccary is confined to hot, dry areas. Dominated by low-lying
Physical characteristics
The largest of the three generally accepted species of
Reproduction
Young are generally born between September and December, but litters have been found almost year-round. Births have been linked to periods of food abundance and rainfall. The average number of embryos has been recorded as approximately 2.72. Females may leave the herd to give birth and then return afterwards. Newborns are
Behavior
Chacoan peccaries often travel in herds of up to 20 individuals. They are active during the day, especially in the morning when they are most apt to travel. Herds display a general travel cycle within their home range of 42 days. This allows the individuals to monitor and show ownership over their areas.
These social mammals communicate by various sounds, ranging from grunts to chatters of the teeth. Though individuals may occasionally exhibit aggressive behavior such as charging and biting, this species is not as aggressive as others.
As a defensive strategy, members of a herd may line up in a defensive wall; this makes the herds harder targets for hunters. The Chacoan peccary produces a milky, odorous substance used for marking trees, shrubs, and similar. The substance is secreted from glands located on their backs, and is dispersed by rubbing. Frequently bathing in mud or dust, Chacoan peccaries also defecate at particular "stations".
Food habits
The arid habitat of the Gran Chaco region provides very tough vegetation for the Chacoan peccary. These peccaries feed on various species of
Conservation status
Because the Chacoan peccary is endemic to a formerly isolated region of South America, it is most vulnerable to human activity. Just as quickly as this species is discovered in an area, it disappears. Herd numbers are decreasing as a result of
References
- . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
- ^ "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 2022-01-14.
- ^ "Fossilworks: Catagonus". fossilworks.org. Retrieved 2016-05-01.
- S2CID 11231874.
- S2CID 27963274.
- ^ Catagonus wagneri - Chacoan peccary Archived January 10, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
Further reading
- Mayer, J. J.; Wetzel, R. M. (1986). "Catagonus wagneri". Mammalian Species (259): 1–5. JSTOR 3503829.
- Wetzel, R. M. (1977a). "The extinction of peccaries and a new case of survival". Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. 288 (1): 538–544. S2CID 85330673.
- Wetzel, R. M. (1977b). "The Chacoan peccary, Catagonus wagneri (Rusconi)". Bulletin of Carnegie Museum of Natural History. 3: 1–36. S2CID 90010360.
- Wetzel, R. M.; Dubos, R. E.; Martin, R. L.; Myers, P. (1975). "Catagonus, an 'extinct' peccary alive in Paraguay". Science. 189 (4200): 379–381. S2CID 11231874.
External links
- Media related to Catagonus wagneri at Wikimedia Commons