paraleptamphopus is a genus of amphipods in the family paraleptamphopidae endemic to new zealand .

the first species to be described was calliope subterraneus ( now paraleptamphopus subterraneus ) which was named by charles chilton in 1882 .

george m. thomson described a second species in 1885 , as pherusa coerulea ( now paraleptamphopus caeruleus ) .

although no other species have yet been formally described , it is thought that many more undescribed species exist .

paraleptamphopus

paraleptamphopus subterraneus stebbing , 1906 , p . 294 ; chilton , 1909b , p . 54 ( with synonyms ) .
pherusa coerulea , g . m . thomson in n . z . journ . sci . , vol . ii , p . 576 ( 1885 ) . paraleptamphopus coeruleus , hutton in index faunae n . z . , p . 259 ( 1904 ) . paraleptamphopus coeruleus , stebbing in “das tierreich amphipoda , ” p . 295 ( 1906 ) .
it was from the same artesian that the specimens of paraleptamphopus subterraneus already referred to were obtained , so that the two species are associated in the underground waters at st . albans , as they are in other parts of the canterbury plains .
calliope subterranea , chilton . in n . z . journ . sci . , vol . i , p . 44 , and trans . n . z . inst . , vol . xiv , p . 177 , pl . ix , figs . 1–10 ( 1882 ) . calliopius subterraneus , chilton in trans . linn . soc . london , ser . 2 , vol . vi , p . 234 , pl . xxiii , figs . 10–18 ( 1894 ) . paraleptamphopus subterraneus , hutton in index faunae n . z . , p . 259 ( 1904 ) . paraleptamphopus subterraneus , chilton in p . z . s . london , 1906 , p . 704 ( 1906 ) . paraleptamphopus subterraneus , stebbing ' in “das tierreich amphipoda , ” p . 294 ( 1906 ) .
several invertebrates can be found in seepages , trichoptera and diptera dominate the habitat . there also have been found some undescribed species of the amphipod paraleptamphopus , the stratiomyid odontomyia , the chironomid ? apsectrotanypus , the caddis orthopsyche thomasi and alloecentrella magnicornis , and several species of scirtid , elmid and hydrophilid beetles . in addition , some species new to science were discovered , including species of cased chironomid belonging to the genus stempellina ( tanytarsini ) , the first record of this genus in new zealand , and two new species of hydrobiid snails ( collier & smith 2006 ) .
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urltoken
, m . a . , d . sc . , f . l . s . , professor of biology , canterbury college , n . z .
[ read before the philosophical institute of canterbury , 4th november , 1908 . ]
, a species described in 1907 from a single specimen collected by mr . crosby smith on mount anglem , stewart island . this species was of special interest as the first species of
, a species inhabiting the underground waters of the canterbury plains . during the last few years , too , several facts referring to the other freshwater
have been collected , and it seems , desirable to gather them together here . this group of the
of australia and elsewhere . since then many of the gaps have been filled up , and , though our knowledge is still far from complete , some comparison of the fresh - water
i have arranged the species according to the classification in stebbing ' s “das tierreich amphipoda , ” and have given only such references as appeared necessary ; others will be found in that elaborate and exhaustive work .
the same time mr . laing also found the species in surface streams at otautau , in southland , in company with the next species , p . coeruleus . the two species were found together in two different streams in that locality , and though very different in appearance , one being colourless—almost white—and the other dark blue , they appeared to be living together under precisely the same conditions . mr . laing thinks that probably the p . subterraneus may have got into the surface streams from springs feeding the streams , much in the same way as appears to have occurred at castle hill .
mr . o . a . sayce * has called attention to the occurrence of three blind fresh - water crustacea in the surface waters of victoria , and has given many interesting facts with regard to them and their surface allies . other examples of the same thing have been recorded from north america also . in the present case we have p . subterraneus living side by side at otautau with p . coeruleus , to which it is so closely allied that we may consider it as a subterranean modification of that species .
as already stated , this species may be looked upon as the surface form from which p . subterraneus has arisen .
calliope fluviatilis , g . m . thomson in trans . n . z . , inst . , vol . xi , p . 240 , pl . x c , figs . 4 a - c ( 1879 ) . paracalliope fluviatilis , hutton in index faunae n . z . , p . 259 ( 1904 ) . paracalliope fluviatilis , chilton in p . z . s . london , 1906 , p . 704 ( 1906 ) . paracalliope fluviatilis , stebbing in “das tierreich amphipoda , ” p . 297 .
this species is extremely abundant in all the fresh - water streams of new zealand , and also in many of the ponds formed by them . i have seldom failed to find it in such positions in the south island , and , though i have fewer specimens from the north island , it doubtless occurs there
[ footnote ] * “on three blind victorian fresh - water crustacea found in surface water , ” ann : nat . hist . , ser . 7 , vol . viii , pp . 558–64 .
almost as abundantly—i have it from rona bay , wellington harbour , and also from island bay ; and messrs . lucas and hodgkin obtained specimens from lake waikare . besides being found in fresh water , however , this species is also able to live in salt water . i have on different occasions taken it in great abundance in otago harbour in the ordinary sea - water , associated with the usual marine forms . i have also taken it at island bay , wellington , in a pool near high - water mark , which would doubtless be filled with sea - water at particularly high tides , though the water was only slightly brackish at the time i collected the specimens .
mr . stebbing considers pherusa australis , haswell , to be a synonym of this species , and thinks that cedicerus novi - zealandice , dana , may perhaps also belong to it . i have , however , specimens that i think undoubtedly are to be referred to the latter species , and they belong to the cedicerotidce , and are apparently the same as carolobatea schneideri ( stebbing ) . i am dealing with them in my report on the crustacea collected by the recent expedition to the subantarctic islands of new zealand .
crangonyx compactus , chilton in n . z . journ . sci . , vol . i , p . 44 , and trans . n . z . inst . , vol . xiv , p . 177 , pl . x , figs . 13 - 19 ( 1882 ) . crangonyx compactus , chilton in trans . linn . soc . london , ser . 2 , vol . vi , p . 220 , pl . xx ( 1894 ) . paracrangonyx compactus , stebbing in “das tierreich amphipoda , ” p . 369 ( 1906 ) .
this is a subterranean species found in the underground waters of canterbury ' plains , and has been fully described in my paper in the trans . linn . soc . london referred to above . in that paper i stated that the subterranean crustaceans , though common in the shallow wells on the plains , had not hitherto been found in the artesian wells of christchurch . since then , however , mr . j . b . mayne has brought me one or two specimens of this species from an artesian at st . albans , christchurch . this artesian is sunk only to the first water - bearing stratum , and probably is not more than 70 ft . deep .
gammarus fragilis , chilton in n . z . journ . sci . , vol . i , p . 44 ( 1882 ) , and trans . n . z . inst . , vol . xiv , p . 179 , pl . ix , figs . 11 - 18 . gammarus fragilis , chilton in trans . linn . soc . london , ser . 2 , vol . vi , p . 227 , pl . xxi , figs . 1 - 25 ( 1894 ) . phreatogammarus fragilis , stebbing in “das tierreich amphipoda , ” p . 454 ( 1906 ) .
this species is found in the underground waters of canterbury plains , and has been already fully described in my paper in the trans . linn . soc . london quoted above . its special characteristic is the possession of very long antennae , peraeopods , & c . , and in this respect it resembles several other subterranean species from other parts of the world .
it is closely related to the next species , p . propinquus , but differs in the gnathopods , having the 2 pairs similar in size and shape and with the propod oval and the palm very oblique , while the carpus in each is very short and triangular .
phreatogammarus propinquus , chilton in ann . nat . hist . , ser . 7 , vol . xix , pp . 388–90 , pl . xi ( 1907 ) .
this species was described in 1907 from a single imperfect specimen collected by mr . crosby smith in a small pool near the top of mount anglem , in stewart island , at a height of about 2 , 800 ft . above sea - level . in february , 1908 , i obtained a few specimens from a small stream at rona bay , in wellington harbour . the place at which they were obtained is only a short distance above high - water mark , but the water was quite fresh , and the species was found in association with parorchestia tenuis ( dana ) and other fresh - water animals . i also have had for many years a mounted specimen sent me from greymouth by mr . r . helms , which i had not previously been able to recognise with certainty , but which i can now tell from comparison with rona bay specimens is undoubtedly a female specimen of this species .
the species is of special interest owing to its relationship to the subterranean species phreatogammarus fragilis ( chilton ) from the underground waters of the canterbury plains . in describing p . propinquus i pointed out that the generic characters given by mr . stebbing required slight modification in order to admit the species . in the specimen then described it was impossible to say whether eyes were present or not , owing to its imperfect condition ; in the rona bay and greymouth specimens , however , the eyes are present and well marked , so that the character “without eyes” included in mr . stebbing ' s generic diagnosis will also have to be struck out , and the genus phreatogammarus is thus shown to be still nearer to gammarus .
respects the 1st gnathopod is closely similar to the 2nd gnathopod . some or all of the setae in the transverse rows on the posterior margin of the carpus in both gnathopods are finely serrate .
the differences in the 2nd gnathopod between the rona bay specimens and the mount anglem one are perhaps sexual . the rona bay specimen described is a female , bearing eggs in the brood - pouches , while the mount anglem specimen , with the larger and more oval propod in the 2nd gnathopod , is probably a male ; but , as the few rona bay specimens that i have , appear to be all females , this point cannot at present be definitely settled .
hyalella mihiwaka , chilton in ann . nat . hist . , ser . 7 , vol . i , p . 423 , pl . xviii ( 1899 ) . chiltonia mihiwaka , stebbing in “das tierreich amphipoda , ” p . 555 ( 1906 ) .
this species was described from specimens found in mountain - streams near dunedin . during the recent subantarctic expedition specimens were collected both at the auckland islands and at campbell island . mr . o . a . sayce has described 2 species from the fresh waters of victoria—one , c . australis , has the 3rd uropod less reduced , and consequently approaches more nearly to the genus hyalella ; the other species , c . subtenuis , is more typical of the genus as regards the 3rd uropod , and is apparently closely related to c . mihiwaka , but differs in having shorter antennae and a more slender body .
the genus hyalella , to which chiltonia is closely related , is well represented in the fresh waters of america , particularly in south america . many species have been described from lake titicaca by faxon , * and more recently by monsieur edouard chevreux . † the various species , although all closely related , show a great variety in the form of the body , the projection of the different segments into spinal processes , and so on .
orchestia tenuis , dana in p . amer . ac . , vol . ii , p . 202 ( 1852 ) . orchestia tenuis , dana in u . s . expl . exp . , vol . xiii , ii , p . 872 , pl . lix , fig . 1 ( 1853 and 1855 ) . parorchestia tenuis , stebbing in “das tierreich amphipoda , ” p . 557 ( 1906 ) .
this species has been frequently mentioned by previous authors , but , as with many species of the orchestidce , it is very difficult to identify with certainty , and considerable confusion has arisen with regard to it . it has been recently redescribed by mr . stebbing , and i refer to the species ( as defined by him . ) specimens obtained in a fresh - water stream at rona bay , wellington harbour , and others obtained in similar situations at akaroa and elsewhere . i also found it on the seashore at campbell island , at the mouth of a small stream , and it seems probable that it is a species which can live either in brackish or in fresh water , and perhaps , like many other orchestidce , it may be also more or less terrestrial in habit .
[ footnote ] * bull . mus . comp . zool . harvard college , vol . iii , no . 16 ( cambridge , mass . , 1876 ) .
[ footnote ] † “les amphipodes des lacs des hants plateaux de l ' amerique du sud” ( extract from mission scientifique , g . de créqui montfort et e . sénechal de la grange ) .
corophium excavatum , g . m . thomson in trans . n . z . inst . , vol . xvi , p . 236 , pl . xii , figs . 1 - 8 ( 1884 ) . paracorophium excavatum , hutton in index faunae n . z . , p . 261 ( 1904 ) . paracorophium excavatum , chilton in p . z . s . london , 1906 , p . 704 ( 1906 ) . paracorophium excavatum , stebbing in “das tierreich amphipoda , ” p . 664 ( 1906 ) .
this species was originally described by mr . thomson from the brighton creek ( salt water ) , near dunedin . subsequently i took it from the same creek at a time when the water was almost fresh , and specimens lived in some of the some water for several months . i have also specimens taken from brackish water at napier . messrs . lucas and hodgkin afterwards took it near lake rotoiti ( 5 fathoms ) , and in lake waikare , where , of course , the water is perfectly fresh . it therefore appears to be one of several species of our new zealand amphipoda that are able to live either in salt or in fresh water .
so far as i am aware , it is the only known fresh - water species of the family corophiidæ .
( of calliope subterranea chilton , 1882 ) chilton c . ( 1882 ) . on some subterranean crustacea . transactions and proceedings of the new zealand institute , 14 , pp . 174 - 180 ; pls . 9 - 10 . [ details ]
horton , t . ; lowry , j . ; de broyer , c . ; bellan - santini , d . ; coleman , c . o . ; corbari , l . ; daneliya , m . ; dauvin , j - c . ; fišer , c . ; gasca , r . ; grabowski , m . ; guerra - garcía , j . m . ; hendrycks , e . ; hughes , l . ; jaume , d . ; jazdzewski , k . ; kim , y . - h . ; king , r . ; krapp - schickel , t . ; lecroy , s . ; lörz , a . - n . ; mamos , t . ; senna , a . r . ; serejo , c . ; sket , b . ; souza - filho , j . f . ; tandberg , a . h . ; thomas , j . ; thurston , m . ; vader , w . ; väinölä , r . ; vonk , r . ; white , k . ; zeidler , w . ( 2018 ) . world amphipoda database .
fenwick g . d . ( 2001 ) . the freshwater amphipoda ( crustacea ) of new zealand : a review . journal of the royal society of new zealand , 31 , 2 , pp . 341 - 363 . [ details ] available for editors [ request ]
habitat freshwater , epigean , slow moving streams and pools , lowlands to 900 m above sea level . [ details ]
( of pherusa caerulea thomson , 1885 ) thomson g . m . ( 1885 ) . new crustacea . new zealand journal of science , 2 , pp . 576 - 577 . [ details ]
stebbing , t . r . r . ( 1899 ) . revision of amphipoda ( continued ) . annals and magazine of natural history . ( ser . 7 ) 4 : 205 - 211 . [ details ]
, m . a . , d . sc . , ll . d . , & c . , professor of biology , canterbury college , n . z .
[ read before the philosophical institute of canterbury , 6th december , 1922 ; received by editor , 31st december , 1922 ; issued separately , 18th june , 1924 . ]
seba typica chilton , 1906 , p . 572 ; 1921 , p . 56 . s . saundersii stebbing , 1906 , p . 163 ( part ) .
specimens which i have referred to this species were taken by the f . i . s . “endeavour” off the east coast of flinders island , bass strait . the largest of these were about 4 . 5 mm . long , and were apparently fully developed males . in them the palm of the second gnathopod was distinctly oblique , and the basal and meral joints of the fifth peraeopod widely expanded posteriorly . smaller specimens have the palm transverse and the meral joint only slightly expanded . although there was no female bearing eggs in the collection , there were specimens in which the first gnathopod was distinctly chelate , the palm being on a projecting portion of the propod against which the finger impinges ; these i considered to be females , or very young males not yet differing in structure from females . other specimens showed transitional forms between the chelate limb and the subchelate gnathopod with oblique palm ; some of them had the palm quite transverse .
in february , 1922 , i collected from seaweed exposed at low tide at kaikoura three small specimens about 3 mm . long . one of these proved to be a female bearing two large eggs in the brood - pouch ; it had the first gnathopod chelate , as described in my original account , and the joints of the fifth peraeopod not expanded . the other two bore no eggs , but were otherwise similar , though slightly smaller .
it is very probable that all the forms of seba described under different names really belong to one species . walker , however , describes the males of s . antarctica as dimorphic , one form being like the females , the other differing in having the joints of the fifth peraeopod greatly expanded but having the first gnathopod chelate as in the females . walker ' s first form of male is , i think , only an immature stage of the second form ; while the latter , if fully mature , differs from the australian specimens in still having the first gnathopod chelate . it is possible , however , that it is not fully developed , and has not yet attained the oblique palm of the male , though it has the joints of the peraeopod expanded . the largest male— i . e . , the one of which walker gives a full figure—was 7 mm . long , and therefore larger than specimens from bass strait having oblique palms ; but the antarctic specimens probably grow to a much larger size than those found farther north , and the specimen may not be mature though 7 mm . long . this supposition appears to be confirmed by the fact that the second male examined by walker is 5 mm . long , but has the peraeopod joints less expanded than in australian specimens , which are slightly smaller .
[ footnote ] * previous numbers of this series have appeared in trans . n . z . inst . as follow : no . 1 , vol . 52 , p . 1 ; no . 2 , vol . 53 , p . 220 ; no . 3 , vol . 54 , p . 240 .
stenothoe validus dana , 1853–55 , p . 924 , pl . 63 , fig . 1 , a - o . s . valida stebbing , 1906 , p . 194 ; walker , 1910 , p . 621 ; kunkel , 1910 , p . 16 ; . chevreux , 1913 , p . 3 . s . valida ( part ) della valle , 1893 , p . 566 , pl . 58 , figs . 74–78 ; chilton , 1923 , p . 95 . s . adhaerens chilton , 1892 , p . 259 ( ? not stebbing , 1888 , p . 1999 ) . s . assimilis chevreux , 1908 , p . 4 ; walker , 1910 , p . 621 . montagua miersii and m . longicornis haswell , 1880 , p . 323 , pl . 24 , figs . 4 , 5 . montaguana miersii chilton , 1883 , p . 79 . probolium miersii chilton , 1885 , p . 1043 . stenothoe miersii stebbing , 1906 , p . 200 . ? stenothoe dollfusi chevreux , 1887 , p . 327 ; 1891 , p . 260 stebbing , 1906 , p . 196 .
in the older males the mouth - parts appear to become degenerate . i have , however , discussed this question more fully , and also the reasons for referring the species to the one originally described by dana , in the records of the australian museum , vol . 14 , p . 95 .
i have recently received specimens from the hawaiian islands which appear to belong to this species .
bovallia monoculoides chilton , 1909 , p . 622 ; 1912 , p . 494 ; 1921 , p . 66 . eusiroides monoculoides chevreux , 1908 , p . 478 ; stebbing , 1910 , p 595 ; barnard , 1916 , p . 174 . eusiroides caesaris walker , 1904 , p . 264 .
in 1909 i referred to this species specimens from the auckland islands ; but it has not hitherto been recorded from the coasts of the main islands of new zealand . i have now , however , in my collection numerous specimens from different localities extending from the three kings to otago harbour .
these are all much smaller than the specimens from the auckland islands , none of them measuring more than about 8 mm . in length , but they
agree closely with specimens of similar size from port jackson , new south wales , the type - locality . in none of them are any of the segments produced into definite dorsal teeth , but all have the posterior margin of the third pleon segments serrate , as described by stebbing for eusiroides caesari , though in one or two instances the teeth are rather indistinct , thus approaching the condition found in e . crassi .
the species has been recorded from south africa by barnard , from ceylon by walker , and from the gambier archipelago by chevreux . of the two specimens from the latter locality , one was a female bearing young , though only 4 mm . in length . of them chevreux says , “chez ces exemplaires , le bord postérieur des plaques épimérales du dernier segment du métasome , moins convexe que chez le type , ne présente que des crénelures peu distincts . ”
if bovallia gigantea pfeffer is considered as belonging to the same species , corresponding to the form described by stebbing under the name eusiroides crassi , then the range of the species is extended to the subantarctic and antarctic seas to the south of south america .
i have been able to compare my new zealand specimens with examples of eusiroides della - vallei chevreux from banyuls - sur - mer , on the south coast of france , and can find little difference between the two .
localities . —off three kings , 60–65 fathoms ( chilton ) ; cook strait cable , off oterangi bay ( h . b . kirk ) ; cook strait cable ( captain j . w . grey ) ; north - west of cape maria van diemen , 50 fathoms ( chilton ) ; moeraki , east coast otago ( chilton ) ; otago harbour , surface ( g . m . thomson ) ; lyttelton reef ( r . m . laing ) ; lyall bay ( r . m . laing ) .
chiltonia mihiwaka stebbing , 1906 , p . 555 : chilton , 1909a , p . 644 ; 1909b , p . 57 .
this species was described from specimens obtained in streams on mount mihiwaka , near port chalmers , at heights up to about 1 , 000 ft . above sea - level . later on mr . g . m . thomson collected it in similar localities on mount maungatua and other hills in the neighbourhood of dunedin . during the expedition of the philosophical institute of canterbury to the subantarctic islands of new zealand in 1907 , specimens were taken in fresh - water pools and streams on enderby island , auckland island , and campbell island , at places not far above sea - level . these specimens differed from the type in having the palm of the second gnathopod in the male oblique instead of transverse , and prove to be the same as c . subtenuis sayce , a species found in new south wales , victoria , and western australia .
in december , 1922 , i found two specimens , male and female , in coitu , in a small fresh - water stream at riverton , southland , just about high - water mark . it was low tide at the time , and the water in which the animals were living was quite fresh , but the sea - water would reach the place at high tide . both specimens were deeply pigmented of a dark - grey colour , while the port chalmers specimens are usually much lighter , some being almost white . the riverton specimens resemble those from mount mihiwaka so much that they must be considered as belonging to the same species , but there are some slight differences . the second gnathopod of the male ( fig . 1 ) * has the palm quite transverse , and the dactyl has a rounded
[ footnote ] * the illustrations for this paper were drawn for me by miss beryl parlane , one of my students .
lobe on the concave margin towards its base which is not found in the type . in the male specimen the first or upper antennae are distinctly shorter than the second , while in the type they were of equal length . in the enderby and auckland islands specimens the first antennae are considerably longer than the second . the relative lengths of the antennae in a few of the specimens in my collection are shown in the diagram given below , the first being represented by unbroken lines , the second by dotted
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lines . it will be seen that the antennae vary in length on the two sides , and in specimens from different localities . the generic diagnosis given by stebbing ( 1906 , p . 555 ) , which says “antennae 1 and 2 equal in length , ” must be altered to “antennae 1 and 2 nearly equal in length . ”
the genus was established by stebbing for the species now under consideration , which had been described under hyalella . two fresh - water species from australia described by sayce belong to chiltonia , and other
species have been described by geoffrey smith . several fresh - water species of hyalella are known from south america , and one that i have examples of ( h . warmingii stebbing ) presents many resemblances to chiltonia , but has a small palp on the first maxilla and a fringed lobe on the carpus of the second gnathopod in the male . in chiltonia mihiwaka the third uropod is represented by a single small joint , and this character has been incorporated in stebbing ' s generic diagnosis . in the australia species , c . australis , the uropod is two - jointed , as in hyalella , so that the characters of the genus require further modification .
from brackish water at cape town , south africa , barnard has described chiltonia capensis , which has no palp on the first maxilla and has the third uropod single - jointed , but differs in having the two gnathopods alike in both sexes—thus requiring another modification of the characters of the genus .
the presence of very similar species in fresh and brackish waters in new zealand , australia , south america , and south africa is important from a zoogeographical standpoint , and it is desirable that a careful comparison of the species in question should be made .
this species is now known to be widely spread over the southern portions of otago and southland , it has been recorded from swampy hill ( near dunedin ) , from the old man range , from the neighbourhood of invercargill , from ruapuke island , and i have recently collected it in abundance from several localities at drummond and otautau in southland . in these places it lives in ditches and small streams on the various weeds that grow in the water , in much the same way as the ordinary fresh - water paracalliope fluviatilis does , though this species was not found by me in the same ditches . with p . caeruleus there was , however , the other species , p . subterraneus , but it was usually found a little deeper down , either on the surface of the mud or actually in the mud . p . caeruleus is slightly smaller than p . subterraneus , and can readily be distinguished by its dark - blue colour . most of the specimens are so darkly coloured that they appear black , but some are paler , especially on the appendages .
the differences in structure from some of the forms of p . subterraneus are few and unimportant . the one that seems most constant is in the telson ,
which is evenly rounded posteriorly and free from setules ; its upper surface is slightly convex ; the third uropods have the branches not much longer than the peduncle ( fig . 2 , urp 3 ) and , when seen in side view , slightly
curved upwards ; the gnathopoda are rather more slender than in p . subterraneus , with the armature of the palm somewhat different , the propod bearing crenulate markings at the point where the finger impinges , and the finger having numerous setules towards the extremity ( see figs . 2 , gn 1 * , gn 2 * ) .
the structure of p . subterraneus was somewhat fully dealt with by me in 1894 so far as the underground forms were concerned . it will only be necessary to mention now a few of the points in which differences occur in specimens from other localities . in all specimens the gnathopoda are of similar shape , the first stouter than the second ; in the eyreton specimens the palm of the first is minutely crenulate , but it is even in these from surface waters in southland . the appearance of the third uropod varies when seen from the side or from above . fig . 4 shows those of a specimen from eketahuna , fig . urp 3 being one of the pair seen from above , fig . urp 3 * the other from the side ; the branches are not much longer than the base , on the latter there is usually a small tuft of setules at the upper distal angle , and two or three separately placed on each upper margin . in specimens from southland streams the tuft at the distal
angle may be larger , and there is sometimes a smaller but distinct tuft about the middle of the upper outer margin ( see fig . 6 ) . the telson is a flat oblong plate with lateral margins nearly straight , posterior corners narrowly rounded , and each usually bearing a single small setule , the posterior margin slightly concave . all these characters , and especially the last , are subject to modification even in individuals from the same locality ; thus one from wells at ashburton has the posterior margin much more deeply concave , and one corner without a setule ( fig . 7 ) .
in the “clippings” and mount dick specimens the telson differs markedly from the more typical forms . the lateral margins are distinctly convex , the telson itself shorter and broader , the posterior margin deeply concave , and there are three or four setules at each corner and two or three more anteriorly placed on the lateral margin ( see figs . 8 and 9 ) .
differently formed . the ordinary form is undoubtedly a female , being often found with eggs or young in the brood - pouch , and i looked upon the form with the large peculiar gnathopoda as the male . it differs so much , however , that it is not surprising that stebbing says ( 1906 , p . 295 ) ,
“the supposed male is uncertain in respect to sex and to identity with the species . ” unfortunately i have seen very few specimens of the supposed male , and have now records of four only . one was dissected for use in drawing up the description i gave in 1894 and i have now
gnathopods between those of the female and the fully developed male . unfortunately this was not the case , for its gnathopoda , though smaller and less bountifully supplied with spinules ( fig . 3 , gn 1 and gn 2 ) , are essentially the same as those figured in 1894 .
i still feel convinced that the specimens in question are really males of p . subterraneus , for they are closely similar in all the characters except
those that may be looked upon as secondary male characters ; none of them bears eggs , and it seems unlikely that there should be two species living in the underground waters drawn upon by the one well , that many dozens of specimens of one species , all females , have been obtained , but of the other only less than half a dozen and these all males . it must be mentioned , however , that among the numerous specimens of p . subterraneus examined from other localities i have seen no similar males ; it is , of course , possible that some may have been overlooked , for the gnathopoda are more or less concealed by the deep side - plates .
i give figures of the telson and uropoda of p . subterraneus from different localities . it will be seen that there is considerable variation , just as there is in the subterranean forms of niphargus in europe , and that in consequence there is room for much difference of opinion as to the number of “species” into which they should be divided . in new zealand the subterranean species is also found in surface waters , most of these specimens being still colourless and apparently blind ; though some—viz . , those from “clippings” and mount dick—are found at great heights above sea - level , and in colour and other characters show distinct transitions leading to the true surface form , p . caeruleus , from which the subterranean forms may be presumed to have been descended .
—— 1923 . records australian museum , vol . 14 , pp . 79–100 .
confused by a class within a class or an order within an order ? please see our brief essay .
to cite this page : myers , p . , r . espinosa , c . s . parr , t . jones , g . s . hammond , and t . a . dewey . 2018 . the animal diversity web ( online ) . accessed at https : / / animaldiversity . org .
disclaimer : the animal diversity web is an educational resource written largely by and for college students . adw doesn ' t cover all species in the world , nor does it include all the latest scientific information about organisms we describe . though we edit our accounts for accuracy , we cannot guarantee all information in those accounts . while adw staff and contributors provide references to books and websites that we believe are reputable , we cannot necessarily endorse the contents of references beyond our control .
this material is based upon work supported by the national science foundation grants drl 0089283 , drl 0628151 , due 0633095 , drl 0918590 , and due 1122742 . additional support has come from the marisla foundation , um college of literature , science , and the arts , museum of zoology , and information and technology services .
scientists aim to describe a single ' tree of life ' that reflects the evolutionary relationships of living things . however , evolutionary relationships are a matter of ongoing discovery , and there are different opinions about how living things should be grouped and named . eol reflects these differences by supporting several different scientific ' classifications ' . some species have been named more than once . such duplicates are listed under synonyms . eol also provides support for common names which may vary across regions as well as languages .
eol content is automatically assembled from many different content providers . as a result , from time to time you may find pages on eol that are confusing .
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seepages and flushes form where groundwater emerges on hillsides to form soils that are mostly permanently saturated with relatively nutrient and oxygen rich water . seepages tend to be wetter for longer periods than flushes , which are often formed by a periodic pulse of water following rain ( johnson & gerbeaux 2004 ) . the high water table excludes most woody plants from these habitats and herbaceous species dominate . they are particularly rich in species where they form on limestone rock . they may be extensive in some circumstances , but they are often relatively small , covering no more than a few dozen square metres .
seepages and flushes occur throughout new zealand from sea level to the upper alpine zone and are most common in the montane zone of wetter districts .
threatened and rare indeterminate flora include nationally critical limosella ( b ) ( chr 515038 ; manutahi ) , ranunculus ( b ) ( chr 324466 ; burgoo stream ) , and ranunculus ( a ) ( aku 19876 ; hope ) ; the naturally uncommon myosotis aff . pygmaea ( chr 244566 ; volcanic plateau ) and myosotis aff . tenericaulis ( ak 7570 ; garvie mountains ) .
increased nutrients and aeration associated with seepages / flushes may favour establishment of weeds , e . g . pasture grasses and herbs . because they may be small , they are often not recognised and suffer insidious deterioration in and near agricultural settings . unfenced seepage / flush wetlands in agricultural and natural settings are susceptible to grazing , trampling , and nutrient enrichment by domestic and feral animals . seepages / flushes are usually easily drained and converted to agriculture .
brownsey pj 1985 . ophioglossum petiolatum at hokio beach . wellington botanical society journal 42 : 33 - 34 .
clarkson bd , clarkson br 2015 . a new record of brachyglottis turneri from north taranaki . new zealand botanical society newsletter 121 : 8 - 10 .
collier kj , smith bj 2006 . distinctive invertebrate assemblages in rockface seepages enhance lotic biodiversity in northern new zealand . biodiversity and conservation 15 : 3591 - 3616 .
johnson p , gerbeaux p 2004 . wetland types in new zealand . wellington , department of conservation .
wardle p 1991 . vegetation of new zealand . cambridge university press . 672 p .
approximately 10 % of the crustacean specimens tested contained coliform bacteria and had apparently been feeding on sewage - derived material . the organisms tended to be more abundant in the more polluted wells but incidents of heavy contamination caused high mortality rates . some calculations using energetics data from surface water studies suggested that the standing crop of aquifer macro invertebrates could play a significant role in the consumption of sewage - derived organic matter reaching the phreatic zone beneath the templeton site .
apha , awwa & wpcf . , 1976 . standard methods for the examination of waters and wastewater , 14th edn . m . c . rand , a . e . greenberg & m . j . taras ( eds . ) . am . publ . hlth ass . , 1193 pp .
bertrand , j - y . , 1975 . recherches sur les eaux souterraines - 27 - étude d ' un aquifère épikarstique des corbières ( opoul , pyrénées - orientales ) . ann . spéléol . 30 : 513–537 .
butcher , r . w . , j . longwell & f . t . k . pentelow , 1937 . survey of the river tees , 3 . the non - tidal reaches . chemical and biological . techn . pap . wat . pollution res . lond . 6 : 187 pp .
chilton , c . , 1881 . on some subterranean crustacea . trans . new zealand inst . 24 : 258–269 .
chilton , c . , 1882 . notes on , and a new species of , subterranean crustacea . trans . new zealand inst . 25 : 87–92 .
chilton , c . , 1894 . the subterranean crustacea of new zealand : with some general remarks on the fauna of caves and wells . trans . linn . soc . lond . , second ser . - zool . 6 : 163–284 .
climo , f . m . , 1974 . description and affinities of the subterranean molluscan fauna of new zealand . new zealand j . zool . 1 : 247–284 .
climo , f . m . , 1977 . notes on the new zealand hydrobiid fauna ( mollusca : gastropoda : hydrobiidae ) . j . r . soc . new zealand 7 : 67–77 .
fenchel , t . m . & b . b . jorgensen , 1977 . detritus food chains of aquatic ecosystems ; the role of bacteria . in m . alexander ( ed . ) , advances in microbial ecology . m . plenum press , n . y . , 199–206 .
geldreich , e . e . , 1966 . sanitary significance of faecal coliforms in the environment . u . s . dep . interior , fedl wat . pollution control adm . publ . wp - 20 - 3 , 122 pp .
holsinger , j . r . , 1966 . a preliminary study on the effects of organic pollution of banners corner cave , virginia . int . j . speleol . 2 : 75–89 .
husmann , s . , 1958 . untersuchungen über die sandlückenfauna der bremischen langsamfilter . abh . braunschweigischen wiss . ges . 10 : 93–116 .
husmann , s . , 1966 . die organismengemeinschaften der sandluckensysteme in naturlichen biotopen and langsamsandfiltern . veröff . hydrol . forsch . abt . dortmunder stadtwerke ag 9 : 93–113 .
husmann , s . , 1975 . versuche zur erfassung der vertikalen verteilung von organismen und chemischen substanzen im grundwasser von talauen und terrassen ; methoden und erste befund . int . j . speleol . 6 : 271–302 .
husmann , s . , 1978 . die bedeutung der grundwasserfauna für biologische reinigungsvorgänge im interstitial von lockergesteinen . gwf wass . abwass . 119 : 293–302 .
martin , g . n . & m . j . noonan , 1977 . effects of wastewater disposal by land irrigation on groundwater quality of the central canterbury plains . wat . & soil techn . publ . 7 . mwd , wellington , new zealand , 25 pp .
in marion lake , british colombia . j . fish . res . b . can . 28 : 711–726 .
ordish , r . g . , 1976 . two new genera and species of subterranean water beetle from new zealand ( coleoptera : dytiscidae ) . new zealand j . zool . 3 : 1–10 .
rouch , r . , 1980 . le système karstique du baget , 10 . la communauté des harpacticides . richesse spécifique , diversité et structures d ' abondances de la nomocénose hypogée . ann . limnol . 16 : 1–20 .
rouch , r . & l . bonnet , 1976 . recherches sur les eaux souterraines . - 28 - le système karstique du baget , 4 . premières données sur la structure et l ' organisation de la communauté des harpacticides . ann . spéléol . 31 : 27–41 .
schminke , h . k . , 1973 . evolution , system und verbreitungsgeschichte der familie parabathynellidae ( bathynellacea , malacostraca ) . akad . wiss . lit . mainz , math . nat . kl . , mikrofauna meersboden 24 : 1–192 .
sinton , l . w . & m . e . close , 1983 . groundwater tracing experiments . publ . 2 hydrol . cent . , christchurch . mwd , christchurch , new zealand , 36 pp .
thorpe , h . r . , r . j . burden & d . m . scott , 1982 . potential for contamination of the heretaunga plains aquifers . wat . & soil techn . publ . 24 . mwd , wellington , new zealand . 149 pp .
welch , e . b . , 1980 . ecological effects of wastewater . cambridge university press , 337 pp .
williams , d . d . & h . b . n . hynes , 1974 . the occurrence of benthos deep in the substratum of a stream . freshwat . biol . 4 : 233–256 .


the gulf coast jaguarundi ( puma yagouaroundi cacomitli ) is one of four subspecies of jaguarundi .

two of these subspecies — the gulf coast jaguarundi and the sinaloan jaguarundi — are considered endangered and were put on the endangered list on june 14 , 1976 .

these cats are placed under the family felidae and the subfamily felinae because of their small size .

gulf coast jaguarundi

for more information the recovery plan of the gulf coast jaguarundi can be found here .
us  h . y . cacomitli known as the gulf coast jaguarundi , h . y . tolteca called the sinaloan jaguarundi
reduce the effects of human population growth and development on potential gulf coast jaguarundi habitat in the united states and on the jaguarundi ' s potential survival and mortality .
we listed the gulf coast jaguarundi as an endangered species under the act on june 14 , 1976 ( 41 fr 24062 ) . the listed cats of texas and arizona recovery plan ( with emphasis on the ocelot ) was completed in 1990 , and it briefly addressed the jaguar , jaguarundi , and margay , but focused on the ocelot , primarily in texas . the final gulf coast jaguarundi recovery plan only applies to the gulf coast subspecies of jaguarundi .
assess , protect , and restore sufficient habitat and connectivity to support viable populations and genetic exchange of the gulf coast jaguarundi in southern texas and in mexico .
iucn red list status : not assessed as a subspecies . the gulf coast jaguarundi is listed as endangered under the u . s . endangered species act .
it finally received a recovery plan from the department of fish and wildlife in the summer of 2014 . the gulf coast jaguarundi is set to recover by the year 2050 .
support efforts to develop more effective survey techniques for jaguarundis and to ascertain the status , better understand ecological and conservation needs , and promote conservation of the gulf coast jaguarundi and its habitats .
is it a weasel ? a cat ? a puma ? an otter ? the rare gulf coast jaguarundi is often confused for many different species due to its strange appearance resembles its cousins . the jaguarundi cat , ranging from southern texas to eastern mexico , is quite unknown due the small amount of research done on it . for this reason , people are unaware of the fact that the gulf coast jaguarundi is endangered .
common name : jaguarundi kingdom : animalia phylum : chordata ( vertebrata ) class : mammalia order : carnivora family : felidae genus : felinae ( felis ) species : yaguarondi sub species : ( herpailurus yaguarondi fossata ) guatemalan jaguarundi ( h . y . cacomitli ) gulf coast jaguarundi ( h . y . panamensis ) panamanian jaguarundi ( h . y . toleteca ) sinaloan jaguarundi
the photo above ( top ) is a shaded region of texas where the jaguarundi is most commonly found . featured above ( bottom ) is a picture of the general area of the gulf coast jaguarundi population . this jaguarundi population is concentrated primarily in south america and mexico , a convenient climate for the jaguarundis .
this bobcat - sized feline , known to scientists as puma yagouaroundi cacomitli , has been on the federal endangered species list since 1976 . things haven ' t gotten much better for the jaguarundi since then . and a border wall might finish the gulf coast jaguarundi off allogether .
fortunately , many people are aware of the critical situation of the gulf coast jaguarundi and some communities around the rio grande valley have begun to restore the cat’s natural habitat , as a means of conservation . if these actions succeed , perhaps the jaguarundi will restore a stable population .
the primary known threats to the gulf coast jaguarundi are habitat destruction , degradation , and fragmentation associated with agriculture and urbanization , and , to some extent , border security activities . mortality from collisions with vehicles is also a threat .
the gulf coast jaguarundi are an extremely rare species of cat , found only in specific parts of northern america – in the western gulf coastal grasslands of southern united states and northwestern mexico . these highly endangered weasel - like wild cats are on the brink of extinction , as more and more of their natural habitat is destroyed .
ultimately , the goal of the recovery plan is to recover and delist the gulf coast jaguarundi . if that ' s not possible , an intermediate goal is to move the subspecies from endangered to threatened . the goal will be considered met when at least three or more populations are sustained in the southern texas region and when threats from habitat loss , fragmentation , and degradation have been reduced , as well as the gulf coast jaguarundi no longer being in danger of extinction .
the gulf coast jaguarundi , a cat native to mexico and the thornscrub habitat of southern texas , today received a long - overdue “recovery plan , ” a document outlining necessary steps to bring the species back from the brink of extinction .
the main thing you can do to help the gulf coast jaguarundi is to get the word out there . right now , few people even know the animal exists and that is leading to the decrease in the jaguarundi populations . we are going to lose a species many did not even know existed . if you are in the southern texas area , you can help by reaching out and talking about the jaguarundi . you can reach out to the texas state government and try to express the importance of conserving the gulf coast jaguarundi . stay informed on the recovery of this wonderful animal !
the gulf coast jaguarundi eat fish they catch in rivers , as well as small mammals ( such as rabbits and armadillos ) or even jump and catch low flying birds . these wild cats have very advanced senses , making them a somewhat dangerous predator .
the gulf coast jaguarundi , a wild cat , looks more like a large weasel or an otter than a feline . it has a long body , short legs , a small head , small rounded ears , and is only a bit larger than your average housecat .
the sinaloan jaguarundi ( puma yagouaroundi tolteca ) was originally listed under the act at the same time as the gulf coast subspecies . because all of the current information indicates that the tolteca subspecies occurs entirely outside the united states and has never been confirmed within the united states , the sinaloan jaguarundi was exempted from recovery planning on june 7 , 2011 .
the range of the gulf coast jaguarundi is primarily from southern texas , all the way down through mexico , and through parts of south america . in the texas range , the jaguarundis are mainly found in the tamaulipan biotic province , . however , this province type has been declining throughout the twentieth century , therefore causing a decline of gulf coast jaguarundis in the united states . the last known jaguarundi died in the united states in 1986 , when a roadkill specimen was collected on the side of the road . since then , only unconfirmed sightings have been documented . now , gulf coast jaguarundis can only be found in mexico and brazil , where 40 % of them are documented to be found mainly in the tall dense grasses , and the other 60 % prefer the natural undisturbed forest . because of how little is known about the jaguarundi , the current population size is unknown .
in january this year , the gulf coast jaguarundi at long last received a u . s . fish and wildlife service recovery plan , which is a document outlining the steps necessary to protect the species from extinction . if the plan is funded and implemented , the species could recover to “unendangered” levels by 2050 .
as felines go , the little jaguarundi - - species name gulf coast jaguarundi ( puma yagouaroundi cacomitli ) - - is a bit unconventional . it actually looks more like an otter or large weasel than a cat , with its long body , short legs , small head , oddly shaped ears , and distinctive fur coat . and at around 11 pounds , it weighs less than many housecats .
the gulf coast jaguarundi is found in the tamaulipan biotic province of northeast mexico and south texas . within mexico it occurs in the eastern lowlands and has not been recorded in the central highlands . in southern texas , jaguarundis used dense thorny shrublands . jaguarundis will use bunchgrass pastures if dense brush or woody cover is nearby .
also called the otter cat . 4 ssp . endangered : panamanian j . ( herpailurus yagouaroundi panamensis ) , guatemalan j . ( herpailurus yagouaroundi fossata ) , gulf coast j . ( herpailurus yagouaroundi cacomitli ) , sinaloan j . ( herpailurus yagouaroundi tolteca )
the gulf coast jaguarundi hunts small rodents , birds , fish , reptiles , and amphibians . this creature is also known to jump into the air to catch low flying poultry like doves . predation often occurs in thornscrubs . recently though , due to habitat loss , they have been venturing on to agricultural properties and pursuing domestic poultry .
jaguarundis as a species seem to be doing okay . but habitat loss has pushed two of the cats ' four subspecies — the gulf coast and sinaloan jaguarundis — to the brink of extinction . when the george w . bush administration fortified border barriers in the rio grande valley in the mid - 2000s , biologists warned that the barrier to migration could doom gulf coast jaguarundis on both sides of the rio grande . a solid concrete wall , built with no heed to environmental laws , could only make things far worse .
in 2008 , while jogging along the rio grande river in south texas , matthew webster spotted something moving . he made out the sleek , dark outline of a cat - like animal . matthew thought that he had caught a glimpse of the elusive gulf coast jaguarundi . the last confirmed sighting of this creature in the . . . full description
classified under the puma genus , the gulf coast jaguarundi is closely related to the cougar and the jaguar , however , only 10 % of their size . their long , slender , weasel - like bodies hold a small yet flat head as well as round ears . coming in at around 15 pounds , their bodies reach up to thirty inches while the tails themselves get up to twenty three ! a theory about how these small cats evolved from the puma lineage is that an isolated population of them began to feed on smaller prey to avoid competition with the large cats like saber - toothed tigers or lions . the diet of a carnivorous gulf coast jaguarundi now consists of small mammals , birds , frogs , and fish .
the primary threats to the jaguarundi are habitat fragmentation , degradation , and destruction . all of these factors are mainly associated with agriculture , urbanization , border security activities , and vehicle collisions . like previous competition hundreds of years ago , jaguarundis are now competing with bobcats in their northern range , limiting their supply of food . increased precipitation and decreased temperature from climate change is also affecting the gulf coast jaguarundi , causing them to change their habitats .
off the coast of west africa , george heads to a remote volcanic island where a river of molten lava is engulfing a mountain village .
the gulf coast and sinaloan jaguarundi population is rapidly depleting from the destruction of their habitat . in the lower rio grande valley of texas , the jaguarundi habitat is being cleared for farming and from the increased human population . recently , the communities around the rio grande valley have begun to replant native shrubs in order to restore their habitat . this picture comes from a site called big cats on line , copyrighted by andrew garman which has some really nice photos at urltoken
the last known jaguarundi in the u . s . died on a roadway in 1986
the gulf coast jaguarundi is a subspecies of jaguarundi that historically ranged from the lower rio grande valley in southern texas into the eastern portion of mexico . the last confirmed sighting of this subspecies in the u . s . was in april of 1986 . most jaguarundi habitat in the u . s . is already lost to agriculture or urban development , including over 95 % of thornscrub habitat in the lower rio grande valley . jaguarundis need dense vegetation such as thornscrub to hunt prey , mainly small rodents , reptiles , and birds . preservation of remaining habitat will also help other rare species , including the imperiled ocelot , that share jaguarundi habitat .
another concern for environmentalists in relation to these wild cats is the proposed building of the 16 foot wall on the border of mexico and u . s . this project endangers the natural balance in the border area and the number of many animals , including the gulf coast jaguarundi might decrease drastically . even now , it is very rare to see a jaguarundi in the jungle and although there are no precise numbers of their population , it can be estimated as very low .
iucn lists the gulf coast jaguarundi as “endangered” which is mainly due to human actions , that have resulted in destroying most of the wild cat’s natural habitat – many areas previously suited for them has been cleared and turned into farming zones . it’s also hunted for it’s fur , which has a very attractive natural reddish colour , though extra poacher control has reduced cases of these animals being hunted .
conservation efforts for animals that are endangered are extremely important to the survival of the species . in the rio grande valley of texas , conservation efforts are being made by replanting the habitual plants in a jaguarundi ' s environments , such as shrubs and bushes . this is in response to the depletion of their habitat in hopes of restoring what the jaguarundi is typically used to . in december 2012 , the u . s . government wrote an article on the recovery plan of the jaguarundi in hopes to remove the jaguarundi from the “act” to not have to protect it any more . the government’s plan basically revolved around the idea that conservation of the gulf coast region was necessary to the survival of the jaguarundi . click below to read the whole article :
the jaguarundi is a small wild feline located in the southern part of the american continent , including southern texas , mexico , central and south america . there is also rumored to be a small isolated population of jaguarondi in central florida . the jaguarundi is commonly called the
otter cat
due to its otter like appearance . the jaguarundi has an elongated body with relatively short legs and round ears . the jaguarundi also has a long tale much like a panthers . the jaguarundi ranges in colors from black to a light brown color . adult jaguarundi ' s have a solid color cote while younger jaguarundi ' s will have a small speckled or patterned coat . the jaguarundi is a carnivore and eats small animals such as fish and birds .
wow , i feel flattered . but indeed , more people should know about the jaguarundi : )
the gulf coast jaguarundi is a subspecies of jaguarundi that historically ranged from the lower rio grande valley in southern texas into the eastern portion of mexico in the states of coahuila , nuevo leon , tamaulipas , san luis potosi , and veracruz . the last confirmed sighting of this subspecies in the u . s . was in april of 1986 . most jaguarundi habitat in the u . s . is already lost to agriculture or urban development , including over 95 % of thornscrub habitat in the lower rio grande valley . jaguarundis need dense vegetation such as thornscrub to hunt prey , mainly small rodents , reptiles , and birds . preservation of remaining habitat will also help other rare species , including the imperiled ocelot , that share jaguarundi habitat .
updating the distribution and population status of jaguarundi , puma yagouaroundi ( é . geoffroy , 1803 ) . . .
we , the u . s . fish and wildlife service , announce the availability of our final recovery plan for the gulf coast jaguarundi under the endangered species act of 1973 , as amended ( act ) . we have developed this final recovery plan to comply with a september 16 , 2010 , stipulated settlement agreement between wildearth guardians and the secretary of the interior . this species historically occurred in southern texas in the united states , and is currently known to occur in eastern mexico as far south as veracruz .
boca chica , a finger of mostly undeveloped land in south texas between the brownsville ship channel and a part of the rio grande forming the riverine u . s . - mexico border , is a haven for many endangered and threatened animals . the creatures include the leatherback , loggerhead , hawksbill , green and kemp’s ridley sea turtles , as well as birds like the piping plover , red knot , and northern aplomado falcon . it is also the habitat of two rare cats , the gulf coast jaguarundi and ocelot .
the mainland west coast of mexico ( region 27 * ) contains several important areas for waterfowl . these habitats consist of tidal estuaries connected with brackish water marshes along the coast and inland fresh water wetlands and reservoirs . fresh water streams and irrigation water empty into tidal lagoons and create flats , tidal pools , mangrove swamps and emergent vegetation dominated by cattail , bulrush , wigeongrass , muskgrass and algae .
these jaguarundi have a reddish or a charcoal gray fur , short ears and short legs . their natural habitat is lowland brush areas , usually close to water . as a true predatory cat , the jaguarundi can both swim and climb very well .
as with all members of felidae , the jaguarundi walks on four feet , in a digitigrade manner—that is on its toes .
glenn , c . r . 2006 .
earth ' s endangered creatures - jaguarundi facts
( online ) . accessed
the u . s . fish and wildlife service ( service ) published the plan late yesterday , the result of a settlement agreement with wildearth guardians . despite listing the gulf coast jaguarundi as “endangered” under the endangered species act in 1976 , the service failed to designate critical habitat or write a recovery plan for the critically imperiled cat . guardians challenged the service’s failure to produce a recovery plan specific to the species in 2009 . if the recovery plan is funded and followed , the service predicts the species could be removed from the list of imperiled species in 2050 .
in 2008 , while jogging along the rio grande river in south texas , matthew webster spotted something moving . he made out the sleek , dark outline of a cat - like animal . matthew thought that he had caught a glimpse of the elusive gulf coast jaguarundi . the last confirmed sighting of this creature in the united states was in 1986 , however . could this rare animal still be living in the u . s . ? in jaguarundi : otter cat , kids go on a real - life adventure with wildlife biologists linda laack and arturo caso as they track these endangered animals in the wild . along the way , children will discover the jaguarundi’s life cycle , diet , behavior , and physical characteristics—and find out what can be done to save this amazing animal . large , full - color photos and a dramatic narrative format will keep readers turning the pages . jaguarundi : otter cat is part of bearport’s america’s hidden animal treasures series .
females produce litters of anywhere from one to four kittens after an approximately seventy to seventy five day gestation period . kittens are born with spots that later disappear , similar to cats such as cougars and lions . at around six weeks of age , kittens begin a diet of solid food , reaching sexual maturity at two to three years old . like any other animal , the gulf coast jaguarundi has a certain time of year in which mating occurs . for this fine creature , mating usually takes place as early as november and as late as the end of december .
jaguarundi .
beacham ' s guide to the endangered species of north america . . retrieved july 09 , 2018 from urltoken urltoken
the jaguarundi is mostly terrestrial , preferring to hunt on the ground , but it also is a good climber and is comfortable in trees .
a male will have a home range several times larger than that of the jaguar , who weighs over 10 times more than a jaguarundi .
has expressed concern that the presence of the jaguarundi in south texas may be imperiled due to loss of the cat ' s native habitat .
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june 2009 - wildearth guardians files suit against the u . s . fish and wildlife service for failing to develop a recovery plan for the jaguarundi
wikipedia article copyright notice : this article is licensed under the gnu free documentation license . it uses material from the wikipedia article
jaguarundi
.
in some spanish speaking countries , the jaguarundi is also called leoncillo , which means little lion . other spanish common names for the jaguarundi include :
gato colorado ,
gato moro ,
león brenero ,
onza ,
and
tigrillo
( caso et al . 2008 ) .
jaguarundi .
beacham ' s guide to the endangered species of north america . . encyclopedia . com . ( july 9 , 2018 ) . urltoken
hershkovitz , p . 1999 . jaguarundi . pp . 666 in encyclopedia americana , vol . 15 , year 1999 edition . danbury , connecticut : grolier .
the jaguarundi is an oddball among cat species – at first glance it looks more like a large weasel . its long body , small rounded ears , small head , honey - brown eyes , and uniform fur distinguish it from other neotropical cats , such as the spotted ocelot with which it shares its u . s . range . the jaguarundi , weighing around 11 pounds , is smaller than the ocelot and is sometimes killed by the larger cats . this may be part of the reason the jaguarundi is most active during the day , avoiding the nocturnal ocelot . but the jaguarundi may also emerge at night , especially when the moon is full .
adjacent to the west coast lies 1 . 2 million ha of irrigated agriculture in the state of sinaloa ( including los mochis , guasave , guamuchil and the culiacan agricultural valleys ) and approximately 456 , 000 ha in the state of sonora ( including the yaqui and mayo valleys ) . these upland areas were converted to intensive agriculture during the last 30 to 40 years . as a result there have been major changes to west coast wetlands , as they have become less saline , more densely covered by cattails , and subjected to discharges of agricultural pesticides and fertilizers .
assure the long - term viability of jaguarundi conservation through partnerships , the development and application of incentives for landowners , application of existing regulations , and public education and outreach .
the jaguarundi is classified as least concern ( lc ) on the iucn red list ( 1 ) and listed on appendix i and appendix ii of cites ( 5 ) .
the jaguarundi once ranged throughout southern texas and southeastern arizona , and along both coasts of mexico south into central america . it was especially prevalent in the native brushlands of the lower
[ note : the jaguarundi species is classed as least concern by the iucn red list . they range from the southern usa down through central and south america to argentina . ]
the jaguarundi is listed as least concern on the iucn red list . however , it is believed to be much less abundant than commonly perceived and could even be in near threatened status except for the lack of information to access . the jaguarundi is protected in many nations , including brazil , argentina , uruguay , paraguay , bolivia , mexico , among others .
the jaguarundi has short legs and an appearance somewhat like an otter . early german zoologists called the species
weasel cat
because of its resemblance to members of the family mustelidae . the jaguarundi has short and rounded ears . it tends to be smaller , more elongated , and with sorter limbs than other small neotropical felids ( rick and lundrigan 2004 ) .
updating the distribution and population status of jaguarundi , puma yagouaroundi ( é . geoffroy , 1803 ) ( mammalia : carnivora : felidae ) , in the southernmost part of its distribution range
, months after the last american jaguarundi was killed . the jaguarundis were listed because of how fast their population was decreasing , especially in the united states , because of habitat loss .
jaguarundi is the common name for a small - to medium - sized new world wild cat , puma yagouaroundi , characterized by an elongated ,
weasel
- like body , short legs , rounded ears , long tail , and an unspotted fur that comes in a few different color morphs . the jaguarundi is found in mexico , central america , and south america .
manzani , p . , e . monteiro filho . 1989 . notes on the food habits of the jaguarundi , felis yagouaroundi . mammalia , 53 ( 4 ) : 659 - 660 .
mccarthy , t . 1992 . notes concerning the jaguarundi cat ( herpailurus yagouaroundi ) in the caribbean lowlands of belize and guatemala . mammalia , 56 ( 2 ) : 302 - 306 .
according to the center for biological diversity , jaguarundis disappeared from south texas due to habitat loss to agriculture and residential development . the last known jaguarundi in the state died on a roadway in 1986 .
the jaguarundi’s historic range stretched from southeastern arizona and southern texas , through mexico , to portions of south america . in the u . s . , they are found mainly in tamaulipan thornscrub , a habitat that is rapidly disappearing . the most important remaining u . s . stronghold for the jaguarundi is the laguna atascosa national wildlife refuge in texas . the refuge itself is increasingly an island amidst roads , agricultural crops , and development , due to a rapidly increasing human population in the lower rio grande valley . in addition to the threat of habitat loss , the jaguarundi faces greater risk of road mortality .
the jaguarundi may have ranged into southeastern north america as well . it’s also known as the otter cat due to its cylindrical shape . it’s closely related to the cougar but is about 10 % its size .
the jaguarundi has been recognized as an endangered species since 1976 , and the last known cat in the u . s . died on a roadway in 1986 . the major threat to jaguarundis is habitat loss and fragmentation .
adult jaguarundis have quite a repertoire of vocalizations they use to greet friends , court lovers , and establish communication between mothers and their litters . scientists who have studied the jaguarundi believe it has at least 13 different calls .
with 75 percent of its historic u . s . habitat wiped out , a figure that rises to more than 90 along the coast , the quino checkerspot can ' t afford to lose any more habitat . and even if border wall construction activities don ' t take out the quino ' s habitat along the border , the wall itself may prove a serious blow to the butterfly .
where found : eastern mexico and southern texas , making it the northernmost of eight jaguarundi subspecies . the cats haven ' t been confirmed in the u . s . in nearly three decades , although unconfirmed sightings continue to trickle in .
brown , d . e . , and gonzalez , c . a . ( 1999 ) .
jaguarundi ( felis yagouaroundi tolteca )
. journal of the arizona - nevada academy of science ( 32 ) . pp . 155–157 .
otay mesa mint ( pogogyne nudiuscula ) , a foot - tall , aromatic member of the mint family that sports bright purple flowers , used to be significantly more common , with recorded populations in vernal pools up and down the coast from san onofre into baja . it ' s now known from just seven spots right along the border in the vicinity of otay mesa and the tijuana international airport .
the natural habitat of the jaguarundi once ranged from southeastern arizona and southern texas , down though mexico , to areas of south america . in the u . s . , they are found primarily in tamaulipan thornscrub , a rapidly diminishing habitat .
in january of this year , the u . s . fish and wildlife service finally developed a recovery plan for the species . if the plan is funded and implemented , jaguarundi populations will be returning to the rio grande valley in southern texas .
notable conservation programs : none , although the u . s . fish and wildlife service finally published a recovery plan ( pdf ) for the subspecies earlier this month following a lawsuit by wildearth guardians . the plan lists several actions that would be necessary to reestablish jaguarundi populations in texas , including assessing habitat and land connectivity for migration , developing survey techniques to count the animals , and developing partnerships to help promote jaguarundi conservation . fws will also explore the possibility of reintroducing the animals to texas from mexico .
in addition to its unique appearance , the jaguarundi differs from other small new world cats in many aspects of its biology and behaviour . individuals may travel widely in unusually large home ranges and are more terrestrial than many other species , though are also agile climbers ( 2 ) ( 3 ) ( 6 ) ( 7 ) . the jaguarundi is also much more diurnal than most cats ( 3 ) ( 11 ) ( 12 ) . the diet consists mainly of small mammals , birds and reptiles , as well as occasional amphibians , fish and larger mammals ( 2 ) ( 3 ) ( 4 ) ( 6 ) . the jaguarundi has been observed to jump up to two metres off the ground to swat at birds in the air ( 6 ) .
the recovery plan emphasizes identifying , protecting , restoring , and connecting potential habitat in southern texas . the service also intends to study the feasibility of reintroducing jaguarundi in texas , as well as learn more about these elusive cats through population and habitat surveys .
2003 . jaguarundi : herpailurus yaguaroundi . pp . 390 in m hutchins , d kleiman , v geist , m mcdade , eds . grzimek ' s animal life encyclopedia , vol . 14 , 2nd edition . farmington hills , mi : gale group .
the jaguarundi ( puma yagouaroundi ) is part of the felidae family , which belongs to the carnivora order within the mammals ( class mammalia ) . felidae usually is divided into two subfamilies , pantherinae ( which includes
big cats
like lions , jaguars , tigers , and leopards ) and felinae ( which includes the
small cats ,
although some can be large , like the cougar ) . the jaguarundi is part of the felinae subfamily and share the same genus , puma , as the cougar ( puma concolor ) .
we have black jaguarundi on our property in the mountains of costa rica… they ' re good at hiding so sightings are not common , but one of our workers saw one just two days ago . feel free to visit our website , if you ' re interested : urltoken
jaguarundis are carnivores and hunt a variety of small mammals , reptiles , birds , frogs , and fish . besides animal matter , jaguarundis stomach contents often contain a small amount of plant material and arthropods . birds are often the prey of choice and the jaguarundi diet usually includes
the jaguarundi is closely related to the much larger and heavier cougar , having a similar genetic structure and chromosome count . while both species are in the genus puma it is sometimes classified under the genus herpailurus , and until recently both cats were classified under the genus felis .
thanks to decades of conservation work , the number of nesting ridleys increased 12 to 17 percent per year in the first decade of this century , but it decreased by 25 percent in 2013 and 45 percent in 2014 compared with 2009 . the decline may be partly due to the deepwater horizon oil spill–data remain confidential as part of the damage assessment process until court cases are settled–as well as shrimp trawling without protective devices , and unusually high and low freshwater inflows into the gulf of mexico .
despite the common name , the jaguarundi is much more closely related to mountain lions than it is to jaguars . mountain lions average about ten times the size of jaguarundis , leading scientists to conjecture that an isolated population of cougars may have been forced to subsist on small prey such as rodents and frogs for long enough to evolve a much smaller size . now , the jaguarundi species stretches from southern argentina through the amazon , the northern andes , and central america to mexico , with a minute sliver of south texas at the very northernmost end of the species ' territory .
owing to its weasel - like appearance , the dark morph jaguarundi is often mistaken for the tayra ( eira barbara ) , a large mustelid , but can be distinguished by the absence of the tayra’s yellowish throat spot ( 2 ) ( 6 ) ( 7 ) , and by having a very long , slender tail with very short hair ( 9 ) . the jaguarundi is quite a vocal cat , with at least 13 distinct calls recorded , including a purr , whistle , scream , chatter , yap , and a bird - like “chirp” ( 6 ) ( 7 ) .
the iucn recommend that the status of the jaguarundi is regularly reviewed , as it may be more threatened than currently believed ( 1 ) . the species is protected across most of its range , with hunting illegal in many countries ( 1 ) ( 8 ) , and international trade is monitored and controlled under the convention on international trade in endangered species ( cites ) ( 5 ) . north and central american populations are particularly at risk , with the jaguarundi now very rare or possibly even extinct in the usa , and also in uruguay ( 8 ) . the tighter cites listing of the northern populations , on appendix i , reflects the more threatened status ( 5 ) . jaguarundi numbers are expected to be relatively low even in protected areas , and further study into the species’ ecology , biology and conservation status has been recommended in order to help protect this unusual cat ( 1 ) .
the iucn recommend that the status of the jaguarundi is regularly reviewed , as it may be more threatened than currently believed ( 1 ) . the species is protected across most of its range , with hunting illegal in many countries ( 1 ) ( 8 ) , and international trade is monitored and controlled under the convention on international trade in endangered species ( cites ) ( 5 ) . north and central american populations are particularly at risk , with the jaguarundi now very rare or possibly even extinct in the usa , and also in uruguay ( 8 ) . the tighter cites listing of the northern populations , on appendix i , reflects the more threatened status ( 5 ) . jaguarundi numbers are expected to be relatively low even in protected areas , and further study into the species ' ecology , biology and conservation status has been recommended in order to help protect this unusual cat ( 1 ) .
the jaguarundi inhabits a broad range of both open and closed habitats , including rainforest , swamp and savanna woodland , savanna , thickets , and semi - arid thorn scrub . it may also occur in secondary vegetation and disturbed areas , but is thought to prefer areas with at least some dense ground cover ( 2 ) ( 6 ) ( 7 ) ( 8 ) . a mainly lowland species , the jaguarundi can be found at elevations of up to 2 , 000 metres , though may occur at up to 3 , 200 metres in some areas ( 6 ) ( 7 ) ( 8 ) .
the jaguarundi inhabits a broad range of both open and closed habitats , including rainforest , swamp and savanna woodland , savanna , thickets , and semi - arid thorn scrub . it may also occur in secondary vegetation and disturbed areas , but is thought to prefer areas with at least some dense ground cover ( 2 ) ( 6 ) ( 7 ) ( 8 ) . a mainly lowland species , the jaguarundi can be found at elevations of up to 2 , 000 metres , though may occur at up to 3 , 200 metres in some areas ( 6 ) ( 7 ) ( 8 ) .
the coat of the jaguarundi is unspotted and uniform in color . there are several color morphs , and varying from blackish to brownish gray ( gray phase ) or from foxy red to chestnut ( red phase ) . the two main color phases—dark grayish - black and reddish—were once thought to represent two distinct species ; the gray one called jaguarundi , and the red one called eyra . however , these are the same species and both color phases may be found in the same litter ( caso et al . 2008 ; rick and lundrigan 2004 ) . its coat has no markings except for spots at birth .
the jaguarundi is found from central argentina ( at about 39°s ) , through uruguay , brazil , and paraguay , and north through the rest of south america and through central america to the eastern lowlands of chipinque national park in nuevo leon , mexico and the western lowlands of mexico ( caso et al . 2008 ) . there are reports of the jaguarundi being found as far north as southern texas and arizona in the united states , but such sightings are not well documented ( rick and lundrigan 2004 ) . caso et al . ( 2008 ) report that it is probably extinct in the united states .
) is a weasel - like cat about twice the size of a large housecat . head and body length can reach up to 31 in ( 80 cm ) ; its tail may be up to 24 in ( 60 cm ) long . its body is slender , its head and ears are small , and its features are flattened . the jaguarundi has two color phases : brownish gray and chestnut . the two color phases were once thought to represent two distinct species ; the gray one called
jaguarundi ,
and the red one called
eyra ;
but they are now recognized as the same species
the jaguarundi is considered to be mostly diurnal ( caso et al . 2008 ) , although it may exhibit crepuscular and nocturnal behavior depending on location . it can avoid direct competition with ocelots through diurnal behavior ( rick and lundrigan 2004 ) . they are good swimmers and climbers ( rick and lundrigan 2004 ) .
this cat is closely related to the much larger and heavier cougar as evident by its similar genetic structure and chromosome count ; both species are in the genus puma . however , the jaguarundi sometimes is classified under a separate genus , herpailurus and until recently , both cougars and jaguarundis were classified under the genus felis .
major threat : habitat loss and fragmentation . the cats depend on dense vegetation to hunt their prey , which includes everything from birds to rodents to lizards . the jaguarundi is one of the species frequently mentioned as being at risk from the mexico - united states border fence , which would further fragment populations and prevent migration .
taxonomy is currently under review by the iucn ssc cat specialist group . johnson et al . ( 2006 ) and eizirik et al . ( 2008 ) placed yagouaroundi in the genus puma . however , agnarsson et al . ( 2010 ) noted that the jaguarundi is not a sister species to the puma . more recently segura et al . ( 2013 ) looked at cranial development within the puma clade and found that while this is similar in cheetah and puma , that of the jaguarundi is quite different . given these phylogenetic uncertainties , and these and other morphological and behavioural differences , the iucn ssc cat specialist group retains this species in herpailurus .
the u . s . fish and wildlife service ( fws ) estimated more than a 90 percent decline in lower rio grande valley brushland in texas and described the habitat as rapidly disappearing along the rio grande in mexico as well . from 1991 to 2000 alone , approximately 113 , 126 acres of suitable jaguarundi habitat were destroyed in south texas . precious thornscrub in the rio grande valley is disappearing at an alarming rate . that’s a serious blow for both the jaguarundi and the ocelot , which both depend on this increasingly rare habitat type . and , like many other animals on the border between the u . s . and mexico , the jaguarundi is threatened by a myriad of human border activities including immigration , drug trafficking , police and military actions , border installations and fences , and artificial lighting . to create a safe haven for the jaguarundi and a host of other trans - border animals , scientists and land managers on both sides of the border are calling for international cooperation between the u . s . and mexico . this is in stark contrast to the current national u . s . drive to separate the people and ecosystems of the two countries . preservation of the biodiversity of both countries will require a consistent , dedicated effort from the u . s . and mexican governments working in collaboration . but such action has not been forthcoming .
“this recovery plan is a long overdue and important step to safeguarding rapidly disappearing jaguarundi habitat , ” said taylor jones , endangered species advocate for wildearth guardians . “these beautiful and rare cats waited nearly forty years for a path to recovery . we call on the service to now fully and effectively implement the recovery plan and prevent this species’ extinction . ”
sketch of the jaw bone of a cat found at the ladds fossil site . click to enlarge . dr . clayton ray thought this specimen was most like the jaw bone of a jaguarundi , but other scientists have concluded it’s from a cat that was more like a margay . this page is from the below referenced paper authored by dr . ray .
the jaguarundi are considered to be solitary animals , that hunt and live alone , except for breeding season which occurs from september to november . after a gestation period of 70 days , birth is given to one or two kittens . they remain dependent on the mother for as long a period as two years , which is quite unusual for predatory mammals .
photo of a jaw bone of a cat found at the isle of hope site near savannah , georgia . click to enlarge . every measurement of this specimen falls within the size range of both margay and jaguarundi . this means it can’t be conclusively identified . it’s slightly smaller than most specimens identified as leopardus amnicola . page from the below referenced study authored by dr . hulbert .
development along the u . s . / mexico border also poses threats to the jaguarundi and many other border species . barriers along the border destroy and fragment habitat , reduce access to habitat and resources , including food and water , and isolate wildlife populations . approximately 70 miles of fence have been proposed in the lower rio grande valley , 56 miles of which are already constructed .
much of the irrigated farmland supported rice production after it was developed . this crop is very beneficial to waterfowl . however , between 1981 and 1998 , rice production has decreased in the state of sinaloa from 65 , 900 to 2 , 400 ha . this was correlated with a drop in use of the region by northern pintail from 880 , 000 birds in 1989 , to 228 , 000 in 1990 and 310 , 000 for 1991 . about 5 , 000 ha of 21 . 2 million ha of agricultural land on the west coast is currently in rice production . these changes are due to production costs in comparison to other crops .
contrary to earlier characterizations of this species as relatively common and abundant ( nowell and jackson 1996 ) , research indicates that the jaguarundi is an uncommon , low density species . densities are very low everywhere it has been sampled , and jaguarundis are more commonly found at 0 . 01 - 0 . 05 / km² or lower ( de oliveira et al . submitted ) , but reaching up to 0 . 2 / km² in a few and restricted high density areas ( caso 2013 ) . the jaguarundi’s density / numbers are negatively impacted by those of the larger sized ocelot ( the “ocelot effect” ) ( de oliveira et al . 2010 , caso 2013 ) . considered near threatened in argentina ( diaz and ojeda 2000 ) and threatened in mexico ( semarnat 2010 ) .
jaguarundis plays an important role in terrestrial ecosystems through control of their prey species , which includes small mammals , birds , and other vertebrates . in controlling mice , rats , and rabbits , they also control the population of agricultural pests . the jaguarundi is is not particularly sought after for its fur , but it is suffering decline due to loss of habitat and habitat fragmentation . they also are killed as predators of poultry .
john petrey i live in lower alabama , specifically robertsdale , in a rural area . yesterday afternoon a cat crossed the road in front of me . it was light colored , not real big , maybe even about the same size as a domestic cat , but the really unique thing about it was its ' tail was extremely long . i ' ve been looking at photos and this jaguarundi is the closest thing i can find .
the recovery plan stresses identifying , protecting , restoring , and connecting potential habitat in southern texas in the rio grande valley . the u . s . fish and wildlife service also intends to evaluate the possibility of reintroducing jaguarundi in texas . scientists know very little about this shy little cat who quickly heads into the underbrush when disturbed . the recovery plan would include improving techniques for tracking the cats and learning more about them through population and habitat surveys .
the jaguarundi has a wide distribution across north , central and south america , from southern texas in the united states , south as far as northern argentina ( 1 ) ( 2 ) ( 6 ) ( 7 ) . it has also been reported from arizona ( 4 ) ( 7 ) , but its status here remains unclear ( 7 ) ( 10 ) , and the species may in fact now be extinct in the united states ( 1 ) .
the jaguarundi has a wide distribution across north , central and south america , from southern texas in the united states , south as far as northern argentina ( 1 ) ( 2 ) ( 6 ) ( 7 ) . it has also been reported from arizona ( 4 ) ( 7 ) , but its status here remains unclear ( 7 ) ( 9 ) , and the species may in fact now be extinct in the united states ( 1 ) .
the jaguarundi is a carnivore and preys upon fish , small mammals , reptiles , amphibians , and birds , including rabbits , mice , rats , junglefowl , and iguanas . some plant material and arthropods are also consumed , based on stomach contents ( rick and lundrigan 2004 ) . while the diet is mostly small animals with a mean prey mass of 380 grams , larger sized prey greater than 1 kilogram is not unusual ( caso et al . 2008 ) .
the largely diurnal behaviour and open habitats of the jaguarundi mean that it is often the most commonly seen cat within its range , leading to the mistaken belief that it is relatively abundant . now believed to be much less common that previously thought , the species is undergoing a decline , largely as a result of habitat loss and fragmentation as savannas are converted for large - scale agriculture and pasture ( 1 ) . although more flexible in its habitat requirements than many other small cat species , and not commercially exploited for its pelt , the jaguarundi is a notorious predator on domestic poultry , and killing of jaguarundis to protect poultry is considered to have a major impact on its population ( 1 ) ( 6 ) ( 7 ) ( 8 ) . it may also be caught in traps set for other , commercially valuable species ( 1 ) ( 8 ) , and is thought to suffer from competition with the larger ocelot ( leopardus pardalis ) ( 1 ) .
the largely diurnal behaviour and open habitats of the jaguarundi mean that it is often the most commonly seen cat within its range , leading to the mistaken belief that it is relatively abundant . now believed to be much less common that previously thought , the species is undergoing a decline , largely as a result of habitat loss and fragmentation as savannas are converted for large - scale agriculture and pasture ( 1 ) . although more flexible in its habitat requirements than many other small cat species , and not commercially exploited for its pelt , the jaguarundi is a notorious predator on domestic poultry , and killing of jaguarundis to protect poultry is considered to have a major impact on its population ( 1 ) ( 6 ) ( 7 ) ( 8 ) . it may also be caught in traps set for other , commercially valuable species ( 1 ) ( 8 ) , and is thought to suffer from competition with the larger ocelot ( leopardus pardalis ) ( 1 ) .