Mazama gouazoubira Fischer 1814
Creators: name: Don E. Wilson
name: Russell A. Mittermeier
Publisher: name: Lynx Edicions
Year: 2011
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Chordata
Mammalia
Artiodactyla
Cervidae
Mazama
Mazama gouazoubira

description: 44.
Common Brown Brocket
Mazama gouazoubira
French: Cariacou brun / German: Graumazama / Spanish: Corzuela
Other common names: Brown Brocket, Gray Brocket
Taxonomy. Cervus gouazoubira Fischer, 1814,
Asuncion region (Paraguay).
Genetic studies have ascertained that M. gouazoubira and M. nemorwvaga form a clade distinct from red and dwarf brockets. M. gouazoubira is replaced by M. nemorivaga in Amazonia. The genus Mazama should be therefore revised. The scientific name refers to a word used by Guarani Indians for this deer. Up to six subspecies of Common Brown Brocket have been described, but recent authors tend to consider this species as monotypic.
Distribution. E & S Brazil, C & E Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, N Argentina.
Descriptive notes. Head-body 85-105 cm, tail 8-9 cm, shoulder height 50-65 cm; weight 11-25 kg. Small to medium-sized brocket with relatively long rounded ears. The coat is mainly grayish-brown. The rump and the dorsal side of the tail are orange. Newborn fawns are spotted for 3-4 months. Preorbital, nasal, forehead, tarsal, and front and rear interdigital glands are present. Males also have a preputial gland. Antlers are 6~ 12 cm long. In Brazil hard antlers are mainly observed in May-July. In Argentina antler casting occurs between August and December. The diploid number of chromosomes is 70.
Habitat. It usually lives in bushy vegetation, forest edges, and small woods, and tends to avoid both open grassland without cover and dense forests.
Food and Feeding. It is a generalist, eating forbs, leaves, buds, and twigs; fruits are usually not important in its diet.
Breeding. Females attain puberty before one year of age. They are polyestrous, with a mean estrous cycle of 25 days and a receptive period of 48 hours. After 208-210 days of pregnancy, does give birth to a single fawn weighing 0.5-1. 3 kg. Births may occur in most months of the year. There is a postpartum estrus. Weaning occurs at around six months of age. Jaguars (Panthera onca) and Pumas (Puma concolor) are the main predators.
Activity patterns. It is active all day, with variable peaks in different areas. They are more likely to be found in dense cover during the day but emerge into the open to feed at night.
Movements, Home range and Social organization. Home ranges are 30-300 ha. Itis a territorial and basically solitary species. Males defend the whole home range, females the core area. They scent-mark by depositing three to five piles of dung in latrines.
Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List, due to its relatively large distribution range and its occurrence in several protected areas. It is globally declining because of habitat loss and high hunting pressure. In Brazil it remains the most abundant brocket species. In Argentina it is decreasing.
Bibliography. Ajmat et al. (2004), Black & Vogliotti (2008), Black-Cécima et al. (2010), Pereira et al. (2006), Rivero et al. (2005), Stallings (1986).
description: Published as part of Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2011, Cervidae, pp. 350-443 in Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 2 Hoofed Mammals, Barcelona :Lynx Edicions on page 441, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6514377