Leopardus colocolo
Creators: name: Don E. Wilson
name: Russell A. Mittermeier
Publisher: name: Lynx Edicions
Year: 2009
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Chordata
Mammalia
Carnivora
Felidae
Leopardus
Leopardus colocolo

description: 16.
Colocolo
Leopardus colocolo
French: Colocolo / German: Pampaskatze / Spanish: Gato de las pampas
Other common names: Pampas Cat, Grass Cat
Taxonomy. [Felis colocolo Molina, 1782,
Province of Valparaiso, Chile.
The validity of the name colocolo was questioned, with the next available name that of pajeros. Sometimes placed in monotypic genus Lynchailurus, also in genus Oncifelis. Taxonomy in need of review. A recent biogeographic study of pelage characteristics and cranial metrics suggest that present species should be classified into eleven subspecies distributed among three distinct species (L. pajeros, L. braccatus, and L. colocolo). Phylogenetic analysis show mtDNA lineages in western Argentina or central Chile are distinct from lineages in Uruguay and Brazil, which supports the more commonly accepted subspecies partitions (see below) but not the species-level divisions. Phylogenetic analysis also shows evidence of natural hybridization between L. tigrinus and present species in areas of range overlap. Eight subspecies currently recognized, although braccatus and pajeros likely represent distinct species.
Subspecies and Distribution.
L. c. colocolo Molina, 1782 — C Chile.
L.c. braccatus Cope, 1899 — C Brazil (Mato Grosso) to N Argentina.
L.c. budini Pocock, 1941 — Salta highlands in NW Argentina.
L.c. crespoi Cabrera, 1957 — Salta lowlands in NW Argentina
L.c. garleppi Matschie, 1912 — Andes in Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia.
L.c. munoai Ximénez, 1961 — extreme S Brazil and Uruguay.
L. c. pajeros Desmarest, 1816 — Pampas grasslands from Buenos Aires Province to S Argentina and Chile.
L. c. thomasi Lonnberg, 1913 — Ecuador.
Descriptive notes. Head-body 42.3-79 cm,tail 23-33 cm. Few weights available (1.7-3. 7 kg). Tail is relatively short, full, and well-furred, sometimes with distinct black bands. Ears are large and more pointed than other South American felids. Backs of ears are black. Appearance and coloration varies greatly across geographic range. Fur may be short and soft or long and coarse, spotted, striped or almost unmarked. Subspecies braccatus tends to be rusty-red, with black bands on limbs and underparts. In Argentina the fur is long, yellowish-brown, gray-brown, gray or tan, sometimes with faint brown rosettes and black lines. The only constant is often the dark stripes on the limbs. In Chile the back and flanks are mottled reddish brown and gray with faint banding. Underparts white and forelimbs marked with bold black stripes.
Habitat. Found in the greatest variety of habitats of any South American felid. Mainly associated with open habitats. In Brazil it is found in savanna-like woodlands, open grasslands, seasonally flooded grasslands and forest. In other areas it is reported from scrub thickets, semi-arid deserts, mangroves, marshes, swamps, and even cloud forest. It is not reported from lowland tropical and temperate rainforest. From sea-level to 4300 m.
Food and Feeding. No detailed information from the wild. Thought to feed on small mammals, guinea pigs, mountain viscachas, and ground dwelling birds (Tinamidae). Has been seen taking penguin eggs and chicks from nests in Patagonia.
Activity patterns. Thought to be mainly terrestrial and nocturnal, but have also been observed during the day.
Movements, Home range and Social organization. Nothing known.
Breeding. Little information. Litter size 1-3. One female in captivity gave birth at twenty-four months of age.
Status and Conservation. CITES Appendix II. Classified as Near Threatened on The IUCN Red List. Formerly hunted. At one time it was one of the most important species in the South American fur trade; over 78,000 skins were exported from Argentina between 1976 and 1979. Today the species is widely distributed and common in many areas, but scarce in museum collections and zoos. Little is known of its ecology and behavior.
Bibliography. Daciuk (1974), Eaton (1984), Garcia-Perea (1994), Johnson, Pecon-Slattery et al. (1999), Mellen (1993), Miller (1930), Napolitano et al. (2008), Nowell & Jackson (1996), Osgood (1943), Pearson (1951), Redford & Eisenberg (1992), Silveira (1995), Sunquist & Sunquist (2002), Texera (1973).
description: Published as part of Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2009, Felidae, pp. 54-168 in Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 1 Carnivores, Barcelona :Lynx Edicions on page 146, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6376899