THE NEOTROPICAL REGION 73 



The Marsupials in the Central American Sub-region are 

 represented by two genera containing about seven species, 

 most of which are also found further south. One of these 

 — the common opossum (Didelphys marsupialis) — extends 

 northwards into the Nearctic Region as well as far south- 

 wards into Brazil, where, however, it has a slightly 

 modified form. 



The Edentates are well represented in the Central- 

 American Sub-region by two Sloths, three Ant-eaters, and 

 an Armadillo, although the greater number of these are 

 met with only in the most southern portion of the Sub- 

 region. The Armadillo (Tatusia novemcincta) is a widely 

 spread species, ranging from Texas throughout the Sub- 

 region, and extending southwards to Paraguay. 



Central America is also remarkable for possessing two 

 out of the four American species of Tapir exclusively 

 confined to it ; these are Baird's Tapir {Tapirus bairdi), 

 extending from Mexico to Panama, and Dow's Tapir (T. 

 doivi), found only in Guatemala and Costa Rica. 



Very few of the typical South American Hystricomor- 

 phine Rodents extend as far north as Central America. 

 The greater number of the animals of this order found 

 within Central American limits belong to the Sciurine and 

 Murine groups, which have spread southwards from their 

 homes in the Nearctic Region. 



Passing on to the Carnivora, we find nearly all the 

 genera of this order met with in the South American 

 continent (amongst which are the Cats, Dogs, Racoons, 

 and Weasels) also represented in this Sub-region. The only 

 exceptions are Icticyon, a peculiar form of Wild Dog re- 

 stricted to South-East Brazil, and the Bear (Ursus), a 

 species of which is found in the Andes of Peru. 



