First Record of Nutria, My ocas tor coy pus (Mamalia:Rodentia), 



in Tenneessee 



Michael L. Kennedy and Phyllis K. Kennedy 



Department of Biology and Edward J. Meeman Biological Station, 



The University of Memphis, Memphis, Tennessee 38152 



ABSTRACT — We document the first record of nutria (Myocastor coy- 

 pus) in Tennessee. A specimen was collected in Shelby County in 1996. 



In 1899, nutria (Myocastor coypus) were first introduced into the Unit- 

 ed States in California as a furbearer (see Willner 1982). The occurrence of the 

 species in the Southeast probably stemmed from animals that escaped or were 

 released in Louisiana during the late 1930s (Ashbrook 1948, Willner 1982). 

 Choate et al. (1994) pointed out that through new introductions and natural dis- 

 persal, nutria have spread rapidly, and the species is common to abundant in Gulf 

 coastal marshes and along major waterways of the Coastal Plain in the south- 

 central United States. Introductions or wild specimens are known from several 

 states in proximity to Tennessee (e.g., Mississippi, Kennedy et al. 1974; Ken- 

 tucky, Barbour and Davis 1974; Missouri, Schwartz and Schwartz 1981; North 

 Carolina, Lee et al. 1982; Illinois, Hoffmeister 1989; Arkansas, Sealander and 

 Heidt 1990). Sealander and Heidt (1990) showed records of nutria from coun- 

 ties in the Gulf Coastal Plain of Arkansas that bordered or were near the Missis- 

 sippi River adjoining Tennessee. However, at this time, no previous record exists 

 for this species in Tennessee. 



On 22 January 1996, a female nutria was collected (by shooting) from 

 a water-control ditch (ca. 7 m in width) on Eagle Lake Refuge, Shelby County, 

 Tennessee. The adult animal weighed ca. 6 kg. External measurements (mm) 

 were as follows: total length, 903; length of tail, 403; length of hind foot, 140; 

 length of ear, 24. Vegetation along the water-control ditch was early succes- 

 sional grasses and weeds. The ditch was used to control the water level in adja- 

 cent agricultural fields and was only a short distance from the Mississippi River. 



Since the collection of a single specimen in January 1996, Refuge per- 

 sonnel and sportsmen have reported additional sightings of nutria in adjacent Shel- 

 by Forest Wildlife Management Area. Some nutria activity has been observed on 

 beaver lodges in cypress swamps. However, because this species does not endure 

 extremely cold temperatures (Schwartz and Schwartz 1981), we doubt Nutria will 

 become very numerous in Tennessee. The specimen reported on herein is deposit- 

 ed in the biological collections at The University of Memphis (No. 16628). 



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