108 NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA 75 



Tamandua mexicana 

 Northern Tamandua, Oso Hormiguero 



Northern tamanduas are found from southern Mexico to northwestern Vene- 

 zuela, western Colombia, western Ecuador, and western Peru (Fig. 85). The sub- 

 species Tamafidua mexicana chiriquensis occurs throughout Costa Rica from sea 

 level to 1.500 m. 



Tamanduas commonly are encountered at La Selva where they have been seen 

 as lone individuals year round. Many observations of these animals were during 

 the day when they were active. A lone juvenile tamandua was seen at La Selva 

 on 20 April 1988. An adult female was captured alive on 17 April 1986 (3 km 

 S, 11.5 km E of San Miguel. 1.400 m) and released after being photographed. 

 A second tamandua was spotted during midday on 27 March as it traveled near 

 the 300-m base camp, about 10 km S, 9.5 km W of Puerto Viejo. It appeared to 

 be an adult, but no attempt was made to capture the animal. Pringle et al. (1984) 

 reported a tamandua in January 1983 on the trail east of the Quebrada Cantarrana 

 base camp. 



Additionally, an adult female was found dead on Route 9 just northeast of La 

 Virgen. 180 m. on 8 June 1982 by Timm. The biology of tamanduas in Costa Rica 

 was reviewed recently by Lubin (1983). 



Specimen examined (1)— La Virgen. 180 m [1 female. FMNH]. 



ORDER LAGOMORPHA 



Family Leporidae 



Sylvilagus brasiliensis 

 Forest Rabbit or Forest Cottontail, Conejo 



Forest rabbits occur from the eastern and southern lowlands of Mexico through 

 Central America and South America to northern Argentina and southern Brazil 

 (Fig. 86). In Costa Rica the subspecies Sylvilagus brasiliensis gabbi is found in 

 the Caribbean lowlands (Diersing 1981). 



Forest rabbits have been recorded in the log book at La Selva on only 13 oc- 

 casions in the early 1980's: however, they are now seen frequently in the station 

 clearing and along the Sura trail. Also, it was not uncommon to see forest rabbits 

 in the clearings around the laborator}' buildings in 1977 and 1978. Forest rabbits 

 are more common in the successional plots and in clearings at La Selva than in 

 primar}' forest. Hoth (in litt.) obser\'ed at night a single pair for a period of 2 weeks 

 in August 1987. During that time he saw several copulations. A 2-m long fer-de- 

 lance {Bothrops asper) capmred on 5 July 1978. in dismrbed habitat at La Selva, 

 contained an adult S. brasiliensis (Findley. in litt.). In Januar}' 1983. forest rabbits 

 occasionally were seen in grass along the trail east of the Cantarrana base camp 

 (Pringle et al. 1984). 



Specimens examined (7)— Puerto Viejo. Rio Sarapiqui. 300 ft [5 males, 

 1 female, UMMZ]; 1.7 mi S of Puerto Viejo [1 male, LACM]. 



