Tropical Rainforest Ecology

Tropical Rainforest Tropical Rainforest EcologyEcology

Rainforest Animal LifeRainforest Animal Life

Rainforest Mammals: MonkeysRainforest Mammals: Monkeys

CapuchinCapuchin – most commonly seen – most commonly seen monkey; medium size brown to black monkey; medium size brown to black body; pale face surrounded by whitish fur; body; pale face surrounded by whitish fur; move in troops; eat fruits, leaves, move in troops; eat fruits, leaves, arthropods, & sometimes small mammalsarthropods, & sometimes small mammals


SpiderSpider – large size but very slender brown – large size but very slender brown to black body; pale face surrounded by to black body; pale face surrounded by whitish fur; long prehensile tail; move in whitish fur; long prehensile tail; move in troops; eat fruits & leaves; brachiationtroops; eat fruits & leaves; brachiation


Mantled howlerMantled howler – large robust size; black – large robust size; black body w/tan on sides and back; bearded body w/tan on sides and back; bearded face; prehensile tail; loud voice @ dusk & face; prehensile tail; loud voice @ dusk & dawn; primarily eat leaves; prefers canopydawn; primarily eat leaves; prefers canopy

Rainforest Mammals: MonkeysRainforest Mammals: Monkeys Geoffrey’s tamarinGeoffrey’s tamarin – small and – small and

squirrel-like; long tail not squirrel-like; long tail not prehensile; like forest gaps; eat prehensile; like forest gaps; eat insects & fruits; red nape & highly insects & fruits; red nape & highly patterned body; often have twinspatterned body; often have twins

Rainforest Mammals:Rainforest Mammals:MonkeysMonkeys

C.A. SquirrelC.A. Squirrel – endangered – endangered species; smaller size w/extremely species; smaller size w/extremely long black-tipped tail; white mask long black-tipped tail; white mask and ears; very active fruit eaterand ears; very active fruit eater

Night monkeysNight monkeys – entirely – entirely nocturnal; tail not prehensilenocturnal; tail not prehensile

Rainforest Mammals: RodentsRainforest Mammals: Rodents AgoutiAgouti – diurnal; large & guinea pig- – diurnal; large & guinea pig-

like; tailless; sit upright to eat seedslike; tailless; sit upright to eat seeds

Rainforest Mammals: RodentsRainforest Mammals: Rodents PacaPaca – nocturnal; near water; like – nocturnal; near water; like

large agouti w/white stripeslarge agouti w/white stripes

Rainforest Mammals:Rainforest Mammals:RodentsRodents

CapybaraCapybara – diurnal; largest rodent in the – diurnal; largest rodent in the world; aquatic; feeds on aquatic world; aquatic; feeds on aquatic vegetationvegetation

Spiny ratSpiny rat – nocturnal; spines in fur; on – nocturnal; spines in fur; on forest floorforest floor

variegated squirrelvariegated squirrel – – arborealarboreal

Rainforest Mammals: Rainforest Mammals: PeccariesPeccaries

CollaredCollared – smaller size and herds; – smaller size and herds; pig-like; collar of hair at shoulder;pig-like; collar of hair at shoulder;roots for foodroots for food

White-lippedWhite-lipped – larger size and herd; white – larger size and herd; white hair around mouth; eats larger hardened hair around mouth; eats larger hardened fruits (e.g. palm fruits)fruits (e.g. palm fruits)

Rainforest MammalsRainforest Mammals Baird’s tapirBaird’s tapir – odd-toed ungulate; almost hairless; long – odd-toed ungulate; almost hairless; long

proboscis; eat only vegetable matter; most active at nightproboscis; eat only vegetable matter; most active at night

Rainforest MammalsRainforest Mammals Anteaters – sharp curved claws; long sticky tongue; Anteaters – sharp curved claws; long sticky tongue;

long snoutlong snout Northern tamanduaNorthern tamandua – prehensile tail – prehensile tail Giant anteaterGiant anteater - large size; bushy tail - large size; bushy tail

Rainforest MammalsRainforest Mammals Three-toedThree-toed slothsloth

two-toed slothtwo-toed sloth

Rainforest Mammals: Raccoons & Rainforest Mammals: Raccoons & RelativesRelatives

Northern raccoonNorthern raccoon – longer pelage; – longer pelage; lighter feet and legslighter feet and legs

Crab-eating raccoonCrab-eating raccoon – shorter pelage; – shorter pelage; darker feet and legsdarker feet and legs

White-nosed CoatiWhite-nosed Coati – highly pointed – highly pointed nose; holds faintly ringed tail straight up; nose; holds faintly ringed tail straight up; omnivorousomnivorous

Rainforest Mammals: Raccoons RelativesRainforest Mammals: Raccoons Relatives KinkajouKinkajou – already discussed – already discussed

OlingoOlingo – faintly ringed tail, not prehensile – faintly ringed tail, not prehensile

Rainforest Mammals: Weasel RelativesRainforest Mammals: Weasel Relatives TayraTayra – black bushy tail – black bushy tail

GrisonGrison – black face w/white stripe across forehead – black face w/white stripe across forehead and ears; carnivoreand ears; carnivore

Rainforest Mammals:Rainforest Mammals:CatsCats

Jaguar & OcelotJaguar & Ocelot MargayMargay – small nocturnal spotted cat; climber; – small nocturnal spotted cat; climber;

carnivorouscarnivorous JaguarundiJaguarundi – diurnal & common; not a climber; not – diurnal & common; not a climber; not

spottedspotted

Rainforest Mammals: OpposumsRainforest Mammals: Opposums

descent diversity exists in this group of marsupials due descent diversity exists in this group of marsupials due to adaptive radiationto adaptive radiation

Virginia, woolly, mouse, four-eyed, short bare-tailed, & Virginia, woolly, mouse, four-eyed, short bare-tailed, & water opposumswater opposums

Rainforest Reptiles:Rainforest Reptiles:PitvipersPitvipers

All are poisonousAll are poisonous Tend to be secretive and nocturnalTend to be secretive and nocturnal Not frequently encounteredNot frequently encountered Pits for detecting warm-blooded preyPits for detecting warm-blooded prey Retractable fangs to deliver venomRetractable fangs to deliver venom Slit pupilsSlit pupils Many non-poisonous snakes in the Many non-poisonous snakes in the

neotropics will mimic pitvipers, so always neotropics will mimic pitvipers, so always err on the side of cautionerr on the side of caution


Fer-de-lanceFer-de-lance – large (4-8 ft.); – large (4-8 ft.); arrowhead-shaped head; tan arrowhead-shaped head; tan w/dark brown diamond w/dark brown diamond pattern; tend to hunt @ night; pattern; tend to hunt @ night; extremely poisonous extremely poisonous


Eyelash palm-pitviperEyelash palm-pitviper – eye scales; – eye scales; highly variable in color; arboreal; highly variable in color; arboreal; prehensile tail; feeds on tree frogs, prehensile tail; feeds on tree frogs, anoles & hummingbirds anoles & hummingbirds


Jumping pitviperJumping pitviper – short & thick; – short & thick; alleged to hurl itself when threatened; alleged to hurl itself when threatened; venom not as potent as mostvenom not as potent as most


BushmasterBushmaster – largest – largest pitviper in the world, 6.5-pitviper in the world, 6.5-14 ft.; often coil at bases 14 ft.; often coil at bases of large trees; typically of large trees; typically nocturnalnocturnal

Rainforest Reptiles:Rainforest Reptiles:Coral SnakesCoral Snakes

PoisonousPoisonous Brightly colored red, yellow, & black Brightly colored red, yellow, & black

bandsbands Small fangs to chew in venomSmall fangs to chew in venom Neurotoxic venomNeurotoxic venom Round pupilsRound pupils Active both day & nightActive both day & night

Rainforest Reptiles:Rainforest Reptiles:BoasBoas

Non-poisonousNon-poisonous ConstrictorsConstrictors Elongated headsElongated heads Boa constrictorBoa constrictor – larger (5-6 ft.) – larger (5-6 ft.) Rainbow boaRainbow boa – smaller (3 ft.) – smaller (3 ft.)

Rainforest Reptiles:Rainforest Reptiles:Other Non-poisonous SnakesOther Non-poisonous Snakes

Vine snakesVine snakes – very thin; feed on lizards – very thin; feed on lizards Indigo snakeIndigo snake – up to 10 ft. long; gloss – up to 10 ft. long; gloss

blackblack

Rainforest Reptiles:Rainforest Reptiles:Other Non-poisonous SnakesOther Non-poisonous Snakes

Chunk-headed snakeChunk-headed snake – extremely thin – extremely thin w/big head & eyes; arborealw/big head & eyes; arboreal

Rainforest Reptiles:Rainforest Reptiles:LizardsLizards

IguanasIguanas – large & common (already – large & common (already discussed)discussed)

Anoles Anoles – small; sharply pointed nose– small; sharply pointed nose Basilisk (JC lizard)Basilisk (JC lizard) – common; run fast – common; run fast

up on hind legsup on hind legs


TegusTegus – some of largest lizards in – some of largest lizards in neotropics; eat small animals (chickens)neotropics; eat small animals (chickens)

- common, northern, & red species - common, northern, & red species


GeckosGeckos – small, suction cup toes; – small, suction cup toes; extremely common, arthropod eaters extremely common, arthropod eaters

Rainforest Amphibians:Rainforest Amphibians:FrogsFrogs

Tree frogsTree frogs – small; arboreal; have suction – small; arboreal; have suction cup toes; some camouflaged, some cup toes; some camouflaged, some brightly coloredbrightly colored

- - Gaudy leaf frogGaudy leaf frog – one of most well – one of most well known species known species


Poison dart tree frogsPoison dart tree frogs


Glass tree frogGlass tree frog Giant cane toadGiant cane toad Smokey frogSmokey frog

Rainforest Invertebrates:Rainforest Invertebrates:InsectsInsects

TermitesTermites – social; form massive colonies on – social; form massive colonies on trees; mutualism with protozoatrees; mutualism with protozoa

Army antsArmy ants – already discussed – already discussed


Giant tropical ant (bullet ant)Giant tropical ant (bullet ant) – tend to – tend to be solitary; both terrestrial & arboreal; be solitary; both terrestrial & arboreal; extremely potent stingextremely potent sting


Giant tropical cockroachGiant tropical cockroach – very large; – very large; nocturnal; common near bat guanonocturnal; common near bat guano


Harlequin beetleHarlequin beetle – very large w/long – very large w/long antennae; wood borerantennae; wood borer


Rhinoceros beetleRhinoceros beetle – very large; males – very large; males w/long horn; wood-feeding grubw/long horn; wood-feeding grub


Lantern flyLantern fly – very large; plant sap feeder; – very large; plant sap feeder; multiple defense mechanismsmultiple defense mechanisms


Owl butterflyOwl butterfly Black witch mothBlack witch moth


Blue morphoBlue morpho

Butterfly congregations at liquidsButterfly congregations at liquids

Rainforest Invertebrates:Rainforest Invertebrates:Other ArthropodsOther Arthropods

Forest floor millipedeForest floor millipede – – non-poisonous; herbivore; non-poisonous; herbivore; repugnatorial glandsrepugnatorial glands

PeripatusPeripatus – “velvet – “velvet worms”; non-poisonous; worms”; non-poisonous; capture prey w/gluecapture prey w/glue

Rainforest Vertebrates:Rainforest Vertebrates:BirdsBirds

OilbirdsOilbirds – nocturnal; cave dweller – nocturnal; cave dweller

TinamouTinamou


ChachalacaChachalaca – –

GuanGuan – –

CurassowCurassow - -


ToucanToucan – –

Tropical Rainforest Ecology

Documents

prehensilerainforest

seedsrainforest mammals

canopyrainforest mammals

brachiationrainforest

spottedrainforest mammals

twinsrainforest mammals

omnivorousrainforest

long tail