Archaeological and zoological collections do not provide evidence for taruka (Cervidae: Hippocamelus antisensis) in Ecuador

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dc.contributor.authorPinto, C. Miguel
dc.contributor.authorSoto-Centeno, J. Angel
dc.contributor.authorNúñez Quiroz, Ángela M.
dc.contributor.authorFerreyra, Nicolás
dc.contributor.authorDelgado-Espinoza, Florencio
dc.contributor.authorStahl, Peter
dc.contributor.authorTirira, Diego G.
dc.date.accessioned2024-03-26T15:16:24Z
dc.date.available2024-03-26T15:16:24Z
dc.date.issued2015
dc.description.abstractKnowing whether a species has been extirpated, or if it ever inhabited a specific geographic area, has direct importance for planning conservation activities. The taruka ( Hippocamelus antisensis ) is one of the largest Neotropical mammals; it is distributed in the central Andes, and there are published records of this species in Ecuador. Recently, missing museum specimens have cast doubts on the validity of these Ecuadorian records. Here, we examine whether the taruka ever inhabited Ecuador by analyzing multiple sources of information. Our approach consists of 3 components: 1) we surveyed archaeological collections and literature for any biological remains and cultural artifacts that may represent tarukas, 2) we searched mammal collections for specimens reported in publications, and 3) we generated ecological niche models (ENMs) of current and past climates to determine whether Ecuador offers suitable habitats for the taruka. Our results suggest that the taruka never inhabited Ecuador. We did not find any reliable supporting evidence in the form of specimens nor convincing literature reports. Furthermore, ENMs revealed that Ecuador has not supported suitable climates for the taruka. We suggest that published records of taruka in Ecuador may have been due to improper identifications of specimens. The methods used here may also prove useful in determining the presence of species that are either thought to be extinct, or suspected to be recently introduced into a new geographic area.
dc.description.reviewstatusReviewed
dc.description.scholarlevelFaculty
dc.description.sponsorshipFunding to visit museums was provided by Fundación Mamíferos y Conservación to DGT and a FMNH Visiting Scholarship to CMP. Funding for JAS-C was provided by Theodore Roosevelt and Gerstner Scholar postdoctoral fellowships at AMNH. We thank L. Shipley and E. Yensen whose valuable comments greatly enhanced the quality of this contribution.
dc.identifier.citationPinto, C. M., Soto-Centeno, J. A., Núñez Quiroz, Á. M., Ferreyra, N., Delgado- Espinoza, F., Stahl, P. W., & Tirira, D. G. (2015). Archaeology, biogeography, and mammalogy do not provide evidence for Tarukas (cervidae: Hippocamelus antisensis ) in Ecuador. Journal of Mammalogy, 97(1), 41–53. https://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyv151
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyv151
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1828/16285
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherJournal of Mammalogy
dc.subjectAndes
dc.subjectCervidae
dc.subjectdistribution records
dc.subjectSouth America
dc.subjectAgua Blanca
dc.subjectEcuador
dc.subjectHuancabamba depression
dc.subjectManteño
dc.subjecttaruka
dc.subjectzooarchaeology
dc.titleArchaeological and zoological collections do not provide evidence for taruka (Cervidae: Hippocamelus antisensis) in Ecuador
dc.typePostprint

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