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NEXT UP: 7th seeded Tayra (Eira barbara) VS 10th seeded Falanouc (Eupleres goudotii) #2020MMM Arkive photo of a tayra, a large black weasel, sitting on a rock and among foliage. Taken by Pete Oxford.Arkive photo of a falanouc, a mongoose like creature, taken at night. The falanouc is walking among grass. Photo by Pete Oxford.
Bushdog, irara, gato negro, perro de monte, lepasil, tayra. Our first combatant is a #MustelidofManyNames - every country in its range has their own name. The genus alludes to this: Eira is Guarani [indigenous language spoken by peoples of Bolivia/Paraguay] for tayra. #2020MMM A close up photo of a tayra's face. It appears to be smiling. Photo from Arkive.org, taken by Nick Gorden.<br />
Found throughout Central and South America, the tayra [common name in Colombia] is one of the most common carnivores in its range since it can live near humans in smaller (or more fragmented) habitats. The IUCN currently lists them as "Of Least Concern". #2020MMM An IUCN map showing the tayra's range. The tayra is of " src="/images/1px.png" data-src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ES37FcVXgAMwQTs.png">
In contrast, the falanouc is only found on [endemic to] the island of Madagascar. These shy, rare Feliform carnivores are listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN due to habitat loss and competition from other invasive carnivores, such as dogs and the Indian civet. #2020MMM An IUCN map showing the falanouc's range. The falanouc is of " src="/images/1px.png" data-src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ES37MzAXYAIc3Vl.png">
(Check out some of this cool work about how habitat degradation and invasive carnivores affect native Malagasy carnivore activity patterns - our very own Asia @am_anatiala contributed to this research!) #2020MMM bit.ly/2vODYKM
Tonight's battle takes place near La Selva Biological Station in Northern Costa Rica. This protected lowland tropical rainforest is one of the most important tropical research sites in the world. #2020MMM tropicalstudies.org/portfolio/la-s…
It's late afternoon, and we just catch a glimpse of a long, dark, bushy tail disappear into the undergrowth. We're on the home turf of the tayra or, as it's known in Costa Rica, the tolomuco. #2020MMM
This male is 70cm long (2 stoat-lengths) & weighs in at a whopping 7kg (30.7 stoats). This hulky boi is quite the #MightyMustelid. #StoatsAsMeasurement #2020MMM Photo of an angry looking tayra, standing on a tree stump and surrounded by foliage. From animalia.bio/tayra.<br />
He's also quite the smart boi - this omnivore has stashed some plantains in a nearby tree and has been waiting for them to ripen before feasting. #2020MMM sciencemag.org/news/2011/08/d…
Right when he's about to climb the tree with his treasure, he hears something rustling nearby. Tayra doesn't have the greatest eyesight, but, like most of its Caniform relatives, it does have a great sense of smell. The tayra stands up on his back legs,sniffing the air. #2020MMM A photo of a tayra with it's front legs on a branch. It has its tongue out similar to the :P emoji. Photo from animalia.bio/tayra.<br />
A very fancy little mongoose-like creature has appeared in the forest! The #FancyFalanouc is about 50cm long (1.5 stoat-lengths), 4 kg (17.5 stoats), but doesn't look like the rest of its Feliform relatives. #2020MMM Camera trap photo of a falanouc standing on the forest floor. It is looking away from the camera. Photo provided by Asia Murphy.<br />
The tayra isn't the first to be confused by the falanouc. Madagascar's most specialized carnivore, the falanouc has conical teeth characteristic of an insectivore, leading it to be once classed as one. #2020MMM bit.ly/2vYCQEi Views of a falanouc skull where you can see their teeth from all sides, From a paper by SM Goodman and KM Helgen, published in 2010 in Mammalia.<br />
This tooth shape helps crunch through an insect's hard exoskeleton. Instead of sharpened #carnassials, our #FancyFalanouc also has flat, backwards-curving premolars that may help when they're eating things like earthworms, snails, and slugs. #2020MMM A photo of a falanouc sitting on the forest floor with an earthworm in its mouth. Photo by Pete Oxford.<br />
Another specialization at odds with the rest of their Feliform brethren, the falanouc has nonretractile claws that may help when they're digging for their invertebrate prey! #2020MMM bit.ly/39EPdDY Camera trap photo of a falanouc standing on the forest floor. It is looking away from the camera. Photo provided by Asia Murphy.<br />
The #FancyFalanouc is only a few feet away from the ornery and plantain-protective tayra, but the falanouc is disoriented and groggy - he's normally asleep at this point in the day. #2020MMM A black and white camera trap photo of a falanouc at night.  Photo provided by Asia Murphy.<br />
The tayra lets out a low, threatening growl while moving his body up and down. No one's getting his plantains. #SoundOn #2020MMM
The falanouc freezes for a moment - should he fight or live to fatten his tail another day?? He opts for the latter, leaving the tayra to his plantains in peace. #RetreatIsTheBetterPartOfValor #2020MMM
TAYRA DEFEATS FALANOUC #2020MMM A photo of a tayra standing on a branch guarding some seeds. It has it's mouth open in a threatening pose. Photo from animalia.bio/tayra<br />
A camera trap photo of a falanouc on the forest floor at night. It is turned away from the camera, giving the viewer a view of a plump tail.  Photo provided by Asia Murphy. <br />
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