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Biology of the Mongoose ( Herpestes javanicus ) in a Rain Forest of Puerto Rico 1
Author(s) -
Vilella Francisco J.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
biotropica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.813
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1744-7429
pISSN - 0006-3606
DOI - 10.1111/j.1744-7429.1998.tb00374.x
Subject(s) - mongoose , anolis , biology , ecology , rainforest , zoology , lizard
Ecological aspects of the mongoose ( Herpestes javanicus ) were studied in the Luquillo Mountains, a rain forest region in eastern Puerto Rico. Information was obtained by removal trapping of mongoose from grids placed in tree plantations, colorado and tabonuco forests. Trapping efficiency was two mongoose per 100 trap‐days, suggesting mongoose abundance is low in wet montane forests of Puerto Rico. Sex ratio was biased (2.6:1) in favor of males. Body masses of male mongoose inhabiting rain forests of the Luquillo Mountains were larger than those in dry forests at Guánica ( P < 0.0001). Stomach contents from 18 mongoose were examined, animal matter comprised 75 percent of the total food items encountered. Of these, 33 percent were from vertebrates. The food items most frequently encountered were lizards ( Anolis spp.), centipedes ( Scolopendra spp.), and cockroaches (Blatellidae).