Abstract:
Yacuri National Park, located on the South American continental divide in Loja Province, Ecuador, was surveyed for mammals during four field trips (2009, 2014, 2015, and 2016). All sampling locations were along the western slope of the Andes (3,077−3,454 m) and included: páramo bogs, primary forests, lower páramo, páramo lagoon, a secondary forest, and a mountain ridge. Sherman traps, pitfall traps, camera traps, and mist nets were used to collect 391 specimens. Twelve species were collected, including Akodon mollis, Thomasomys cinereus (a new record for Ecuador), T. caudivarius, T. taczanowskii, Microryzomys altissimus, M. minutus, Caenolestes caniventer, C. sangay, Marmosops caucae, Sturnira erythromos, Anoura peruana, and Sylvilagus andinus. One additional species, Pseudalopex culpaeus, was documented with photography. This study also compares the effects of elevation on Ecuadorean rodent diversity at the taxonomic tribe level. Cytochrome-b analysis was conducted on specimens collected in 2016 to confirm identifications and to determine the phylogenetic relationship of each taxon.