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Mammals of Zihuatanejo

CLASS MAMMALIA

-Animals (Kingdom Animalia)

-Chordates (Phylum Chordata)

-Vertebrates (Subphylum Vertebrata)

-Mammals (Class Mammalia)

-Therians (Subclass Theria)

-Placental Mammals (Infraclass Placentalia)

-Ungulates, Carnivorans, and Allies (Superorder Laurasiatheria)

-Even-toed Ungulates and Cetaceans (Order Artiodactyla)

-Ruminants (Suborder Ruminantia)

-Deer, Elk, Moose, and Caribou (Family Cervidae)

-New World Deer, Moose, Caribou, and Roe Deer (Subfamily Capreolinae)

-True New World Deer and Caribou (Tribe Odocoileini)

-White-tailed and Mule Deer (Genus Odocoileus)

-White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus)

-Acapulco White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus ssp. acapulcensis)


White-tailed deer are characterized by their reddish-brown coats in the summer, which turn grayish-brown in the winter. Their most distinctive feature is the white underside of their tail, which they raise as a warning signal to other deer when they sense danger. In Mexico, white-tailed deer tend to be smaller compared to those in more northern climates, due to the warmer, tropical environment.

Acapulco White-tailed Deer

Odocoileus virginianus ssp. acapulcensis

Diet

  • Herbivorous, feeding on leaves, young shoots, shrubs, vines, herbs, grasses, fruits, flowers, acorns, and seeds.

  • During the dry season, it relies heavily on browse from trees and shrubs, including many species characteristic of tropical dry forests.

  • Frequently feeds at dawn and dusk, occasionally venturing into agricultural fields to browse crops.

Range

  • Endemic to the Pacific coast of southwestern Mexico, occurring primarily in Guerrero and adjacent parts of Michoacán and Oaxaca.

  • Common in suitable habitat throughout the Zihuatanejo region, where it is one of the principal native large mammals.

Habitat

  • Inhabits tropical dry forests, thorn scrub, deciduous woodland, oak woodland, secondary forest, and forest edges.

  • Also occurs in brushy hillsides, river valleys, and agricultural mosaics where adequate cover is available.

  • Most active during the cooler hours of dawn, dusk, and night, resting in dense vegetation during the heat of the day.

Size

  • Shoulder height: 70–90 cm (28–35 in)

  • Body length: 120–180 cm (47–71 in)

  • Weight:

    • Male (buck): 35–70 kg (77–154 lb)

    • Female (doe): 30–50 kg (66–110 lb)

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