First detailed record of food items in the diet of the dwarf coati (Nasua nelsoni) of Cozumel Island, México

Abstract

The dwarf coati (Nasua nelsoni) is an endemic mammal to Cozumel Island, Quintana Roo, México. Although dwarf coati is critically threatened with extinction, there are still important knowledge gaps about its biology and ecology. We are unaware of relevant published aspects of its trophic ecology and there is no information on its feeding habits. Therefore, our objective was to report, for the very first time, details on food items in the diet of the dwarf coati. Between September 2013 and December 2014, we recorded sightings of groups and solitary individuals of dwarf coati. Some of these sightings allowed us to directly record the consumption of food items, mainly fruits, which were later identified by collecting samples of the consumed material and the fruiting plant. We recorded a total of 25 sightings of dwarf coati while consuming food items. In 88 % (n = 22) of the records, we recorded the consumption of fruit from 8 species, represented by 8 families of wild plants. Additionally, we obtained records of the species consuming sea turtle eggs (n = 1) and organic waste of anthropic origin (n = 2). The evidence of the consumption of fruit and food items of different origin supports the expectation that the dwarf coati has an omnivorous diet mainly based on fruit, which coincides with that reported for other species of the same genus, the white-nosed coati (N. narica) and brown-no-sed coati (N. nasua).

Full text

THERYA NOTES 2023, Vol. 4 : 34-39 DOI: 10.12933/therya_notes-23-102 ISSN 2954-3614
First detailed record of food items in the diet of the dwarf coati
(Nasua nelsoni) of Cozumel Island, México
Primer registro detallado de alimentos en la dieta del coatí enano
(Nasua nelsoni) de Isla Cozumel, México
César r. rodríguez-Luna1, david vaLenzueLa-gaLván2*, and aLfredo d. Cuarón3
1Departamento de Ecología Humana, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional Unidad
Mérida. Antigua carretera a Progreso Km 6, C. P. 97310, Mérida. Yucatán, México. E-mail: cesar.rodriguez@cinvestav.mx (CRR-L).
2Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Conservación, Universidad Autónoma del Es-
tado de Morelos. Avenida Universidad 1001, C. P. 62209, Cuernavaca. Morelos, México. E-mail: dvalen@uaem.mx (DV-G).
3SACBÉ-Servicios Ambientales, Conservación Biológica y Educación A. C. Callejón del Aguacate 95, C. P. 04010, Coyoacán. Ciudad
de México, México. E-mail: cuaron@gmail.com (ADC).
*Corresponding author
The dwarf coati (Nasua nelsoni) is an endemic mammal to Cozumel Island, Quintana Roo, México. Although dwarf coati is critically threa-
tened with extinction, there are still important knowledge gaps about its biology and ecology. We are unaware of relevant published aspects
of its trophic ecology and there is no information on its feeding habits. Therefore, our objective was to report, for the very rst time, details
on food items in the diet of the dwarf coati. Between September 2013 and December 2014, we recorded sightings of groups and solitary
individuals of dwarf coati. Some of these sightings allowed us to directly record the consumption of food items, mainly fruits, which were
later identied by collecting samples of the consumed material and the fruiting plant. We recorded a total of 25 sightings of dwarf coati while
consuming food items. In 88 % (n = 22) of the records, we recorded the consumption of fruit from 8 species, represented by 8 families of wild
plants. Additionally, we obtained records of the species consuming sea turtle eggs (n = 1) and organic waste of anthropic origin (n = 2). The
evidence of the consumption of fruit and food items of dierent origin supports the expectation that the dwarf coati has an omnivorous diet
mainly based on fruit, which coincides with that reported for other species of the same genus, the white-nosed coati (N. narica) and brown-no-
sed coati (N. nasua).
Key words: Carnivore; insular endemic; pizote; procyonid; threatened species; trophic niche.
El coatí enano (Nasua nelsoni) es un mamífero endémico de Isla Cozumel, Quintana Roo, México. A pesar de que el coatí enano es una
especie críticamente amenazada con la extinción, aún existen importantes vacíos de conocimiento sobre su biología y ecología. Se descono-
cen aspectos relevantes de su ecología tróca y no existe información especíca sobre sus hábitos alimentarios. Por ello, nuestro objetivo fue
reportar, por primera vez, detalles sobre los alimentos que conforman parte de la dieta del coatí enano. Entre septiembre de 2013 y diciembre
de 2014, registramos avistamientos de grupos e individuos solitarios de coatí enano. Algunos de estos avistamientos nos permitieron registrar
directamente el consumo de alimentos, principalmente frutas, que luego fueron identicados mediante la recolección de muestras del mate-
rial consumido y de la planta madre. Registramos 25 avistamientos de individuos de coatí enano mientras consumían alimentos. En 88 % (n =
22) de esos avistamientos, registramos el consumo de frutos de 8 especies, representadas por 8 familias de plantas silvestres. Adicionalmente,
obtuvimos registros del coatí enano mientras consumía huevos de tortuga marina (n = 1) y desechos orgánicos de origen antrópico (n = 2).
La evidencia del consumo de frutas aunado al consumo de alimentos de diferente origen apoya la idea de que el coatí enano tiene una dieta
omnívora basada principalmente en el consumo de frutas, lo que coincide con información reportada para otras especies del género, como el
coatí de nariz blanca (N. narica) y el coatí sudamericano (N. nasua).
Palabras clave: Carnívoro; endémico insular; especie amenazada; nicho tróco; pizote; prociónido.
© 2023 Asociación Mexicana de Mastozoología,www.mastozoologiamexicana.org
The dwarf coati (Nasua nelsoni) is a mammalian carnivore
of the Procyonidae family, endemic to Cozumel Island,
Quintana Roo, México. It is a species classied as Endan-
gered, according to Mexican legislation (SEMARNAT 2010),
and listed in Appendix III of the Convention on Interna-
tional Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora
(CITES; Valenzuela-Galván et al. 2014). In México, the spe-
cies has been considered as a priority in terms of conser-
vation among terrestrial mammals of the order Carnivora
(Valenzuela-Galván and Vázquez 2007). The dwarf coati is
an insular species similar to its continental congener, the
white-nosed coati (Nasua narica), but with signicantly
less weight, and smaller size and tooth length, compared
to the latter (Valenzuela-Galván et al. 2014). It is a species
that faces severe conservation problems related to the
introduction of exotic species, loss of natural habitat, sto-
chastic events (mainly hurricanes) and to its low popula-
tion size, which is estimated has not recovered from histor-
ical genetic bottlenecks, and hence further reduction of its
population is possible (Cuarón et al. 2004, 2009; McFadden

35 THERYA NOTES Vol. 4 :34-39
Cozumel’s dwarf coati diet
et al. 2010; Flores-Manzanero et al. 2022). Available genetic
information about the dwarf coati strongly supports that
its taxonomic position as a distinct species should be con-
sidered (something that has been recently debated; see
Valenzuela-Galván et al. 2023 and Ruiz-García et al. 2023).
Also, its status in the IUCN Red List of Threatened species
should be recognized as a Critically Endangered species,
and its population managed in accordance, or at the very
least as an Evolutionary Signicant Unit (sensu Moritz 1994;
Flores-Manzanero et al. 2022).
Despite its endemism and vulnerability, it is a species
for which little is known about its natural history, biol-
ogy, behavior, and ecological aspects. Research eorts
have focused on determining its population size (Cuarón
et al. 2004) and more recently spatio-temporal ecology
(Rodríguez-Luna 2015) and conservation genetics (Flores-
Manzanero et al. 2022). Conservation work has resulted
in the creation of an extensive system of state and federal
protected areas and the recognition of the entire Cozumel
Island and surrounding sea as a Biosphere Reserve of UNES-
CO’s Man and Biosphere Program (Cuarón et al. in press).
However, there is still an important knowledge gap about
its trophic niche. Regarding its feeding habits, it is consid-
ered that they could be similar to those of N. narica (Cuarón
et al. 2009): an omnivorous species that feeds mainly on
fruits and arthropods (Valenzuela-Galván et al. 2014). Nev-
ertheless, eldwork is still needed to demonstrate this.
Knowledge about the feeding habits of animals helps
to understand ecological niche relationships, since they
play an important role in segregation, competition, coex-
istence (Schoener 1974), population dynamics (Taper and
Marquet 199), habitat use and even the social organiza-
tion of a species (Mills 1992; ; Manfredi et al. 2004; Casella
and Cáceres 2006). Besides, it is valuable information to
support conservation actions. Therefore, our objective in
this work was to report the very rst records of food items
ingested by the dwarf coati of Cozumel Island, obtained
through direct observation.
The study area was Cozumel Island, Quintana Roo,
México (Figure 1). It is an oceanic island located in the Mexi-
can Caribbean Sea with ca. 478 km2 and extreme coordinates
20° 16' 18.2” – 20° 35' 32.28” N and 86° 43' 23.3” – 87° 01' 31.1”
W (Cuarón 2009). The vegetation on the island consists of a
well-dened gradient that begins from the eastern coastal
strip with coastal dune vegetation followed by areas of
tasistal (Acoelorhaphe wrightii), mangrove (Rhizophora man-
gle, Laguncularia racemosa), tropical dry forest and medium
sub-deciduous forest in the central portion of the island,
which is the predominant vegetation type (Téllez et al. 1989;
Figure 1). Climate type is AmW(I), warm humid with abun-
dant rains in summer; average annual temperature is 27.5 °C
and average annual precipitation is 1,403 mm (INEGI 2016).
Between September 2013 and December 2014 in Cozu-
mel Island, we carried out a study on the spatial ecology of
the dwarf coati for which it was necessary to capture and
radio tag several individuals of the species (Rodríguez-Luna
2015). During the development of the eldwork to obtain
radiotracking locations, we recorded sightings of groups
and solitary individuals of the species at dierent places on
the island. For some of the sightings we observed individu-
als of dwarf coati foraging and even consuming food items.
For each of these sightings, we recorded the geolocation,
vegetation type, and, when possible, we took photographic
evidence with a portable camera (NikonTM mod. P100).
When we recorded an observation of the consumption of
fruits, we collected samples of them as well as of the fruit-
ing plant for the subsequent identication of the species.
For plant identication, we used the Catalogo de Flora de la
Península de Yucatán of the Centro de Investigación Cientí-
ca de Yucatá A. C. (https://www.cicy.mx/sitios/ora%20
digital/index.php), as well as reference material with special-
ized support from personnel of the Laboratorio de Ecología
de Plantas from the Cozumel campus of the Universidad
Autónoma de Quintana Roo.
We obtained a total of 25 georeferenced sightings of
dwarf coati where we observed the consumption of food
items by the species (Figure 1). Most of the sightings (56%;
n = 14) occurred in areas covered by tropical medium sub-
deciduous forest, 32 % (n = 8) occurred in coastal dune
areas, 8 % (n = 2) in secondary vegetation and one sighting
(4 %) occurred on a beach in the east coast with no appar-
ent vegetation (Table 1).
Figure 1. Study area in Cozumel Island, Quintana Roo, México, and spatial locations of
the sighting points (red dots) where we recorded the food intake by the dwarf coati (Nasua
nelsoni). In the gure we show the town of San Miguel de Cozumel (black triangle) and the
land cover according to freely available information on Land Use and Vegetation (sVII) from
the Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Geografía (INEGI), available at https://www.inegi.org.
mx/temas/usosuelo/#Descargas. Land cover is described as: Aq, aquatic vegetation; CD,
coastal dune; DoV, area devoid of vegetation; G, grasslands; HS, human settlements; M,
mangroves; TMSF, tropical medium sub-deciduous forest; WB, water bodies.

www.mastozoologiamexicana.org 36
Rodríguez-Luna et al.
We were able to identify the consumption of fruits (Fig-
ure 2) of 8 wild plant species, represented by 8 genera, 8
families and 7 orders (Table 1): Xylopia frutescens Aubl., Byr-
sonima bucidifolia Standl., Cordia sebestena L., Coccoloba
uvifera (L.) L., Diospyros salicifolia Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd.,
Cascabela gaumeri (Hemsl.) Lippold, Scaevola plumieri (L.)
Vahl and Jacquinia arborea Vahl.
In addition, we recorded 1 sighting in which a dwarf coati
consumed sea turtle eggs (most probably of Chelonia mydas,
since the majority of nests at Cozumel are from this species)
on an open beach and 2 sightings of the species consuming
organic food waste of anthropic origin (Figure 3).
Our records of dwarf coati consuming fruits, sea turtle
eggs and organic waste of anthropic origin, represents the
rst report of food items identied in detail in the species
diet. Other species of the genus Nasua have a high con-
sumption of fruits (Gompper 1995; Gompper and Decker
1998). The white-nosed coati (N. narica) consumes predom-
inantly fruits, but also invertebrates and small vertebrates
in variable proportions, both in the northernmost part of
Figure 2. Photographic records of dwarf coati of Cozumel Island (Nasua nelsoni), prior to the consumption of fruits (marked in red circles) of species a) Xylopia frutescens and b)
Diospyros yucatanensis.

37 THERYA NOTES Vol. 4 :34-39
Cozumel’s dwarf coati diet
its distribution in the United States of America (Wallmo
and Galliziolli 1954; Kaufmann et al. 1976), México (Delibes
et al. 1989; Valenzuela-Galván 1998; Valenzuela-Galván et
al. 2014) and in the southernmost part of its distribution
in Central America (Kaufmann 1962; Smythe 1970; Gomp-
per 1995, 1996). On the other hand, the brown-nosed
coati (N. nasua) also feeds mainly on fruit and consumes a
variable proportion of invertebrates in its diet (Gompper
and Decker 1998; Alves-Costa et al. 2004; Alves-Costa and
Eterovick 2007; Hirsch 2009; Aguiar et al. 2011; Bianchi et al.
2013; Ferreira et al. 2013).
Among the 8 species that we report in the diet of the
dwarf coati, fruits from 5 families have a previous record
of consumption in Nasua spp.: Polygonaceae, Ebena-
ceae, Primulaceae, Malpighiaceae and Annonaceae (Rus-
sell 1982; Valenzuela-Galván 1998; Hirsch 2009; Bianchi
et al. 2013), but for 3 species and plant families, our study
reports for the rst time their consumption by a species
in the genus Nasua (Table 1). We also recorded the con-
sumption of sea turtle eggs in the northern part of the east
coast of Cozumel Island. Nest predation is well known by
people who are related to sea turtle (i.e., Chelonia mydas,
Caretta caretta, Eretmochelys imbricata) conservation work
on the island; however, there are no previous published
data on nest predation in the study area by the dwarf coati,
although consumption of sea turtle eggs by N. narica has
been reported for dierent zones across its geographical
distribution (Fowler 1979; Valenzuela-Galván 1998; García
et al. 2003; Ruthig 2019). Finally, we recorded individuals
of dwarf coati feeding on organic waste of anthropic ori-
gin inside garbage containers in the southern portion of
the island (Figure 3), although we were unable to identify
the elements ingested. Coati's omnivorous diet allows it
to obtain food supplementation in urban environments,
where they frequently feed on organic waste of anthropic
origin (Alves-Costa et al. 2004; Hirsch 2009); this represents
one of the factors that can favor the establishment of the
species and even the maintenance of stable population
density over time in urban areas (Barreto et al. 2021).
Thus, with our records of the consumption of fruits, sea
turtle eggs, and organic waste of anthropic origin, the idea
that the dwarf coati has an omnivorous diet based mainly
on fruit consumption is reinforced. This fact coincides with
information reported for other species of the genus Nasua.
However, the detailed study of the feeding habits of the
species must be deepened to contribute to the knowledge
of its basic ecology and sustain conservation actions for this
critically endangered endemic species.
Acknowledgements
We thank two anonymous reviewers for useful suggestions
to previous versions. We acknowledge the help received
from the following local institutions: Fundación de Parques
y Museos de Cozumel, Ayuntamiento de Cozumel and
Comisión de Agua Potable y Alcantarillado. A. Collantes
Table 1. Records of food items consumed by the dwarf coati (Nasua nelsoni) of Cozumel Island, México by vegetation type. * Indicates this is the rst time this species and plant
family is reported to be consumed by a species in the genus Nasua. Vegetation types are designated as follows: CD, coastal dune; DoV, area devoid of vegetation; TMSF, tropical medium
sub-deciduous forest; SV, secondary vegetation.
Food type Order Family Species
Number of
records
Percentage of
records
Vegetation
type
Fruits Asterales Goodeniaceae* Scaevola plumieri* 1 4 CD
Boraginales Boraginaceae* Cordia sebestena* 2 8 CD
Caryophyllales Polygonaceae Coccoloba uvifera 2 8 CD
Ericales Ebenaceae Diospyros salicifolia 2 8 TMSF
Primulaceae Jacquinia arborea 1 4 CD
Gentianales Apocynaceae* Cascabela gaumeri* 2 8 CD
Magnoliales Malpighiaceae Byrsonima bucidifolia 4 16 TMSF
Malpighiales Annonaceae Xylopia frutescens 8 32 TMSF
Sea turtle eggs - - - 1 4 DoV
Anthropic waste - - - 2 8 SV
Total 25 100 4
Figure 3. Photographic record of dwarf coati of Cozumel Island (Nasua nelsoni),
prior to the consumption of organic waste of anthropic origin in the southern part of
the island.

www.mastozoologiamexicana.org 38
Rodríguez-Luna et al.
and O. Yam (UQROO) provided valuable help for ecological
sampling of vegetation. Partial funding for this research
was provided by CONABIO (project LI028 assigned to the
last author), by Idea Wild (funds provided to the rst author)
and by the program PROCER-2013- CONANP through a
project assigned to M. Á. Martínez Morales† (ECOSUR). The
rst author received funding from CONACyT through schol-
arships 361457 and MZO2015. Individuals were captured
under the permit SGPA/DGVS/00529/14 assigned to the
second author. We also thank the Maestría en Biología Inte-
grativa de la Biodiversidad y la Conservación (CIByC-UAEM).
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Associated editor: José F. Moreira Ramírez.
Submitted: February 16, 2023; Reviewed: April 10, 2023.
Accepted: April 20, 2023; Published on line: May 8, 2023.