View source for Nasuella

{{Short description|Genus of carnivores}}
{{Automatic taxobox
| image = Ulisse Aldrovandi - Mountain Coati.jpg
| image_caption = [[Western mountain coati]], ''Nasuella olivacea''
| taxon = Nasuella
| authority = [[Ned Hollister|Hollister]], 1915
| type_species = ''[[Nasuella meridensis|Nasua olivacea meridensis]]'' <ref>{{MSW3|id=14001644}}</ref>
| type_species_authority = Thomas, 1901
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision =
*''[[Nasuella meridensis]]''
*''[[Nasuella olivacea]]''
| range_map = Mountain Coati area.png
| range_map_caption = Approximate combined range of the two mountain coatis}}

'''Mountain coatis''' are two species of [[Procyonidae|procyonid]] mammals from the genus '''''Nasuella'''''. Unlike the larger [[coati]]s from the genus ''[[Nasua]]'', mountain coatis only weigh {{convert|1.0|-|1.5|kg|lb}} and are [[endemic]] to the north [[Andean]] highlands in South America.<ref name=HBW>{{cite book |author=Kays, R. |year=2009 |contribution=Mountain coati (''Nasuella olivacea'') |page=528 |editor1=Wilson, D. E. |editor2=Mittermeier R. A. |editor2-link=Russell Mittermeier |title=[[Handbook of the Mammals of the World]] |volume=1, Carnivores |publisher=Lynx Edicions |location=Barcelona |ISBN=978-84-96553-49-1}}</ref><ref name=IUCN>{{cite iucn |author=González-Maya, J.F. |author2=Reid, F. |author3=Helgen, K. |date=2016 |title=''Nasuella olivacea'' |volume=2016 |article-number=e.T72261737A45201571 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T72261737A45201571.en |access-date=12 November 2021}}</ref>

==Genetics and taxonomy==
[[Genetics|Genetic]] evidence indicates that the genus ''Nasua'' is only [[monophyletic]] if it also includes the mountain coatis. Based on [[cytochrome b]] sequences, ''[[Nasua nasua]]'' is the [[sister taxon]] to a [[clade]] consisting of ''[[Nasua narica]]'' plus both species of ''Nasuella''.<ref name=split/>

Until recently only a single species with three [[subspecies]] was recognized.<ref name=msw3>{{MSW3 | id=14001644}}</ref> In 2009 this species was split into two species, the [[eastern mountain coati]] (''N. meridensis'') from [[Venezuela]], and the [[western mountain coati]] (''N. olivacea'', with subspecies ''quitensis'') from [[Colombia]] and [[Ecuador]].<ref name=split>{{cite journal |last=Helgen |first=K. M. |author2=Kays, R. |author3=Helgen, L. E. |author4=Tsuchiya-Jerep, M. T. N. |author5=Pinto, C. M. |author6=Koepfli, K. P. |author7=Eizirik, E. |author8=Maldonado, J. E. |title=Taxonomic boundaries and geographic distributions revealed by an integrative systematic overview of the mountain coatis, ''Nasuella'' (Carnivora: Procyonidae) |journal=Small Carnivore Conservation |volume=41 |pages=65–74 |date=August 2009 |access-date=2013-08-20 |url=http://www.smallcarnivoreconservation.org/sccwiki/images/1/14/SCC41_Helgen_et_al_2009.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140116135219/http://www.smallcarnivoreconservation.org/sccwiki/images/1/14/SCC41_Helgen_et_al_2009.pdf |archive-date=2014-01-16 }}</ref>
After a genetic analysis in 2020, the [[American Society of Mammalogists]] currently considers ''N. meridensis'' a synonym of ''N. olivacea''.<ref>Ruiz-García, M., Jaramillo, M. F., Cáceres-Martínez, C. H., & Shostell, J. M. (2020). The phylogeographic structure of the mountain coati (Nasuella olivacea; Procyonidae, Carnivora), and its phylogenetic relationships with other coati species (Nasua nasua and Nasua narica) as inferred by mitochondrial DNA. Mammalian Biology, 1-28.</ref>
{{Clade|style=width:35em;
|label1=Coatis
|1={{Clade
 |1={{Clade
  |1={{Clade
   |1=''[[Nasua narica]]''
   }}
  |2={{Clade
   |1=''[[Nasuella meridensis]]''
   |2=''[[Nasuella olivacea]]''
   }}
  }}
 |2=''[[Nasua nasua]]''
}}}}

==Range and description==
Externally, the two species of mountain coatis are quite similar, but the eastern mountain coati is overall smaller, somewhat shorter-tailed on average, has markedly smaller teeth, a paler [[Olive (colour)|olive]]-brown [[pelage]], and usually a dark mid-dorsal stripe on the back (versus more [[rufous|rufescent]] or blackish, and usually without a dark mid-dorsal stripe in the western mountain coati).<ref name=split/> Both are found in [[cloud forest]] and [[páramo]]; at altitudes of {{convert|2000|-|4000|m|ft}} for the eastern mountain coati, and {{convert|1300|-|4250|m|ft}} for the western mountain coati.<ref name=split/>

A population discovered in southern [[Peru]] (more than {{convert|1000|km|abbr=on|disp=or}} south of the previous distribution limit) has tentatively been identified as the western mountain coati, but may represent an [[undescribed taxon]].<ref>Pacheco, V., R. Cadenillas, E. Salas, C. Tello, and H. Zeballos (2009). ''Diversidad y endemismo de los mamíferos del Perú/Diversity and endemism of Peruvian mammals.'' Rev. Peru. Biol. 16(1): 5-32.</ref>

==Rare and little known==
They are very poorly known, and the "combined species" (when only one species was recognized) has been classified as [[data deficient]] by the [[IUCN]].<ref name=IUCN/> Their behavior largely appears to resemble that of the better-known ''[[Nasua]]'' coatis, although the mountain coatis feed less on fruit.<ref name=HBW/><ref name=trophic>Rodríguez-Bolaños, A., A. Cadena, and P. Sánchez (2000). ''Trophic characteristics in social groups of the Mountain coati, Nasuella olivacea (Carnivora: Procyonidae).'' Small Carnivore Conservation 23: 1–6.</ref>

Unlike the ''Nasua'' coatis, mountain coatis are very rare in captivity. Among [[International Species Information System|ISIS]] registered institutions, only three [[zoo]]s (all in the USA) reported that they had mountain coatis in early 2011,<ref>{{cite web |website=[[International Species Information System|ISIS]] |year=2011 |url=https://app.isis.org/abstracts/Abs75057.asp#1.0 |title=Mountain coati |access-date=12 January 2011}}</ref> but at least one of these appears to be a case of misidentification.<ref name=Bioparque>{{cite news |website=WildlifeExtra |date=September 2010 |url=http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/mountain-coati.html |title=First ever Mountain coati in captivity in Colombia |access-date=14 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160402132408/http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/mountain-coati.html |archive-date=2 April 2016 }}</ref> A mountain coati that was confiscated from [[Poaching|poachers]] is kept at Bioparque la Reserva in [[Cota, Cundinamarca|Cota]], Colombia.<ref name=Bioparque/>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [[ARKive]] (2010). ''[https://web.archive.org/web/20120823114532/http://www.arkive.org/mountain-coati/nasuella-olivacea/image-G104223.html Nasuella olivacea in Ecuador.]'' Photo by Nigel Simpson/[[Fundación de Conservación Jocotoco|Jocotoco Foundation]].

{{Carnivora|C.}}
{{Musteloidea|Mea.|state=collapsed}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q2895094}}

[[Category:Coatis]]
[[Category:Carnivoran genera]]
[[Category:Páramo fauna]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Ned Hollister]]