The Bahamian raccoon (''Procyon lotor maynardi''), also called Bahama raccoon or Bahamas raccoon, is a
subspecies of the
common raccoon
The raccoon ( or , ''Procyon lotor''), sometimes called the common raccoon to distinguish it from other species, is a mammal native to North America. It is the largest of the procyonid family, having a body length of , and a body weight of . ...
endemic
Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found else ...
on the
New Providence Island
New Providence is the most populous island in the Bahamas, containing more than 70% of the total population. It is the location of the national capital city of Nassau, whose boundaries are coincident with the island; it had a population of 24 ...
in the
Bahamas
The Bahamas (), officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is an island country within the Lucayan Archipelago of the West Indies in the North Atlantic. It takes up 97% of the Lucayan Archipelago's land area and is home to 88% of the ar ...
. The binomial name, ''maynardi'', comes from
Charles Johnson Maynard
Charles Johnson Maynard (May 6, 1845 – October 15, 1929) was an American naturalist and ornithologist born in Newton, Massachusetts. He was a collector, a taxidermist, and an expert on the vocal organs of birds. In addition to birds, he also s ...
, an American naturalist.
Classification
Thought to be a distinct species in the past, the Bahamian raccoon is now considered a subspecies of the
common raccoon
The raccoon ( or , ''Procyon lotor''), sometimes called the common raccoon to distinguish it from other species, is a mammal native to North America. It is the largest of the procyonid family, having a body length of , and a body weight of . ...
, as a result of a study of
morphological and
genetic analysis
Genetic analysis is the overall process of studying and researching in fields of science that involve genetics and molecular biology. There are a number of applications that are developed from this research, and these are also considered parts of ...
in 2003. The assumption that its occurrence on the Bahamas is the result of a human-sponsored introduction just a few centuries ago is supported by the fact that the Bahaman raccoon seems to be closely related to the
Guadeloupe raccoon found on
Guadeloupe, an archipelago nearly 2,000 km (1,243 mi) away,
as well as records of raccoons being present on
Cuba
Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...
,
Hispaniola, and
Jamaica
Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of His ...
.
Description
The Bahamian raccoon is small compared to the average size of the common raccoon, making it an example of
insular dwarfism
Insular dwarfism, a form of phyletic dwarfism, is the process and condition of large animals evolving or having a reduced body size when their population's range is limited to a small environment, primarily islands. This natural process is disti ...
. Its delicate skull and
dentition are similar to the ones of the Guadeloupe raccoon and the small subspecies of the
Florida Keys. The coat is gray, with a slight ocher tint on the neck and shoulders, and the mask is interrupted by a distinct gap between the eyes. On the underparts, only few
guard hair
Guard hair or overhair is the outer layer of hair of most mammals, which overlay the fur. Guard hairs are long and coarse and protect the rest of the pelage (fur) from abrasion and frequently from moisture. They are visible on the surface of the fu ...
s cover the
ground hairs.
Conservation
The authors of the study ''Taxonomic status and conservation relevance of the raccoons (''Procyon'' spp.) of the West Indies'' (2003) say the Bahamian raccoon is an
invasive species which poses a threat to the insular
ecosystem
An ecosystem (or ecological system) consists of all the organisms and the physical environment with which they interact. These biotic and abiotic components are linked together through nutrient cycles and energy flows. Energy enters the syste ...
.
The Bahamian Ministry of Health and Environment lists it as up for eradication on the islands of New Providence and Grand Bahama.
"National Invasive Species Strategy", by the BEST Commission
/ref>
See also
*Island raccoon
The term island raccoons is used as a generic term for four endangered and one (or two) extinct subspecies or species of raccoon (''Procyon'') endemic on small Mexican and Caribbean islands, such as Cozumel and Guadeloupe. Other subspecies of racc ...
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q20908043
Mammals of the Bahamas
Procyonidae
Endemic fauna of the Bahamas
Mammals of the Caribbean
Taxonomy articles created by Polbot