Ecuadorian Mammals deposited in Natural History Museums and Scientific Collections: 9. The California Academy of Sciences

Abstract

A new contribution to the knowledge about the presence of Ecuadorian mammals in museums and natural history collections is presented. On this occasion, the California Academy of Sciences, in San Francisco, USA, was reviewed. The collection was visited in January 2024; all specimens found were measured, photographed and their identification was confirmed with the use of specialized literature. The collection contains 278 specimens collected in Ecuador, corresponding to 17 species, 14 genera, 10 families and five orders; of these, 97% were specimens captured in the Galapagos Islands; 59% are native species and 41% are introduced; among the native species, one sloth, 106 mice of five species, nine bats of two species, 47 sea lions of three species and one dolphin were found; introduced mammals included 110 rats and mice of two species, two domestic dogs, one pig and one goat. The article discusses the results, presents information on the species recorded and comments on notable records, including three holotypes (Nesoryzomys narboroughi, N. swarthi and Arctocephalus galapagoensis). These reviews are helpful to confirm the information held in scientific collections and to obtain unpublished data for the knowledge of our biodiversity