Western lowland olingo explained

The western lowland olingo (Bassaricyon medius) is a species of olingo from Central and South America, where it is known from Panama and from Colombia and Ecuador west of the Andes.[1]

Description

The western lowland olingo is smaller than the northern olingo, but larger than the most montane member of the genus, the recently described olinguito ("little olingo").[1] While the Panamanian subspecies B. m. orinomus is about the same size as the eastern lowland olingo, the subspecies from west of the Andes, B. m. medius is smaller.[1] The pelage is slightly lighter than that of the eastern species.[1]

It has a head-body length of 31to, with a tail length of 35to.[1] It weighs 0.9to.[1]

Taxonomy

There are two subspecies of the western lowland olingo: the nominate B. m. medius (Colombia and Ecuador) and B. m. orinomus (Panama and possibly Colombia).[1] The closest relative of the western lowland olingo is the other lowland olingo species, B. alleni, found east of the Andes, from which it diverged about 1.3 million years ago.[1]

Notes and References

  1. Taxonomic revision of the olingos (Bassaricyon), with description of a new species, the Olinguito . Helgen . K. M. . Pinto . M. . Kays . R. . Helgen . L. . Tsuchiya . M. . Quinn . A. . Wilson . D. . Maldonado . J.. ZooKeys. 324. 2013-08-15. 1–83. 10.3897/zookeys.324.5827 . 24003317 . 3760134. free .