BIO120 Proposal 
1000698177
TA – Adriana Salcedo
Species #19
Does the tail length of Nausa Narica affect the species survival from predation?
Introduction
The White-Nosed Coati (Nausa Narica) belongs to the Procyonidae family and is a relative of the raccoon. The most prominent feature that distinguishes Nausa Narica is it’s long tail, which extends to about 50 cm in length, and accounts for approximately half of its total body span. The white-nosed coati inhabits dry and moist forests all throughout South America where climbing trees are an important aspect of their day-to-day life. The main predators of the white-nosed coati, boas and hunting cats and birds of prey, are also adapted to arboreal life making efficient climbing and balance while climbing crucial for the coatis survival. The length of their tail thus presents itself as an acquired trait that enables them to maintain balance as they climb trees in addition to its uses in the social organization of the species. As Hass and Valenzuela (2002) observed in Nausa narica their tail has uses in the social organization within a population against the threat of predators. The length of their tail allows them to be seen over tall grasses and vegetation when on the ground, enabling them to communicate with each other as well as communicate to the predator that they have been identified as a potential threat. It has not yet been established whether the white-nosed coati would have the same survival and reproductive success in their environment with their existing predators if their tails were shorter in length resembling that of its close relative the raccoon, although it seems plausible. The length of the white-nosed coatis (Nausa narica) tail is an adaptation in response to the external threat of predators that affects their survival within their environment.
Methods
In order to test whether the length of the white-nosed coatis tail does in fact affect their survival from predation I will have a control group consisting
TA – Adriana Salcedo
Species #19
Does the tail length of Nausa Narica affect the species survival from predation?
Introduction
The White-Nosed Coati (Nausa Narica) belongs to the Procyonidae family and is a relative of the raccoon. The most prominent feature that distinguishes Nausa Narica is it’s long tail, which extends to about 50 cm in length, and accounts for approximately half of its total body span. The white-nosed coati inhabits dry and moist forests all throughout South America where climbing trees are an important aspect of their day-to-day life. The main predators of the white-nosed coati, boas and hunting cats and birds of prey, are also adapted to arboreal life making efficient climbing and balance while climbing crucial for the coatis survival. The length of their tail thus presents itself as an acquired trait that enables them to maintain balance as they climb trees in addition to its uses in the social organization of the species. As Hass and Valenzuela (2002) observed in Nausa narica their tail has uses in the social organization within a population against the threat of predators. The length of their tail allows them to be seen over tall grasses and vegetation when on the ground, enabling them to communicate with each other as well as communicate to the predator that they have been identified as a potential threat. It has not yet been established whether the white-nosed coati would have the same survival and reproductive success in their environment with their existing predators if their tails were shorter in length resembling that of its close relative the raccoon, although it seems plausible. The length of the white-nosed coatis (Nausa narica) tail is an adaptation in response to the external threat of predators that affects their survival within their environment.
Methods
In order to test whether the length of the white-nosed coatis tail does in fact affect their survival from predation I will have a control group consisting
Cited: Hass C, Valenzuela D. 2002. Anti-predator benefits of group living in white-nosed coatis (Nausa narica). Behav Ecol Sociobiol. 51:570-578 Pryke S, Andersson S. 2004. Experimental evidence for female choice and energetic costs of male tail elongation in red-collared widowbirds. Biol J Linn Soc. 86, 35-43.