Mexican Coyote (''Canis latrans baileyi'')

See our RP Guide for more extensive information regarding coyotes.

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  1.   1.  Common Names
  2.   2.  'Souls Range
  3.   3.  Appearance
  4.   4.  Other Characteristics
    1.   4.1  Survival
    2.   4.2  Luperci
  5.   5.  More Images
  6.   6.  Citations


Coyote Subspecies Map
See also: world species map

1.  Common Names

Mexican Coyote

2.  'Souls Range

Mexico and Central America. .

3.  Appearance

Canis latrans cagottis, from bdebaca@Flickr

The Mexican Coyote is the southernmost species of coyote; it occupies a vast range, as it has reclaimed much of its former territory. As such, it is typically a small subspecies, weighing slightly more than the Lower Rio Grande Valley Coyote?. The Mexican Coyote is generally vividly colored, possessing a wide array of colors from brown, white, tawny, gray, and even rusty red. They are among the most unique-looking of all coyote subspecies, possessing an enviably colored coat.

4.  Other Characteristics

Canis latrans cagottis, from bdebaca@Flickr

There is some dissent between researchers as to the exact number of coyote subspecies -- some believe that certain subspecies should be reclassified together. There is not enough information to differentiate the following coyote subspecies, and generally they are very similar, just differing in range. For purposes of simplicity, the proposed subspecies have been combined together under Mexican Coyote; all are found in Mexico and Central America.1

  1. Mexican Coyote (Canis latrans cagottis): Oaxaca, San Luis Potosi, Puebla, and Veracruz in Mexico.
  2. Durango Coyote (Canis latrans impavidus): Southern Sonora, extreme southwestern Chihuahua, western Durango, western Zacatecas, and Sinaloa (Mexico)
  3. Colima Coyote (Canis latrans vigilis): Pacific coast of Mexico from Jalisco south to Guerrero
  4. Belize Coyote (Canis latrans goldmani): Belize
  5. Honduras Coyote (Canis latrans hondurensis): Honduras
  6. Salvador Coyote (Canis latrans dickeyi): El Salvador

4.1  Survival

Mexican coyotes flourished after the demise of humanity -- their proximity to the ground zero of infection in California meant they were among the first to become Luperci. The virus spread outward quickly from California; as such, they were among the first in North America who moved independent of European influence to take over old human cities, even burning other cities to the ground in an attempt to re-establish the open wilderness that had been there prior to human construction.

4.2  Luperci

Virtually all Mexican Coyotes are Luperci, especially throughout Mexico. In lower Central America, non-Luperci can be found in isolated areas, but they are quite rare. Feral lifestyles and humanized lifestyles are both common throughout this coyote's home range; feral lifestyles still hold the majority, but small villages and even some cities can be found throughout the Mexican Coyote's region.

5.  More Images

Colima Coyote; kbovard@Flickr Colima Coyote; asplund@Flickr Durango Coyote; jegomezr@Flickr Salvador Coyote, berndpics@Flickr Salvador Coyote, daikiki@Flickr Honduras Coyote, mattknoth@Flickr Honduras Coyote, aruarian@Flickr Belize Coyote, iguanajo@Flickr Belize Coyote, Rolf Sterchi@Flickr

6.  Citations

  1. Bioweb.uwlax.edu


Categories: Coyote | Fauna | Resources