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The purpose of this study was to examinate the dynamics of Home Range (HR) and the social behaviour of Heteromy sgaumeri in the semidesiduos tropical forest of the south of Yucatan. We used the mark-and-release technique during four nights per month, from January 2000 to December 2001. Thirty four percent (n=174) of the total population was resident being 49% males and 51% females. The females had longer residence than the males (p<0.05). For both sexes home range (HR) and maximum distance moved (MDM) (p<0.05) were higher for adults than for yuongs, seasonality did not affect them (p>0.05). Reproductive females were territorial and had lower HR and MDM than no reproductive females (p<0.05). Males and females had similar HR (p>0.05), males did not show territoriality. The total overlapping of HR was low for both sexes and both reproductive conditions. In the rain season reproductive males had a higher overlapping percentage than that of reproductive females (p<0.05). The results suggest that H. gaumeri is a social species with a promiscuous mate system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article provides information on a study which investigated the possible use of snail species as food by Heteromys gaumeri in a subdeciduous tropical forest in the state of Yucatan, Mexico. All the species of Heteromyidae family are said to be granivorous and are endemic to the biotic province of the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. In the study, two grids were used as well as the mark-and-release technique.