A new distributional record for Lyncodon patagonicus (Carnivora: Mustelidae), one of the smallest and least known mustelids of South America

Abstract

The Patagonian weasel (Lyncodon patagonicus) is a small, rare, and little known carnivore. Its distribution, which includes several fossil and historical records, spans western Argentina and southern Chile. According to recent studies, its populations are declining, affecting its conservation. In this paper we report a new locality of occurrence for the species based on a photographed individual from Lihue Calel National Park, La Pampa Province. The importance of this record is that it is located 173 km southwest from the nearest previously known reference, and helps to fill a wide gap in the center of its range, where there were no previous records.