Mammal species richness and relative abundance of small mammals in a subtropical wet forest of Central America

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Abstract
Transect and quadrat surveys were used to assess mammal species richness and relative abundance of small mammals in the Cockscomb Basin of Belize. The resulting mammal list contains weight orders, 25 families, and 55 species. Numbers of nonvolant species were similar to those of several other neotropical areas. Species richness of arboreal species was low, whereas carnivore diversity was high compared to other neotropical studies. Of at least 7 small mammal species (.ltoreq. 0.1 kg) trapped in 10 quadrats, Desmarest''s spiny pocket mouse (Heteromys desmarestianus) was the most abundant based on capture success measures. Small mammals were more vulnerable to trapping or were more abundant in the wet season than the dry season as indicated by capture totals.