Island raccoon

The term island raccoons is used as a generic term for four endangered and one (or two) extinct subspecies or species of raccoon (Procyon) endemic on small Mexican and Caribbean islands, such as Cozumel and Guadeloupe. Other subspecies of raccoon living on islands, like that of the common raccoon (Procyon lotor) native to the Florida Keys, are generally not included under this term, since it was established at a time when all five (or six) "island raccoons" were considered distinct species. The five (or six) populations are: Bahamian raccoon (Procyon lotor maynardi): subspecies of the common raccoon endemic on New Providence Island in the Bahamas Barbados raccoon (Procyon lotor gloveralleni): extinct subspecies of the common raccoon endemic on Barbados until 1964 Cozumel raccoon (Procyon pygmaeus): species endemic on Cozumel Guadeloupe raccoon (Procyon lotor minor): subspecies of the common raccoon endemic on the two main islands Basse-Terre Island and Grande-Terre of Guadeloupe, which is assumed to be consubspecific (of the same subspecies) with the Bahamian raccoon Tres Marias raccoon (Procyon lotor insularis): subspecies of the common raccoon endemic on the two main islands María Madre and María Magdalena of the Islas Marías, which is probably extinct on María Magdalena (this population is sometimes considered to be a separate subspecies (Procyon lotor vicinus)) After studies of their morphological and genetic traits in 1999, 2003 and 2005, only the Cozumel raccoon is still considered a distinct species, while the others were classified as subspecies of the common raccoon in the third edition of Mammal Species of the World published in 2005. It is assumed that the four (or five) other island forms were introduced to their respective islands just a few centuries ago, probably by humans. The Guadeloupe raccoon is even considered of the same species as the similar Bahamian raccoon. Its former scientific name Procyon (lotor) minor is listed as a synonym for Procyon lotor maynardi.