Use of artificial nest boxes by two species of small, arboreal mammals in Ecuadorian tropical dry forest

We record, for the first time, the nest structure of two species of small, non-volant mammals, <i>Marmosa simonsi</i> and <i>Rhipidomys latinamus</i>, inside artificial nest boxes in a dry forest ecosystem of Western Ecuador. We describe the nests and categorized them as rearing nest, permanent resting nest and transient refuge, depending on their intended use. Artificial nest boxes provide an optimal place for pup rearing and resting for small mammals, and they can be useful for ecological studies of elusive, poorly-known mammalian species.

本研究首次记录了厄瓜多尔西部干旱森林生态系统中，两种小型非飞行哺乳动物——西蒙氏绵鼠（*Marmosa simonsi*）与拉丁攀鼠（*Rhipidomys latinamus*）——在人工巢箱内的巢结构。我们对上述巢址进行了描述，并根据其使用用途将其划分为育幼巢、永久休憩巢与临时避难巢三类。人工巢箱可为小型哺乳动物提供适宜的幼崽育幼与休憩场所，同时也可用于开展隐秘难见、研究匮乏的哺乳动物物种的生态学研究。