Abstract
Galictis vittata (Carnivora: Mustelidae) is a widely distributed carnivore throughout Mesoamerica and South America, with confirmed records in several regions of Colombia. However, to date there were no published records nor data available in the Colombian Biodiversity Information System (SIB) for the department of Norte de Santander, nor previous references in the scientific literature or in the most recent checklist of mammals of the country. In this note, we document the first confirmed record of G. vittata for this department, obtained through camera trapping during an environmental consulting exercise. Three individuals were recorded on August 8, 2025, at 14:53 h in the municipality of San Cayetano, under an ambient temperature of 31 °C and at 257 m.a.s.l. We describe the locality, the habitat context, and the morphological characteristics that allowed the identification of the species. This record expands the knowledge of the distribution of G. vittata in northeastern Colombia and highlights the need to increase efforts to document the regional mastofauna, even through non-systematic studies.
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