- Flora of Corrientes
- Jaboticaba (
- Tacuaruzú (
- Yba pitá (
- Corrientes fauna
- Aguará guazú (
- Chimango (
- Yarara (
- References
The flora and fauna of Corrientes is represented by species such as the jaboticaba, the tacuaruzú, the aguará guazú and the yarará, among others. Corrientes is a province of Argentina, which is located in the northeast of that country.
The climate is not uniform, thus distinguishing three different types. To the northeast, summers are hot and humid. In the Paraná area, the climate is subtropical Chaco. On the other hand, in the southern regions it rains all year round, summer is hot and winter is cool.
Jaboticaba. Source: Bruno.karklis Aguarurá guazú. Source: Sage Ross
Corrientes is part of the Argentine Mesopotamia, where there are lakes, swamps and plains. With regard to the soil, two zones are distinguished: the eastern, alluvial in character, and the western, characterized by sandy areas.
Flora of Corrientes
Jaboticaba (
The jaboticaba is a tropical tree native to Brazil, which belongs to the Myrtaceae family. This species is distributed in Argentina, Paraguay, Brazil, Bolivia and Peru.
It can grow to a height of 3 to 8 meters, presenting a round and dense shape. The leaves, when young, have a salmon hue, turning green when mature. In addition, they have a lanceolate or elliptical shape, are perennial and opposite.
In relation to the flowers, they are yellowish white, emerging in groups on the branches and on the trunks. The fruits are globose and purple, and may appear alone or in groups. The skin of these is thick and they have a gelatinous, sweet and juicy pulp.
Flowering and fruiting can occur several times a year, there are species where these have occurred 6 times in a year.
The fruit of the Brazilian grapetree, as this species is also known, is edible. It can be consumed directly from the tree or be prepared in wine, jellies or jams.
Tacuaruzú (
The tacuaruzú is a cane, belonging to the subfamily Bambusoideae. It is native to South America, where it is found in a tropical to temperate climate. The reeds are thick, reaching a diameter of 10 to 15 centimeters and a height of up to 20 meters. The stems tend to form thickets in the damp soils that border rivers.
The branches are thorny, with white rings on the nodes. The internodes are smooth, characterized by a lustrous green coloration. As for the foliage, the leaves are lanceolate, large and of an intense green tone.
This rhizomatous species, also known as tacuara brava, is of great importance from an economic point of view. This is due to its value as a timber plant. Thus, it is used in the construction industry, in the manufacture of office and home furniture.
In addition, the reeds are used as elements of protection of the banks and basins of the streams and rivers. The pieces of bamboo, cut in such a way as to have a knot as base, are used as a drinking or serving vessel.
Yba pitá (
This palm is part of the Arecaceae family. It is distributed in Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay and Argentina. Today it is frequently used as an ornamental plant. Because of this, the ybá pitá has been introduced to other subtropical, tropical and Mediterranean regions worldwide.
This plant can grow up to 25 meters high. The stipe is greyish and ringed, measuring about 60 centimeters in diameter at its base. Likewise, it is smooth, being able to have some widening.
In relation to the leaves, they are greenish and alternate. In addition, they are pinnate, having a length between 2 and 3 meters. The leaflets, which are 1 meter long, are lanceolate and have a feathery appearance.
The inflorescences are branched, surrounded by a striated and woody spathe. As for the flowers, they are monoecious and white or yellow. Flowering occurs during the summer and bears fruit in the fall.
The fruit of this palm is a drupe that when ripe is yellow or orange. Its pulp is fibrous and dense, which is used to feed cattle, pigs and other animals.
Corrientes fauna
Aguará guazú (
The maned wolf is an endemic canid from Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay and Peru. It has a stout build, compared to other species of its family that live in the wild. It can grow to 170 centimeters, taking into account the length of the tail. Its weight oscillates the 34 kilograms.
The coat is dense and long, of a reddish-orange hue. It has the peculiarity of being longer in the neck area. This mane is erectile, thus allowing it to appear larger to its predators. Contrary to the general coloring, the belly is lighter.
It has black spots all along the dorsal line, on the extremities and on the muzzle. On the inside of the ears, throat and tail it has white markings.
The head is elongated and small in relation to body size. The eye pupils are circular. Its ears are large, thus facilitating the irradiation of heat, in order to reduce the internal temperature.
The legs are long and the front legs have extremely strong nails. Possessing high limbs provide a better vision in the pastures where it lives. It is an omnivorous animal, feeding on fruits, roots, rabbits and rodents, among others.
Chimango (
This falconiform bird belongs to the Falconidae family. It is a native of South America, found in Argentina, Uruguay and Chile. It also lives in Paraguay, Bolivia and southern Brazil.
This species measures 35 to 40 centimeters in length. The coloration of the chiuque, as this species is also called, is brown, being lighter in the ventral area. The dorsal feathers have an ash-colored border. The beak, which is yellow, and the blue-gray legs stand out on these shades.
The neck is short, compared to the body size. The beak has a slight curvature and the legs are thin, taking as reference the rest of the falconids.
Regarding food, it is based on carrion. However, it can be opportunistic, taking eggs from nests or hunting rodents, insects, and birds.
The habitat of the chimango is very wide. It can be found in almost all environments, natural or populated, except in the high mountains. Also, it could be found in forests that are clear of secondary vegetation.
Yarara (
This poisonous snake, which feeds mainly on rodents, is part of the Crotalinae subfamily. It is endemic to Bolivia, Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay and Argentina. Yarara venom is a potent hemotoxin. It is rarely fatal, although it can cause serious organ damage.
The length of this reptile can be between 80 and 120 centimeters. However, species up to 2 meters long have been recorded. The body is robust, with a sub-triangular head. Its snout is pointed, with the area near the face erect and a little narrow.
On both sides of the head, between the snout and the eyes, it presents a loreal pit. This structure helps the yara in the detection of those prey that emit infrared radiation.
The dorsal region is brown, with the scales pigmented in a dark tone. It has a series of symmetrical dark brown spots that are arranged in a regular or alternate manner along the dorsal line. These are adorned on the edge with black and white colors.
In relation to the head, it is black or dark brown, crossed by several whitish lines. The ventral region is white, with dark longitudinal bands.
References
- Missouri Botanical Garden (2019). Plinia cauliflora. Recovered from missouribotanicalgarden.org.
- Wikipedia (2019). Corrientes, province. Recovered from en.wikipedia.org.
- com.ar. (2019). Flora and Fauna of Corrientes. Undersecretary of Tourism of the Province of Corrientes. Recovered from currents.com.ar.
- Encyclopedia britannica (2019). Corrientes, province, Argentina. Recovered from britannica.org.
- Neuza Jorge, Bruna Jorge Bertanha, Débora Maria Moreno Luzia (2011). Antioxidant activity and fatty acid profile of jabuticaba seeds (Myrciaria cauliflora BERG). Scielo. Recovered from scielo.org.co.