FLORA AND FAUNA OF SANTIAGO DEL ESTERO: MAIN SPECIES - BIOLOGY - 2025

The flora and fauna of Santiago del Estero is represented by species such as the mistol del monte, atamisqui, cai and mirikina, among others. Santiago del Estero is a province that is included in the northern region of the Chaco-Pampean plain, in central Argentina.

The climate is warm, thus having an annual temperature of 21.5 ° C. The province almost completely occupies the flat lands of the Gran Chaco. However, there are some depressions, in which bodies of water have formed, such as the Bañado de Figueroa and Añatuya lagoons.

Palo cruz. Source: CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=312032 Mirikiná. Source: Cuchufleta PL

In this region, agriculture is profitable, using water from the rivers in the area for irrigation. Similarly, goats, cattle and mules are raised in the various habitats in the area.

Flora of Santiago del Estero

Mistol del monte (

The mistol del monte is a typical tree of the Argentine Chaco forest, which is part of the Ramnaceae family. On the other hand, it is located in Argentina, Bolivia, Peru and Paraguay.

It has a trunk that could reach up to 15 meters in height. However, the vast majority of species, although most species range between 4 and 9 meters. Its rind is smooth and thin, which tends to thicken as it matures.

Numerous twisted and pubescent branches emerge from the trunk, covered with thorns of great hardness. The crown of this tree is compact and globose. In relation to the foliage, it is semi-evergreen, formed by oval, simple and alternate leaves. In addition, they are slightly petiolated, with serrated edges.

The flowers are green, and are arranged in compact cymes. The fruit is a reddish-brown drupe, with a sweet and pasty pulp.

The wood obtained from the cuaresmillo mistol, as this species is also called, is heavy, resistant and hard. Because of this, it is used to make tool handles, among other things.

In addition, the fruit of this plant is edible, and can be ingested directly or through aromatic drinks and sweets.

Atamisqui (

It is a shrub that is distributed from Mexico to Argentina. In this country, it is found in thickets in almost all warm-temperate areas. For example, it lives in the xerophilous forests of the Monte and the western Chaqueño Park.

This species, belonging to the Caparidaceae family, has multiple trunks, reaching a height between 1 and 8 meters. As for the leaves, they are dark green on the upper side and grayish on the underside. Likewise, they have an oblong shape, are simple and are arranged alternately.

The flowers are hermaphroditic, having recurved sepals and oblong petals. They are creamy in color and are located at the apex of the branches. In the inflorescence, the flowers may be solitary or in groups 2 to 4.

Regarding the fruits, they are ovoid pods of cream color, semi fleshy and edible. The leaves have been attributed digestive properties, being widely used against heartburn.

Palo cruz (

The palo cruz is a deciduous tree, distributed in Argentina, Paraguay, Brazil and Uruguay. Its height can reach up to 9 meters. The trunk has a very thick gray-brown bark, with longitudinal fissures.

The branches are gnarled, long and messy. The secondaries grow in pairs, at right angles to the main branch, forming a kind of cross. In relation to the leaves, they are simple, greenish and deciduous. They measure between 1 and 4 centimeters, characterized by having smooth and whole edges.

The flowers are very aromatic. In addition, they are complete, with a length of 4 centimeters. They can occur on the brachyblasts, singly or in small groups. In relation to the calyx, it is tubular, bell-shaped. The corolla is intense yellow, with red spots on the inside.

Flowering occurs in April and December, time in which the palo cruz loses its leaves, thus leaving it with great showiness. As for the fruit, it is a cylindrical and pendulous capsule, light brown in color. However, when ripe, it takes on a dark brown color.

Fauna of Santiago del Estero

I fell (

This primate is widely distributed in South America. Its habitat can include diverse environments, including subtropical and tropical forests and secondary forests.

The size of this species ranges between 35 and 49 centimeters, having a prehensile tail that measures around 35 to 49 centimeters. Males are heavier than females. Thus, they weigh around 3.7 kilograms, while females only weigh 2.3 kilograms.

The caí is omnivorous, feeding mainly on fruits and invertebrate animals. However, it could sometimes hunt small vertebrates, such as pigeons and lizards.

The Sapajus apella is also known as the whistling monkey. This is because researchers have described more than 17 vocalizations, which are used to communicate.

Mirikiná (

The mirikiná is an omnivorous primate with nocturnal habits, which is distributed in Bolivia, Argentina and Paraguay. On the other hand, it usually lives in gallery forests, Chaco forests and in flooded savannas.

The Aotus azarae belongs to the Cebidae family, of which it is one of the smallest species. The length of the body is between 24 and 37 centimeters. To this can be added the length of the tail, which measures around 31 to 40 centimeters.

The coat is soft and abundant. As for the coloration of the mirikiná, it is grayish or brown, with the exception of the belly which is orange or ocher. Above the eyes, it has two very clear, almost white spots. These are separated by a black rhomboid stripe and two dark lateral lines.

The night monkey, as the mirikiná is also known, has long fingers, somewhat widened at the tip. The tail is completely covered with hair and is not prehensile.

The head is round and small, with large eyes, compared to the size of the face. These are brown in color and are adapted to night vision. The ears are small, being hidden in the dense fur.

Yaguarundí (

It is a feline that is part of the Felidae family. It is distributed from southern Texas to Argentina, including the Mexican coastal areas, Central and South America and Argentine Patagonia. Furthermore, the species inhabits scrublands, humid forests and grasslands, close to bodies of water.

The body length of this placental mammal is between 80 and 130 centimeters. The weight could be around 3.5 to 9.1 kilograms.

Regarding the color of the coat, some could be reddish brown and others brown, almost black or grayish. Both could be present in the same litter.

The Moorish cat or ounce, as this species is also known, feeds on birds and mammals. Likewise, it hunts amphibians and reptiles, also benefiting from those fish that are trapped on the shores of lakes and rivers.

References

1. Rímoli, J., Lynch Alfaro, J., Pinto, T., Ravetta, A., Romero-Valenzuela, D. & Rumiz, DI 2018. Aotus azarae. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018. Recovered from iucnredlist.org.
2. Rick, J. (2004). Puma yagouaroundi. Animal Diversity Web Retrieved from animaldiversity.org.
3. Wikipedia (2019). Santiago del Estero, province. Recovered from en.wikipedia.org.
4. Boubli, J., Alves, SL, Buss, G., Carvalho, A., Ceballos-Mago, N., Lynch Alfaro, J., Messias, M., Mittermeier, RA, Palacios, E., Ravetta, A., Rumiz, DI, Rylands, AB, Stevenson, P., de la Torre, S. (2018). Sapajus apella. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018. Recovered from iucnredlist.org.
5. Encyclopedia britannica (2019). Santiago del Estero, province Argentina. Recovered from britannica.com.