Xenarthrans—anteaters, sloths, and armadillos—have essential functions for ecosystem maintenance, such as insect control and nutrient cycling, playing key roles as ecosystem engineers. Because of habitat loss and fragmentation, hunting pressure, and conflicts with domestic dogs, these species have been threatened locally, regionally, or even across their full distribution ranges. The Neotropics harbor 21 species of armadillos, 10 anteaters, and 6 sloths. Our data set includes the families Chlamyphoridae (13), Dasypodidae (7), Myrmecophagidae (3), Bradypodidae (4), and Megalonychidae (2). We have no occurrence data on Dasypus pilosus (Dasypodidae). Regarding Cyclopedidae, until recently, only one species was recognized, but new genetic studies have revealed that the group is represented by seven species. In this data paper, we compiled a total of 42,528 records of 31 species, represented by occurrence and quantitative data, totaling 24,847 unique georeferenced records. The geographic range is from the southern United States, Mexico, and Caribbean countries at the northern portion of the Neotropics, to the austral distribution in Argentina, Paraguay, Chile, and Uruguay. Regarding anteaters, Myrmecophaga tridactyla has the most records (n = 5,941), and Cyclopes sp. have the fewest (n = 240). The armadillo species with the most data is Dasypus novemcinctus (n = 11,588), and the fewest data are recorded for Calyptophractus retusus (n = 33). With regard to sloth species, Bradypus variegatus has the most records (n = 962), and Bradypus pygmaeus has the fewest (n = 12). Our main objective with Neotropical Xenarthrans is to make occurrence and quantitative data available to facilitate more ecological research, particularly if we integrate the xenarthran data with other data sets of Neotropical Series that will become available very soon (i.e., Neotropical Carnivores, Neotropical Invasive Mammals, and Neotropical Hunters and Dogs). Therefore, studies on trophic cascades, hunting pressure, habitat loss, fragmentation effects, species invasion, and climate change effects will be possible with the Neotropical Xenarthrans data set. Please cite this data paper when using its data in publications. We also request that researchers and teachers inform us of how they are using these data.

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Mammalian carnivores are considered a key group in maintaining ecological health and can indicate potential ecological integrity in landscapes where they occur. Carnivores also hold high conservation value and their habitat requirements can guide management and conservation plans. The order Carnivora has 84 species from 8 families in the Neotropical region: Canidae; Felidae; Mephitidae; Mustelidae; Otariidae; Phocidae; Procyonidae; and Ursidae. Herein, we include published and unpublished data on native terrestrial Neotropical carnivores (Canidae; Felidae; Mephitidae; Mustelidae; Procyonidae; and Ursidae). NEOTROPICAL CARNIVORES is a publicly available data set that includes 99,605 data entries from 35,511 unique georeferenced coordinates. Detection/non‐detection and quantitative data were obtained from 1818 to 2018 by researchers, governmental agencies, non‐governmental organizations, and private consultants. Data were collected using several methods including camera trapping, museum collections, roadkill, line transect, and opportunistic records. Literature (peer‐reviewed and grey literature) from Portuguese, Spanish and English were incorporated in this compilation. Most of the data set consists of detection data entries (n = 79,343; 79.7%) but also includes non‐detection data (n = 20,262; 20.3%). Of those, 43.3% also include count data (n = 43,151). The information available in NEOTROPICAL CARNIVORES will contribute to macroecological, ecological, and conservation questions in multiple spatio‐temporal perspectives. As carnivores play key roles in trophic interactions, a better understanding of their distribution and habitat requirements are essential to establish conservation management plans and safeguard the future ecological health of Neotropical ecosystems. Our data paper, combined with other large‐scale data sets, has great potential to clarify species distribution and related ecological processes within the Neotropics. There are no copyright restrictions and no restriction for using data from this data paper, as long as the data paper is cited as the source of the information used. We also request that users inform us of how they intend to use the data.

ResumenEvaluar la efectividad de acciones de manejo en áreas protegidas del Gran Paisaje Yavarí Samiria es esencial para la conservación y el uso sustentable de la biodiversidad de la región. El objetivo de este trabajo fue evaluar el uso de modelos de ocupación, como herramienta para monitorear la efectividad de los acuerdos comunales de extracción de especies. De febrero a mayo de 2015, se establecieron 84 cuadrículas de 1km 2 en el Área de Conservación Regional Comunal Tamshiyacu Tahuayo (ACRCTT), evaluando la ocupación de Tapirus terrestris (Linnaeus), Tayassu pecari (Link), Pecari tajacu (Linnaeus), Mazama sp., Cuniculus paca (Linnaeus), Dasyprocta sp., Dasypus sp. y Cracidae Vigors, a través de señales y rastros en transectos y estaciones de trampas-cámara. Se ajustaron modelos de ocupación single season-single species con covariables de sitio (CovS) para evaluar el efecto de la cacería. La ocupación (ψ) estimada para ungulados fue alta (ψ =0.95), excepto para T. pecari (ψ =0.13), sin encontrar efecto de las covariables (Sigβ(CovS) > 0.05), indicando que la cacería no está afectando a estas especies en el ACRCTT. Para las especies pequeñas no fue posible ajustar modelos. La precisión de estas estimaciones permite su uso como indicadores confiables para el desarrollo de un programa de monitoreo de especies grandes en el ACRCTT. Palabras clave: Acuerdos de manejo, áreas protegidas, cacería, especies cinegéticas, modelos de ocupación, monitoreo. AbstractEvaluate the effectiveness of management actions in protected areas of the Yavari Samiria Great Landscape is essential for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in the region. The objective of this work was to assess the use of occupancy models as tools for monitoring the effectiveness of the sustainable use of some species by surrounding communities. Between February and May of 2015, at Tamshiyacu Tahuayo Communal Regional Conservation Area (ACRCTT), 84 grids of 1km 2 , were established to evaluate the occupancy of Tapirus terrestris (Linnaeus), Tayassu pecari (Link), Pecari tajacu (Linnaeus), Mazama sp., Cuniculus paca (Linnaeus), Dasyprocta sp., Dasypus sp. and Cracidae vigors, through signals and trails in transects and camera traps stations. Single season-single species occupancy models with site covariates (CovS) were adjusted to assess the hunting effect. The occupancy estimated for ungulates was high (Ψ =0.95), except for T. pecari (Ψ = 0.13), with no effect of site covariates assessed (Sigβ(CovS) > 0.05). This indicates that hunting pressure is not affecting the large species evaluated at ACRCTT. It was not possible to adjust models for small species. The accuracy of these estimates indicates that the use of occupancy is a confident indicator for the development of a monitoring program of large species at ACRCTT.

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