Knowledge of mammalian diversity is still surprisingly disparate, both regionally and taxonomically. Here, we present a comprehensive assessment of the conservation status and distribution of the world's mammals. Data, compiled by 1700+ experts, cover all 5487 species, including marine mammals. Global macroecological patterns are very different for land and marine species but suggest common mechanisms driving diversity and endemism across systems. Compared with land species, threat levels are higher among marine mammals, driven by different processes (accidental mortality and pollution, rather than habitat loss), and are spatially distinct (peaking in northern oceans, rather than in Southeast Asia). Marine mammals are also disproportionately poorly known. These data are made freely available to support further scientific developments and conservation action.

We reviewed the scientific literature published from 1940 to 2002 on Latin American (Mexican and Central and South American) deer (Mammalia: Cervidae), focusing on conservation status and prediction of geographic distributions. The extant Latin American deer are the most diverse deer assemblage in the world (Cervinae: one genus, one species: Elk [Cervus elaphus]; Odocoilineae: six genera, 18 species: White-tailed deer [Odocoileus virginianus], mule deer [O. hemionus], marsh deer [Blastocerus dochotomus], pampas deer [Ozotoceros bezoarticus], huemul [Hippocamelus bisulcus], taruca [Hippocamelus antisensis], greater pudu [Pudu mephistophiles], lesser pudu [Pudu pudu], and six recognized species of brocket deer [Mazama americana, M. gouazoubira, M. nana, M. bricenni, M. chunyi, and M. rufina] as well as three recently proposed species [M. pandora, M. rondoni, and M. bororo]). Within this group, three genera (Odocoileus, Hippocamelus, and Blastocerus) have been well studied, whereas the genus Mazama, P. puda, P. mephistophiles, and H. antisensis have received little attention. The marsh deer, pampas deer, taruca, huemul, lesser pudu, and two Mazama species (Mazama nana and M. bororo) are the most endangered species. They are each listed as Convention International for the Trade of Endangered Species Appendix I and are considered by the International Union for Nature Conservation to be near threatened or endangered. We updated or created distribution maps for these species. Current research predominantly centres on easily available species (e.g., white-tailed deer in Mexico) or endangered species (e.g., marsh deer in Brazil). In contrast, the ecology and conservation status of the pudu, taruca, and Mazama sp. remain largely unknown.

Successful global strategies for biodiversity conservation require increasing reliance on local leadership and major investment in local capacity.

The red brocket deer Mazama americana is a neotropical species that exhibits extensive karyotype variation under an unvarying morphotype. In order to deduce red brocket deer genetic units for conservation, gene flow between populations, and genetic variation, we initiated a cytogenetic and molecular genetic study based on representative samples from throughout their Brazilian geographic range. These data represent the first cytotaxonomical and molecular systematics, and although sample sizes are limited, our results clearly suggest that red brocket deer populations are significantly differentiated with respect to karyotypes and the mitochondrial sequences analyzed. We clearly recognized 2 independent species, and we will be focusing further research in analyzing the meiotic dynamic to determine the existence of other evolutionarily significant units under the red brocket complex.