Home›Species›Habitat›Tropical Dry ForestBiomeTropical Dry ForestAlso Known As Tropical Deciduous ForestTropical Forest BiomesReference and ClassificationThoroughly VerifiedTropical dry forest occurs in climates that are warm year-round but carry a long dry season lasting several months, unlike the constantly wet tropical rainforest. Deciduous trees predominate, shedding their leaves during the drought to conserve water, and the biome is less biologically diverse than rainforest but still supports substantial wildlife including monkeys, deer, large cats and parrots. This description is adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes were made. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/FactsTropical Dry ForestConnectionsSourcesTake a Related QuizComments (0)Reader Challenges (0)FactsDisputedAnnual Precipitation (mm)Scholarly debate1500 1Bioclimatic definitions disagree on bounds: Murphy and Lugo set 250 to 2000 mm annually, FAO sets 500 to 1500 mm, and the DryFlor network sets up to 1800 mm; Wikipedia's Seasonal Tropical Forest entry gives a typical 1000 to 2500 mm range. This entry uses a representative midpoint rather than asserting one agreed figure.Typical High Temperature (C)Scholarly debate26 2Representative low-elevation mean annual high from the Ecuadorian Dry Forests ecoregion (One Earth); this biome family bioclimatic definitions set only a mean annual floor above 17C (PMC bioclimatic paper, already cited), with no single universal high figure given.ClimateTypical Low Temperature (C)Well-attested17 1This is the biome's defining climatic threshold, the mean annual temperature floor used to distinguish it from cooler forest types, not a literal coldest single reading. No verified figure for temperature-high-c was found this pass; left unfilled rather than invented.Tropical Dry ForestFilter Results29 entriesCommon GroupAllBirds Of Prey (Raptors) (1)Chameleons (1)Citrus And Mahogany Relatives (Sapindales) (1)Cuckoos (1)Cycads (Cycadales) (1)Geckos (2)Legumes (Fabales) (2)Lizards (Lacertilia) (1)Mallows, Cottons And Baobabs (Malvales) (2)Mints, Nightshades And Allies (Lamiales/Solanales) (2)Other Flowering Plant Orders (1)Passerines (Songbirds) (1)Spiders (Araneae) (1)Spurges And Willows (Malpighiales) (2)TaxonomyAllAccipiter (1)Anacardiaceae (1)Araneae (1)Brachylophus (1)Cebidae (1)Celastrales (1)Chamaeleonidae (1)Cuculiformes (1)Cycadopsida (1)Eulipotyphla (1)Euphorbiaceae (2)Fabaceae (2)Hylobates (2)Lemuridae (1)Macropodidae (1)Magnoliopsida (2)Malvaceae (2)Meliphagidae (1)Molossidae (1)Phelsuma (2)Pilosa (1)Ursidae (1)Vespertilionidae (1)Conservation StatusAllCritically Endangered (2)Data Deficient (2)Endangered (4)Extinct (1)Least Concern (13)Near Threatened (3)Not Evaluated (1)Vulnerable (3)EcosystemAllCerrado (1)Everglades (1)Gran Chaco (1)New Guinea Rainforest (1)Sahel (1)Everyday GroupAllBirds Of Prey (Raptors) (1)Chameleons (1)Citrus And Mahogany Relatives (Sapindales) (1)Cuckoos (1)Cycads (Cycadales) (1)Geckos (2)Legumes (Fabales) (2)Lizards (Lacertilia) (1)Mallows, Cottons And Baobabs (Malvales) (2)Mints, Nightshades And Allies (Lamiales/Solanales) (2)Other Flowering Plant Orders (1)Passerines (Songbirds) (1)Spiders (Araneae) (1)Spurges And Willows (Malpighiales) (2)DietAllCarnivore (3)Frugivore (1)Herbivore (2)Insectivore (3)Omnivore (4)Photosynthetic Autotroph (11)Population TrendAllDecreasing (1)System (Realm)AllFreshwater (1)Terrestrial (29)ThreatsAllBiological Resource Use (1)Relationship to PeopleAllAgricultural or Structural Pest (1)Domesticated (1)Eaten or Drunk by People (2)Farmed or Commercially Raised (3)Hunted or Fished (5)Invasive or Introduced Species (3)Kept as Pets (4)Source of Timber or Wood (1)Used in Traditional Medicine (5)Venomous or Dangerous to Humans (1)Living or ExtinctAllNo (1)Yes (25)Where It LivesAllAfrica (6)Algeria (1)Angola (4)Argentina (2)Australia (6)Bahamas (3)Bangladesh (7)Barbados (1)Belize (2)Benin (3)Bolivia (4)Botswana (2)Brazil (7)Burkina Faso (1)Burundi (2)Cambodia (2)Cameroon (4)Central African Republic (5)Chad (6)Colombia (6)Comoros (5)Costa Rica (6)Cuba (5)Democratic Republic of the Congo (2)Dominican Republic (5)East Africa (3)Ecuador (6)El Salvador (5)Equatorial Guinea (1)Eritrea (5)Eswatini (2)Ethiopia (5)Fiji (2)Gabon (3)Gambia (5)Georgia (1)Ghana (3)Guatemala (5)Guinea (7)Guinea-Bissau (3)Guyana (3)Haiti (5)Honduras (6)India (7)Iraq (1)Italy (1)Jamaica (4)Kenya (3)Laos (2)Liberia (2)Libya (1)Madagascar (1)Malawi (4)Mali (3)Mauritania (3)Mexico (4)Mozambique (3)Myanmar (5)Namibia (2)Nauru (1)Nepal (1)Nicaragua (5)Niger (2)Nigeria (4)North America (5)Norway (2)Oman (1)Pakistan (1)Panama (1)Paraguay (2)Peru (4)Philippines (1)Rwanda (2)Samoa (2)Senegal (4)Seychelles (3)Sierra Leone (4)Somalia (2)South Africa (3)South America (3)South Asia (4)Spain (2)Sri Lanka (4)Suriname (2)São Tomé and Príncipe (1)Taiwan (2)Tanzania (4)Thailand (3)Togo (3)Tonga (1)Tunisia (2)Uganda (4)United States (2)Uruguay (1)Vanuatu (4)Venezuela (4)Vietnam (2)Yemen (1)Zambia (2)Zimbabwe (2)Show ResultsBrowseCompareSelect all 29African Tulip TreeTropical Dry ForestAldabra Day GeckoTropical Dry ForestBaobabTropical Dry ForestBlack dorcopsisTropical Dry ForestBrachypelma HamoriiTropical Dry ForestBuchanania lanzanTropical Dry ForestCapuchin MonkeyTropical Dry ForestCoontieTropical Dry ForestDalbergia melanoxylonTropical Dry ForestEastern Grey GibbonTropical Dry ForestEnterolobium cyclocarpumTropical Dry ForestFiji Crested IguanaTropical Dry ForestGiant AnteaterTropical Dry ForestGundlach's hawkTropical Dry ForestHispaniolan SolenodonTropical Dry ForestKapokTropical Dry ForestKauaʻi ʻōʻōTropical Dry ForestMalagasy giant chameleonTropical Dry ForestPipistrellus raceyiTropical Dry ForestPoinsettiaTropical Dry ForestRed-billed malkohaTropical Dry ForestRing-tailed LemurTropical Dry ForestSebastiania pavonianaTropical Dry ForestSeychelles Day GeckoTropical Dry ForestSinaloan mastiff batTropical Dry ForestSloth BearTropical Dry ForestTecoma stansTropical Dry ForestWestern Grey GibbonTropical Dry ForestYerba mateTropical Dry ForestConnectionsDemonstratesEstivation, Natural Phenomena Well-attested Dry-season dormancy is a defining survival strategy for animals of seasonally dry tropical forests.Source Tropical and Subtropical Dry Broadleaf Forests (Wikipedia)tier 2Home ToAfrican Tulip Tree, Species Well-attested Source Spathodea campanulata - WikipediaAldabra Day Gecko, Species Well-attested Source Wikipedia: Phelsuma abbottitier 2Baobab, Species Well-attested Source Encyclopaedia Britannicatier 1Black dorcopsis, Species Well-attested Source Black dorcopsis (Wikipedia)Brachypelma Hamorii, Species Well-attested Source Brachypelma hamorii (Wikipedia)Buchanania lanzan, Species Well-attested Source Plants For A Future: Buchanania lanzanCapuchin Monkey, Species Well-attested Source Capuchin Monkey (Wikipedia)tier 2Coontie, Species Well-attested Source Zamia integrifolia (Wikipedia)Dalbergia melanoxylon, Species Well-attested Source Plants For A Future: Dalbergia melanoxylonEastern Grey Gibbon, Species Well-attested Source GBIF: Hylobates funereusEnterolobium cyclocarpum, Species Well-attested Source Plants For A Future: Enterolobium cyclocarpumFiji Crested Iguana, Species Well-attested Source Wikipedia: Fiji crested iguanaGiant Anteater, Species Well-attested Source Encyclopaedia Britannicatier 1Gundlach's hawk, Species Well-attested Source Gundlach's hawk (Wikipedia)Hispaniolan Solenodon, Species Well-attested Source GBIF: Solenodon paradoxusKapok, Species Well-attested Source Plants For A Future: Ceiba pentandraKauaʻi ʻōʻō, Species Well-attested Source NatureServe Explorer: Moho braccatusMalagasy giant chameleon, Species Well-attested Source Malagasy giant chameleon (Wikipedia)Pipistrellus raceyi, Species Well-attested Source Pipistrellus raceyi (Wikipedia)Poinsettia, Species Well-attested Source Poinsettia (Wikipedia)Red-billed malkoha, Species Well-attested Source Red-billed malkoha (Wikidata)tier 2Ring-tailed Lemur, Species Well-attested Source Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Lemur catta (Animal Diversity Web)Sebastiania pavoniana, Species Well-attested Source Sebastiania pavoniana (Wikipedia)Seychelles Day Gecko, Species Well-attested Source Seychelles Day Gecko (Wikipedia)Sinaloan mastiff bat, Species Well-attested Source Sinaloan mastiff bat (Wikipedia)Sloth Bear, Species Well-attested Source Sloth Bear (Wikipedia)tier 2Tecoma stans, Species Well-attested Source Tecoma stans (Wikipedia)Western Grey Gibbon, Species Well-attested Source GBIF: Hylobates abbottiYerba mate, Species Well-attested Source Plants For A Future: Ilex paraguariensisSources1. Tropical Dry Forest Bioclimatic Definitions (PMC)tier 1PMC (National Library of Medicine)Table 1Murphy and Lugo: 250 to 2000 mm; FAO: 500 to 1500 mm; DryFlor: up to 1800 mmMethods sectionminimum temperature of coldest month with mean annual temperature greater than 17 degrees C2. Ecuadorian Dry Forests (One Earth)tier 2One EarthClimate paragraph, temperature sentenceQuote, Climate paragraph, temperature sentenceAt low elevations the mean annual temperature varies between 24 and 26°C.View the SourceTropical and Subtropical Dry Broadleaf Forests (Wikipedia)tier 2WikipediaWikipedia, Tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, Characteristics sectionThough these forests occur in climates that are warm year-round, and may receive several hundred millimeters of rain per year, they have long dry seasons that last several months and vary with geographic location.In Category: Biomes, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropical_and_subtropical_dry_broadleaf_forests, lead sectionThe tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forest is a habitat type defined by the World Wide Fund for Nature and is located at tropical and subtropical latitudes.Demonstrates: EstivationView the SourceSeasonal Tropical Forest (Wikipedia)tier 2WikipediaIntroductionQuote, IntroductionThis tropical forest is classified under the Walter system as (i) tropical climate with high overall rainfall (typically in the 1000-2500 mm range; 39-98 inches) and (ii) having a very distinct wet season with (an often cooler "winter") dry season.View the SourceEncyclopaedia Britannicatier 1Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.Home To: BaobabHome To: Giant AnteaterView the SourceSpathodea campanulata - WikipediaHome To: African Tulip Tree, Wikipedia intro: "rican tulip tree or the Nandi Flame. The tree grows between 7-25 m (23-82 ft) tall and is native to tropical dry forests of Africa. It has been nominated as amo..."View the SourceSeychelles Day Gecko (Wikipedia)Home To: Seychelles Day Gecko, Wikipedia intro: "lizard in the family Gekkonidae endemic to the Seychelles. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, subtropical or tropical moist lowland f..."View the SourceBlack dorcopsis (Wikipedia)Home To: Black dorcopsis, Wikipedia intro: "c to Goodenough Island at the eastern end of New Guinea where its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forests. It is threatened by habitat loss and h..."View the SourceCapuchin Monkey (Wikipedia)tier 2Wikimedia FoundationHome To: Capuchin Monkey, Wikipedia 'Capuchin monkey': occupy wet lowland forests on the Caribbean coast and deciduous dry forest on the Pacific coastView the SourceRed-billed malkoha (Wikidata)tier 2WikidataHome To: Red-billed malkoha, IntroductionView the SourceSinaloan mastiff bat (Wikipedia)Home To: Sinaloan mastiff bat, Section: Distribution and habitat; begins "Within this region, they inhabit both dry decidu"Quote, Home To: Sinaloan mastiff bat, Section: Distribution and habitat; begins "Within this region, they inhabit both dry decidu"Within this region, they inhabit both dry deciduous forests and tropical evergreen forests.View the SourceMalagasy giant chameleon (Wikipedia)Home To: Malagasy giant chameleon, Section: Distribution and habitat; begins "It inhabits a very wide range of habitats includ"Quote, Home To: Malagasy giant chameleon, Section: Distribution and habitat; begins "It inhabits a very wide range of habitats includ"It inhabits a very wide range of habitats including dry deciduous forest, humid evergreen forest, montane savanna, degraded forests, agricultural areas and even urban settings.View the SourcePipistrellus raceyi (Wikipedia)Home To: Pipistrellus raceyi, lead paragraph (habitat biome), EntityId 376751, target B268361Quote, Home To: Pipistrellus raceyi, lead paragraph (habitat biome), EntityId 376751, target B268361In the east, it is found in open areas and has been found roosting in a building; in the west it occurs in dry forest.View the SourceWikipedia: Fiji crested iguanaHome To: Fiji Crested Iguana, lead paragraph (habitat biome), EntityId 335864, target B268361Quote, Home To: Fiji Crested Iguana, lead paragraph (habitat biome), EntityId 335864, target B268361 The Fiji crested iguana or Fijian crested iguana (Brachylophus vitiensis) is a critically endangered species of iguana native to some of the northwestern islands of the Fijiian archipelago, where it is found in dry foreView the SourceSloth Bear (Wikipedia)tier 2Wikimedia FoundationHome To: Sloth Bear, Distribution and habitatQuote, Home To: Sloth Bear, Distribution and habitatIt occurs in a wide range of habitats including moist and dry tropical forests, savannahs, scrublands and grasslands below 1,500 m (4,900 ft) on the Indian subcontinent, and below 300 m (980 ft) in Sri Lanka's dry forests.View the SourceZamia integrifolia (Wikipedia)Home To: Coontie, Distribution and habitatQuote, Home To: Coontie, Distribution and habitatIn the Bahamas, Z. integrifolia is found in Bahamian pine forests and Bahamian dry forests on the Abaco Islands, where it is abundant, northern Andros, where it is common, Grand Bahama, where it is rare, and New Providence, where it is found in the few remaining unfragmented patches of pine forest.View the SourceGundlach's hawk (Wikipedia)Home To: Gundlach's hawk, Distribution and habitatQuote, Home To: Gundlach's hawk, Distribution and habitatIt does not have highly specialized habitat preferences needing only forests to conceal its hunting approaches Its natural habitats are dry forests and lowland moist forests.View the SourcePoinsettia (Wikipedia)Home To: Poinsettia, ConservationQuote, Home To: Poinsettia, ConservationThe tropical dry forests where wild poinsettias grow experience largely unregulated deforestation, resulting in habitat loss.View the SourceWikipedia: Phelsuma abbottitier 2WikipediaHome To: Aldabra Day Gecko, HabitatQuote, Home To: Aldabra Day Gecko, HabitatThe natural habitats of P. abbotti are subtropical or tropical dry forests, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtropical or tropical mangrove forests, subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, rural gardens, urban areas, and introduced vegetation.View the SourceBrachypelma hamorii (Wikipedia)Home To: Brachypelma Hamorii, Habitat: Tropical Dry ForestQuote, Home To: Brachypelma Hamorii, Habitat: Tropical Dry ForestThe natural habitat of the species is in hilly deciduous tropical forests.View the SourcePlants For A Future: Ceiba pentandraPlants For A FutureHome To: Kapok, HabitatsQuote, Home To: Kapok, HabitatsAn emergent tree in various types of moist evergreen and deciduous forests, including those subject to seasonal inundation, as well as in dry forests and gallery forests ... As a pioneer species, it mostly occurs in secondary forestsView the SourcePlants For A Future: Buchanania lanzanPlants For A FutureHome To: Buchanania lanzan, HabitatsQuote, Home To: Buchanania lanzan, HabitatsIn open and dry forests on poor soils ... Lowland forests in southern China at elevations of 100 - 900 metresView the SourcePlants For A Future: Enterolobium cyclocarpumPlants For A FutureHome To: Enterolobium cyclocarpum, HabitatsQuote, Home To: Enterolobium cyclocarpum, HabitatsA climax, dominant species in subtropical, dry forest zones, restricted to disturbed areas in wetter forest types ... Dry lowland forests and savannahs ... Dry hillsides and by streams, usually below elevations of 300 metres in Guatemala ... A tropical plant. It is native to tropical America. It grows in dry, lowland forest and savannah. It can tolerate drought. It has some salt tolerance.View the SourcePlants For A Future: Ilex paraguariensisPlants For A FutureHome To: Yerba mate, HabitatsQuote, Home To: Yerba mate, HabitatsGrows primarily in seasonally dry tropical forest regions. An understorey tree of mixed Araucaria forest.View the SourceAnimal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Lemur catta (Animal Diversity Web)Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of ZoologyHome To: Ring-tailed Lemur, Geographic RangeQuote, Home To: Ring-tailed Lemur, Geographic RangeThey prefer gallery forests, forests near and following the riverbanks, but can be found in dry scrub, montane humid forests, and deciduous forests.View the SourceGBIF: Solenodon paradoxusGBIFHome To: Hispaniolan Solenodon, Descriptions: biology_ecologyQuote, Home To: Hispaniolan Solenodon, Descriptions: biology_ecologyUsually good-quality forest in a variety of different primary tropical forest types, including dry, moist and wet broadleaf, and high-elevation pine forestsView the SourceGBIF: Hylobates abbottiGBIFHome To: Western Grey Gibbon, Descriptions: biology_ecologyQuote, Home To: Western Grey Gibbon, Descriptions: biology_ecologyPrimary and secondary semi-deciduous monsoon, dipterocarp, and tropical evergreen forest.View the SourceGBIF: Hylobates funereusGBIFHome To: Eastern Grey Gibbon, Descriptions: biology_ecologyQuote, Home To: Eastern Grey Gibbon, Descriptions: biology_ecologyPrimary and secondary semi-deciduous monsoon, dipterocarp, and tropical evergreen forest.View the SourceNatureServe Explorer: Moho braccatusNatureServe ExplorerHome To: Kauaʻi ʻōʻō, Habitat comments: dry lowland forestQuote, Home To: Kauaʻi ʻōʻō, Habitat comments: dry lowland forestdry lowland forestView the SourcePlants For A Future: Dalbergia melanoxylonPlants For A FutureHome To: Dalbergia melanoxylon, HabitatsQuote, Home To: Dalbergia melanoxylon, HabitatsIt is often found on dry, rocky sites but is most frequent in the mixed deciduous forests and savannahs of the coastal regionView the SourceTecoma stans (Wikipedia)Home To: Tecoma stans, Ecology tropical dryQuote, Home To: Tecoma stans, Ecology tropical dryIt thrives in a wide variety of ecosystems, from high altitude temperate forests and tropical deciduous and evergreen forests, to xerophilous scrub and the intertropical littoral.View the SourceSebastiania pavoniana (Wikipedia)Home To: Sebastiania pavoniana, DistributionQuote, Home To: Sebastiania pavoniana, DistributionIt is one of the most common trees of the Tropical dry broadleaf forest, especially in late-succession forests as it is shade-tolerant.View the SourceTake a Related QuizWorld Biomes in ExtremesCovers this kind of entry.Comments (0)No comments yet. 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