Common slender mongoose
Common slender mongoose | |
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Common slender mongoose in Serengeti National Park | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Carnivora |
Suborder: | Feliformia |
Family: | Herpestidae |
Genus: | Herpestes |
Species: | H. sanguineus
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Binomial name | |
Herpestes sanguineus (Rüppell, 1835)
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Slender mongoose range | |
Synonyms | |
Galerella sanguinea |
The common slender mongoose (Herpestes sanguineus), also known as the black-tipped mongoose or the black-tailed mongoose, is a very common mongoose species native to sub-Saharan Africa.[2]
Taxonomy
The scientific name Herpestes sanguineus was proposed by Eduard Rüppell in 1835 who described a reddish mongoose observed in the Kordofan region.[3]
Description
As the name suggests, the common slender mongoose has a lithe body of 27.5–40 cm (10.8–15.7 in) and a long tail of 23–33 cm (9.1–13.0 in). Males weigh 640–715 g (22.6–25.2 oz), while the smaller females weigh 460–575 g (16.2–20.3 oz).
The color of their fur varies widely between subspecies, from a dark reddish-brown to an orange red, grey, or even golden yellow, but these mongooses can be distinguished from other mongooses due to the prominent black or red tip on their tails. They also have silkier fur than the other African members of their family.
Distribution and habitat
The common slender mongoose occurs throughout
Behavior and ecology
This section needs additional citations for verification. (July 2023) |
The common slender mongoose generally lives either alone or in pairs. It is primarily
Reproduction
A male's range includes the ranges of several females, and scent cues inform him when the female is in heat. The gestation period is believed to be 60 to 70 days, and most pregnancies result in one to three young. The male does not help care for them. Unusually, for a solitary species, in the Kalahari Desert the males are philopatric whereas the females disperse.[4]
Feeding
The common slender mongoose is primarily
Common slender mongooses are more adept at climbing trees than other mongooses, often hunting birds there. White browed-sparrow weavers, crimson breasted shrikes, and glossy starlings are considered common prey.[5]
Diet often changes during seasons where certain sources of food become less available. Insects are more likely to be consumed in during wet-months whereas larger prey is consumed during dry-months.[5] This adaptability aids the slender common mongoose's ability to survive when changes in habitat occur.
Conservation
The common slender mongoose has been targeted by extermination efforts in the past, due to its potential to be a
References
- ^ a b c Do Linh San, E.; Maddock, A.H. (2016). "Herpestes sanguineus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T41606A45206143. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
- OCLC 62265494.
- ^ Rüppell, E. (1835). "Herpestes sanguineus. Rüppell". Neue Wirbelthiere zu der Fauna von Abyssinien gehörig. Frankfurt am Main: S. Schmerber. pp. 27–28.
- S2CID 53176210.
- ^ a b Webb, Katelynn. "Galerella sanguinea (slender mongoose)". Animal Diversity Web. Retrieved 2023-07-10.