Crossarchus | |
---|---|
Common kusimanse (C. obscurus) | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Carnivora |
Suborder: | Feliformia |
Family: | Herpestidae |
Subfamily: | Mungotinae |
Genus: | Crossarchus Cuvier, 1825 |
Type species | |
Crossarchus obscurus Cuvier, 1825 | |
Species | |
Crossarchus alexandri Contents | |
Ranges of the four Crossarchus species C. obscurus C. platycephalus C. alexandri C. ansorgei |
Crossarchus is a mongoose genus, commonly referred to as kusimanse, often cusimanse, [1] [2] mangue, or dwarf mongoose. They are placed in the subfamily Mungotinae, [3] which are small, highly social mongooses. [1]
Members of this genus are found in the swamplands and forests of central and western Africa, in the countries of Ghana, [1] Ivory Coast, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. [4]
Image | Scientific name | Common Name | Distribution |
---|---|---|---|
Crossarchus alexandri | Alexander's kusimanse | Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda | |
Crossarchus ansorgei | Angolan kusimanse | Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola | |
Crossarchus obscurus | Common kusimanse | Ghana, Ivory Coast, Benin, Liberia, and Sierra Leone | |
Crossarchus platycephalus | Flat-headed kusimanse | Benin, Cameroon and Nigeria | |
They feed on insects, larvae, small reptiles, crabs and berries. They use their claws and snouts for digging in leaf litter, under rotted trees and stones for the insects and larvae. They will also wade into shallow streams looking for freshwater crabs.
In most areas where members of Crossarchus live, they are the numerically dominant members of the forest carnivore community. [2]
Females are polyestrous and if not mated will come into heat nine times in a year. Litters range from 2-3 per year. The young can open their eyes in about twelve days, eating solid food in three weeks and have adult hair in five weeks.
Crossarchus live in groups of 10 to 24. One to three families live in a group. The families are made up of the mating pair and the young. They are diurnal, and will wander throughout their territories constantly, never staying in one place too long. In their wanderings they will create temporary shelters for themselves. As they do not occupy permanent den sites, the young are not able to keep up with the group for several weeks and must be carried to different foraging spots. Individuals in the group take turns carrying the young from place to place and also help feed them. [1]
Since the sociable kusimanses do not live in open habitat, they maintain contact in the dense rainforest understory by giving constant whistling calls while traveling. [1]
They are known in French as Mangouste brune and in German as Dunkelkusimanse.[ citation needed ]
The meerkat or suricate is a small mongoose found in southern Africa. It is characterised by a broad head, large eyes, a pointed snout, long legs, a thin tapering tail, and a brindled coat pattern. The head-and-body length is around 24–35 cm (9.4–13.8 in), and the weight is typically between 0.62 and 0.97 kg. The coat is light grey to yellowish-brown with alternate, poorly-defined light and dark bands on the back. Meerkats have foreclaws adapted for digging and have the ability to thermoregulate to survive in their harsh, dry habitat. Three subspecies are recognised.
Nasua is a genus of coatis of the family Procyonidae. Two additional species of coatis, commonly known as mountain coatis, are placed in the genus Nasuella.
The fossa is a slender, long-tailed, cat-like mammal that is endemic to Madagascar. It is a member of Eupleridae, the family of carnivorans, and closely related to the Malagasy civet.
The marsh mongoose, also known as the water mongoose or the vansire, is a medium-sized mongoose native to sub-Saharan Africa that inhabits foremost freshwater wetlands. It has been listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List since 2008.
The banded mongoose is a mongoose species native from the Sahel to Southern Africa. It lives in savannas, open forests and grasslands and feeds primarily on beetles and millipedes. Mongooses use various types of dens for shelter including termite mounds. While most mongoose species live solitary lives, the banded mongoose live in colonies with a complex social structure.
The common kusimanse, also known as the long-nosed kusimanse or simply kusimanse, is a small, diurnal member of the Mungotinae.
The crab-eating mongoose is a mongoose species ranging from the northeastern Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia to southern China and Taiwan. It is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Alexander's kusimanse is a mongoose species native to Central African rainforests up to an elevation of 2,900 m (9,500 ft).
Jackson's mongoose is a mongoose species native to montane forests in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. It appears to be rare and has been classified as Near Threatened since 2008.
The flat-headed kusimanse is a mongoose species endemic to West African rainforests. It is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List since 2008.
Pousargues's mongoose, also known as the African tropical savannah mongoose, is a mongoose native to Central Africa. It is listed as data deficient on the IUCN Red List as little is known about its distribution and ecology. It is the only species in the genus Dologale.
The common dwarf mongoose is a mongoose species native to Angola, northern Namibia, KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, Zambia and East Africa. It is part of the genus Helogale, along with the Ethiopian dwarf mongoose.
The Javan mongoose is a mongoose species native to Southeast Asia.
The long-nosed mongoose is a mongoose native to Central African wetlands and rainforests. It has been listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List since 1996. Although formerly classified in Herpestes, more recent studies indicate that it belongs in the monotypic genus Xenogale.
The white-tailed mongoose is a species in the mongoose family Herpestidae. It is the only member of the genus Ichneumia.
The Liberian mongoose is a mongoose species native to Liberia and Ivory Coast. It is the only member of the genus Liberiictis. Phylogenetic analysis shows it is closely related to other small, social mongooses and that the banded mongoose is its closest relative.
Meller's mongoose is a small brown mongoose native to savannas and woodlands of southeastern Africa. It is the only member of the genus Rhynchogale. The Meller's mongoose lives alone and is active at night, feeding on termites or other small insects and animals. While somewhat rare, it is adaptable and faces no serious threats. It is a member of the mongoose family (Herpestidae), a group of fox-like animals native to Asia, southern Europe, and Africa.
The narrow-striped mongoose or narrow-striped vontsira is a member of the family Eupleridae endemic to Madagascar. It inhabits the western Madagascar succulent woodlands and northern Madagascar spiny thickets in western and southwestern Madagascar, where it lives from sea level to about 125 m (410 ft) between the Tsiribihina and Mangoky rivers. In Malagasy it is called bokiboky. It is the only species in genus Mungotictis.
Feliformia is a suborder within the order Carnivora consisting of "cat-like" carnivorans, including cats, hyenas, mongooses, viverrids, and related taxa. Feliformia stands in contrast to the other suborder of Carnivora, Caniformia.
Coquerel's coua is a species of cuckoo in the family Cuculidae. It is endemic to Madagascar. Its habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forests. It was named in 1867 by the French naturalist Alfred Grandidier in honor of the French navy surgeon and naturalist Charles Coquerel.