Namaqua slender mongoose

Namaqua slender mongoose
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 2.3) [1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Carnivora
Suborder:	Feliformia
Family:	Herpestidae
Genus:	Herpestes
Species:	H. sanguineus
Subspecies:	H. s. swalius
Trinomial name
Herpestes sanguineus swalius Thomas, 1926

The Namaqua slender mongoose (Herpestes sanguineus swalius), also known as the Namibian slender mongoose, is a subspecies of the common slender mongoose that is endemic to Namibia. It was originally considered separate from the common slender mongoose and thought to be a distinct species. However, further analysis found that the characteristics were not distinguishable as a separate species, and it was classified as a sub-species of the common slender mongoose.

Taxonomy

Namibian slender mongoose is a subspecies of the common slender mongoose in the mongoose family Herpestidae. ^{[2] [3]} It was originally described as Herpestes cauui swalius by British zoologist Oldfield Thomas in 1926 and considered to be separate from the common slender mongoose on the basis and color and skull shape. It was provisionally placed under Herpestes sanguineus with the consideration of a possibility to be a distinct species. ^[4] Further analysis revealed that the characters used to distinguish them were non-distinguishable to classify them as a separate species,, and they were continued to classify as a sub-species of the common slender mongoose. ^{[5] [6]}

Distribution and habitat

Namaqua slender mongoose is endemic to Namibia. ^[1] It is classified as Least Concern in the IUCN Red List. ^[1]

Morphology and behavior

Slender mongoose is a small mongoose with an elongated body, long tail and short limbs. The head is small with an elongated snout, small eyes, and ears closer to the side of the head. The fur is light brown or grey in color with alternating dark black or brown rings across the body. The tail has coarser hair. There are a pair of anal glands, situated on each side of the anus. It has sharp claws on each of the feet, which are webbed. ^[7]

References

1. Mustelid Specialist Group (1996). "Galerella swalius". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 1996. Retrieved 15 April 2008.{{cite iucn}}: old-form url (help)
2. Wozencraft, W. C. (2005). "Order Carnivora". In Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M. (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 532–628. ISBN   978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC   62265494.
3. "Herpestes sanguineus swalius". Animal diversity. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
4. Watson, J. P.; Dippenaar, N. J. (1987). "The species limits of Galerella sanguinea (Ruppell, 1836), G. pulverulenta (Wagner, 1839) and G. nigrata (Thomas, 1928) in southern Africa (Carnivora: Viverridae)". Navorsinge van die Nasionale Museum.
5. Taylor, M.E.; Goldman, C.A. (1993). "The taxonomic status of the African mongooses, Herpestes sanguineus, H. nigratus, H. pulverulentus and H. ochraceus (Carnivora : Viverridae)" . Mammalia. 57 (3). doi:10.1515/mamm.1993.57.3.375. ISSN   0025-1461.
6. "Herpestes Sanguineus". Catalogue of Life. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
7. Kingdon, Jonathan (2013). Mammals of Africa. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 315. ISBN   978-1-408-12257-0.