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Mongooses
A mongoose is a small terrestrial carnivorous mammal belonging to the Family (biology), family Herpestidae. This family has two subfamilies, the Herpestinae and the Mungotinae. The Herpestinae comprises 23 living species that are native to southern Europe, Africa and Asia, whereas the Mungotinae comprises 11 species native to Africa. The Herpestidae originated about in the Early Miocene and Genetic divergence, genetically diverged into two main genetic lineage, lineages between 19.1 and . There is a large introduced population on the islands of Hawaii. Mongoose diets are varied but consist of mainly insects, hatchlings, reptiles and birds. Etymology The name is derived from names used in India for ''Herpestes'' species: or in classical Hindi; in Marathi language, Marathi; in Telugu language, Telugu; , and in Kannada. The form of the English name (since 1698) was altered to its "-:wikt:goose, goose" ending by folk etymology. It was spelled "mungoose" in the 18th and 19t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Indian Gray Mongoose
The Indian grey mongoose or Asian grey mongoose (''Urva edwardsii'') is a mongoose species native to the Indian subcontinent and West Asia. It is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. The grey mongoose inhabits open forests, scrublands and cultivated fields, often close to human habitation. It lives in burrows, hedgerows and thickets, among groves of trees, and takes shelter under rocks or bushes and even in drains. It is bold and inquisitive but wary, seldom venturing far from cover. It is an excellent climber and usually lives singly or in pairs. Its prey includes rodents, snakes, birds’ eggs and hatchlings, lizards and a variety of invertebrates. Along the Chambal River it occasionally feeds on gharial eggs. It breeds throughout the year. Taxonomy ''Ichneumon edwardsii'' was the scientific name proposed by Étienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire in 1817. It was later classified in the genus '' Herpestes'', but all Asian mongooses are now classified in the genus '' Urva'' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Meerkat
The meerkat (''Suricata suricatta'') 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 , and the weight is typically between . 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. Meerkats are highly sociality, social, and form packs of two to 30 individuals each that occupy home ranges around in area. There is a social dominance hierarchy, hierarchy—generally Dominance (ethology), dominant individuals in a pack breed and produce offspring, and the nonbreeding, subordinate members provide Altruism (biology), altruistic care to the pups. Breeding occurs around the year, with peaks during heavy rainf ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Crossarchus
''Crossarchus'' is a mongoose genus, commonly referred to as kusimanse, often cusimanse, mangue, or dwarf mongoose. They are placed in the subfamily Mungotinae, which are small, highly social mongooses. Range and habitat Members of this genus are found in the swamplands and forests of central and western Africa, in the countries of Ghana, Ivory Coast, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. Species Diet 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 crab Around 1,300 species of freshwater crabs are distributed throughout the tropics and subtropics, divided among eight family (biology), families. They show direct development and maternal care of a small number of offspring, in contrast to marine c ...s. In most areas where members of ''Crossarchus'' live, they are the numerically dominant ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rhynchogale
Meller's mongoose (''Rhynchogale melleri'') is a small brown mongoose A mongoose is a small terrestrial carnivorous mammal belonging to the family Herpestidae. This family has two subfamilies, the Herpestinae and the Mungotinae. The Herpestinae comprises 23 living species that are native to southern Europe, A ... 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. Taxonomy The scientific name ''Rhinogale melleri'' was proposed by John Edward Gray in 1865 for a grey-brown mongoose zoological specimen collected in East Africa. It was placed in the genus ''Rhynchogale'' by Oldfield Thomas in 1894. Description Mel ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Suricata
''Suricata'' is a genus of mongoose that is endemic to Africa. The oldest species known is the extinct '' Suricata major'' that lived about 1.8 million years ago in South Africa. The only species alive is the meerkat The meerkat (''Suricata suricatta'') 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 ... (''Suricata suricatta''). References {{Taxonbar, from=Q19817113 Carnivoran genera Mammal genera with one living species Taxa named by Anselme Gaëtan Desmarest Mongooses ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Liberiictus
The Liberian mongoose (''Liberiictis kuhni'') 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. Description The Liberian mongoose has a primarily dark brown body, with a darker stripe on the neck and shoulders. This stripe is bordered by smaller stripes that are white. Compared with other mongoose species, the Liberian mongoose has rather long claws and an elongated snout with small teeth relative to the size of the skull. It has a bushy tapering tail, that is less than half of the length of the head and body. This is likely an adaptation of their specialized diet of earthworms. One of the few specimens ever seen alive was found in a burrow close to a termite nest. The animal's physical characteristics, and its preferred locality to insects, has led experts to suggest that the Liberian ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Helogale
''Helogale'' is a genus of the mongoose family (Herpestidae). It consists of two species and 12 subspecies In Taxonomy (biology), biological classification, subspecies (: subspecies) is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (Morphology (biology), morpholog ...: Extant Species The helogales are the smallest species of mongooses and both are endemic to Africa. The distribution of the Ethiopian dwarf mongoose is more tropical, and overlaps completely with that of the common dwarf mongoose, which is more widespread. Both are social diurnal species, and due to their small sizes they are vulnerable to predation. Both species live independently of open water. References * The Kingdon Field Guide to African Mammals, 1997, Jonathan Kingdon. * Anne Rasa: ''Mongoose Watch: A Family Observed'', 1985, John Murray. Mongooses Taxa named by John Edward Gray {{ca ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ichneumia
The white-tailed mongoose (''Ichneumia albicauda'') is a species in the mongoose family Herpestidae. It is the only member of the genus ''Ichneumia''. Taxonomy ''Herpestes albicaudus'' was the scientific name proposed by Georges Cuvier in 1829 for a mongoose specimen with a white tail from Senegal. The genus name ''Ichneumia'' was coined by Isidore Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire in 1837. Characteristics The white-tailed mongoose attains a weight range of , with an average of approximately , has a head-and-body length of and a tail length of . On average it appears to be the longest and heaviest extant species of mongoose, although its linear and body mass parameters broadly overlap with other larger mongoose species, in particular, the marsh mongoose seems to most closely rival (and possibly match) in range of body masses reported if not average weight. Its legs are relatively long for a mongoose. The head is long and narrow. Its large, rounded ears are set low on the sides of the he ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cynictis
The yellow mongoose (''Cynictis penicillata''), sometimes referred to as the red meerkat, is a member of the mongoose family. It averages about in weight and about in length. It lives in open country, semi-desert scrubland and grasslands in Angola, Botswana, South Africa, Namibia, and Zimbabwe. It is the only species in the genus ''Cynictis''. Taxonomy ''Herpestes penicillatus'' was the scientific name proposed by Georges Cuvier in 1829 for a mongoose specimen from the Cape. The generic name ''Cynictis'' was proposed by William Ogilby in 1833 for a specimen collected in Kaffraria. The yellow mongoose is the only member of the genus ''Cynictis''; 12 subspecies have been described, but their status is unclear. At least four subspecies have been recognised: * Grizzled yellow mongoose (''C. p. coombsi'') * Natal yellow mongoose (''C. p. natalensis'') * Southern yellow mongoose (''C. p. penicillata'') Characteristics In general, the yellow mongoose has lighter highlights on ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bdeogale
''Bdeogale'' is a mongoose genus that was proposed by Wilhelm Peters in 1850 based on a mongoose specimen collected in Mozambique. ''Bdeogale'' species have compact paws with four symmetrical toes, round ears and a blunt muzzle with a broad round and bare rhinarium. The genus contains four species that are primarily terrestrial and omnivore, omnivorous and forage in dense vegetation. Species References Bdeogale, Mongooses of Sub-Saharan Africa Taxa named by Wilhelm Peters {{carnivora-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Atilax
''Atilax'' is a genus of mongoose containing a single living species, the marsh mongoose ''(Atilax paludinosus)''. A single fossil species probably ancestral to the marsh mongoose is also known from South Africa. The generic name ''Atilax'' was introduced in 1826 by Frédéric Cuvier Georges-Frédéric Cuvier (; 28 June 1773 – 24 July 1838) was a French zoologist and paleontology, paleontologist. He was the younger brother of noted natural history, naturalist and zoologist Georges Cuvier. Career Frederic was the head keepe .... They are solitary, nocturnal, and semi-aquatic mammals that inhabits wetlands and feeds on fish, crustaceans, frogs, and small mammals. References Carnivoran genera Mammal genera with one living species Taxa named by Frédéric Cuvier Mongooses {{carnivora-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Slender Mongoose
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. Taxonomy The scientific name ''Herpestes sanguineus'' was proposed by Eduard Rüppell in 1835 who described a reddish mongoose observed in the Kordofan region. Description As the name suggests, the common slender mongoose has a lithe body of and a long tail of . Males weigh , while the smaller females weigh . 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 sub-Saharan Africa, where it is most common in the savannah and semiarid plains, but rarely re ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
