Fanaloka
| Fanaloka | ||||||||||||
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Fanaloka ( fossa fossana ) |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name of the genus | ||||||||||||
| Fossa | ||||||||||||
| JE Gray , 1864 | ||||||||||||
| Scientific name of the species | ||||||||||||
| Fossa fossana | ||||||||||||
| ( Statius Müller , 1776) |
The Fanaloka ( Fossa fossana ) is an endemic species of predator native to Madagascar that resembles a gorse cat in shape .
features
Fanalokas reach a head body length of 40 to 45 centimeters, in addition there is a 22 to 26 centimeter long tail. Males reach a weight of 1.5 to 1.9 kilograms, while females are slightly lighter with 1.3 to 1.75 kilograms. They are roughly the size of a house cat , but are much lighter than this. They have a stocky body with short, rather thin legs. The head is characterized by the elongated, fox-like snout, the ears are rounded.
The fur of the Fanalokas is gray-brown, sometimes colored with a slight reddish tint, with the underside being lighter. Two black stripes extend on the back, these are flanked by several rows of black, stripe-shaped dots on the sides. There are irregular black spots on the thighs. The tail is bushy and has some black rings.
distribution and habitat
Fanalokas live on the east coast of Madagascar, their habitat is predominantly rainforests , only on the northern tip of their home island do they also occur in drier deciduous forests . They often stay near bodies of water. They live in areas from sea level up to 1600 meters above sea level, but above 1000 meters above sea level they are much rarer.
Lifestyle and diet
Fanalokas are nocturnal, for example they use hollow tree trunks or crevices as resting places. They usually stay on the ground, but they can also climb well. They live together in pairs that live in a fixed area of 0.07 to 0.5 km². The boundaries of the area are marked with glandular secretions.
The animals are predominantly carnivores that feed on crustaceans , worms , insects , frogs and small mammals such as rodents and tenreks . The diet varies seasonally: in the rainy season they mainly prey on crustaceans, reptiles and amphibians, in the dry season more mammals. Their tail serves as a fat store: in the more nutritious rainy season they can store fat there and thus increase their weight by up to 25% in order to survive times of lack of food. There is no evidence of rigidity or hibernation during the dry season.
Reproduction and development
Mating is seasonal and occurs in August or September. After a gestation period of around 80 to 90 days, the female usually gives birth to a single young. Newborns weigh around 100 grams and flee the nest , they have open eyes and can walk after three days. They start eating solid food after around a month and are weaned at around two to three months. They leave their parents' territory when they are around one year old.
threat
The IUCN lists the Fanaloka as “ near threatened ”, despite decreasing numbers . The main reason for the declining population is the progressive destruction of their habitat through forest clearing. In addition, it is sometimes hunted, stray dogs and the competition of the introduced small Indian civet cat are also responsible for the decline in the population.
In Europe Fanalokas are only kept in Bratton Fleming and the Neunkirchen Zoological Garden .
Systematics and naming
The Fanaloka was traditionally counted among the crawling cats . According to more recent genetic studies, however, it is incorporated into a newly established group, the Malagasy predators (Eupleridae). These investigations showed that all of Madagascar's predators - which were previously run in different families - descended from a common, mongoose-like ancestor who crossed the Strait of Mozambique in the late Oligocene or early Miocene (around 24 to 18 million years ago) . The closest relatives of the Fanaloka are the Falanuk and the Fossa , with which it forms the subfamily of the Euplerinae.
Fanaloka's genus scientific name, Fossa , is sometimes confused with the Fossa , another Malagasy predator. Confusions that occurred at the beginning are probably responsible for this designation, which cannot be changed due to the rules of the International Commission of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN).
literature
- Ronald M. Nowak: Walker's Mammals of the World. The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore 1999, ISBN 0-8018-5789-9 .
- Don E. Wilson, Russell A. Mittermeier (Eds.): Handbook of the Mammals of the World. Volume 1: Carnivores. Lynx Edicions, 2009, ISBN 978-84-96553-49-1 .
- Nick Garbutt: Mammals of Madagascar. A Complete Guide. Yale University Press, New Haven & London 2007, ISBN 978-0-300-12550-4
Web links
- Photos and information on Arkive.org (English)
- Fossa fossana onthe IUCN Red List of Endangered Species . Retrieved June 21, 2009.
• https://zootierliste.de/?klasse=1&ordnung=115&familie=11505&art=21102723