Pojanas
| Pojanas | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Central African Linsang ( Poiana richardsonii ) |
||||||||||||
| Systematics | ||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Poiana | ||||||||||||
| Gray , 1864 |
The Pojanas or African Linsangs ( Poiana ) are a genus of predators from the family of the stealthy cats (Viverridae). It was named after the island of Fernando Poo (now Bioko ) in the Gulf of Guinea .
description
Pojanas have an elongated body with short limbs. Their fur is dark yellow to gray-brown on the upper side and has stripe-shaped, black dots. The underside is lighter, almost whitish. The tail, which is almost as long as the body, is provided with black ringlets. The head is characterized by the pointed snout and rounded ears. In contrast to the closely related Asian linsangs , they have perianal glands that secrete a musky secretion. Pojanas reach a head body length of around 38 centimeters, a tail length of around 37 centimeters and a weight of 500 to 700 grams.
distribution and habitat
Pojanas are native to Africa, their distribution area extends from Sierra Leone to the north of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and also includes the island of Bioko . Their habitat is forests, primarily rainforests.
Way of life
Pojanas are nocturnal animals. During the day they sleep in self-made, round nests in the trees, which are sometimes shared by several animals. As a rule, however, they should live solitary. They are omnivores, their diet includes insects and small vertebrates such as young birds, but also kola nuts , fruits and other vegetable material.
Little is known about reproduction, the female gives birth to two to three young animals once or twice a year.
Systematics and types
There are two types:
- West African Linsang ( Poiana leightoni ) lives in West Africa ( Sierra Leone to Ivory Coast ) and is considered the rarer of the two species.
- Central African Linsang ( Poiana richardsonii ) is common in Central Africa ( Cameroon to DR Congo ).
The status of P. leightoni is not fully understood, sometimes it is considered a subspecies of P. richardsonii .
literature
- Ronald M. Nowak: Walker's Mammals of the World . Johns Hopkins University Press, 1999 ISBN 0801857899
