Serval gorse
| Serval gorse | ||||||||||||
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Serval genet ( Genetta servalina ) |
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Genetta servalina | ||||||||||||
| Pucheran , 1855 |
The serval gorse cat or forest gorse cat ( Genetta servalina ) is a species of predator from the crawling cat family (genus genus genus ). It lives in parts of West, Central and East Africa, where it mainly inhabits rainforests and other forest and bush landscapes. The species is considered harmless.
features
The fur is gray to ocher in color and has large black spots. A dark, interrupted line of eel runs down the middle of the back. The top three rows of spots are relatively even, downwards the spots become smaller and are more irregularly distributed. The neck and face are hardly spotted, the face wears a black mask between white spots arranged in pairs. The tail has 8–12 narrow, light ringlets, which alternate with significantly wider dark stripes, the tip of the tail is light. The head-trunk length is 49–51 cm in males, 44.5–49.5 cm in females . The latter weigh 2-3 kg.
Distribution and habitats
The distribution area of the serval genet stretches across southern Cameroon , the Central African Republic , Equatorial Guinea , Gabon , Republic of the Congo , Democratic Republic of the Congo , South Sudan , Uganda , Rwanda , Kenya and probably Burundi . In Tanzania there are isolated occurrences in the Udzungwa Mountains (belonging to the Eastern Arc Mountains ) , Uluguru Mountains and the South Nguru Mountains , the species also lives on Zanzibar . The altitude range extends from the lowlands to 3500 meters on Mount Kenya and possibly more than 4,400 meters in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo . Depending on the region, different woody and forest types (both primary and secondary forests ) as well as tree savannas and rainforests serve as habitats .
Way of life
Serval gorse cats regularly feed on small mammals and arthropods (arthropods, e.g. insects ). Also reptiles and amphibians and to a lesser extent birds and fruits were detected as food. Hunting takes place on the ground or in the lower wooded regions. The animals are probably nocturnal.
Danger
Due to the wide distribution and occurrence in different habitats, the IUCN classifies the serval gorse as harmless ("least concern"). Regional declines due to forest losses and hunting ( bushmeat , gorse cat skins ) are possible, however.
Taxonomy
Five subspecies of the Serval gorse are currently generally recognized:
- Genetta servalina archeri Van Rompaey & Colyn , 1998 - Zanzibar
- Genetta servalina bettoni Thomas , 1902 - Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda and (South) Sudan
- Genetta servalina lowei Kingdon , 1977 - Southern Tanzania
- Genetta servalina schwarzi Crawford-Cabral , 1970 - Republic of the Congo
- Genetta servalina servalina Pucheran , 1855 - ( nominate form ) Cameroon, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon
The crested gorse cat ( Genetta cristata ) has long been regarded as a subspecies of the serval gorse cat, but according to DNA studies it has now been regarded as an independent species. Both types are sister taxa .
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d e J. Jennings AP & G. Veron (2009): Family Viverridae. In: DE Wilson. & RA Mittermeier (Eds.) Handbook of the Mammals of the World. Volume 1: Carnivores. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.
- ↑ a b c H. van Rompaey, P. Gaubert, D. De Luca, F. Rovero & M. Hoffmann (2008). Genetta servalina. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2 . Retrieved January 8, 2012
- ↑ Philippe Gaubert, Carlos A. Fernandes, Michael W. Bruford, G. Veron: Genets (Carnivora, Viverridae) in Africa: an evolutionary synthesis based on cytochrome b sequences and morphological characters. In: Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 81 (4), 2004. doi : 10.1111 / j.1095-8312.2004.00309.x , pp. 317-334.
Web links
- Genetta servalina in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2008. Posted by: H. Van Rompaey, P. Gaubert, D. De Luca, F. Rovero, M. Hoffmann, 2008. Accessed January 9, 2012 Design.