Servaline genet

Species of carnivore

Servaline genet
Conservation status

Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Suborder: Feliformia
Family: Viverridae
Genus: Genetta
Species:
G. servalina
Binomial name
Genetta servalina
Pucheran, 1855
Servaline genet range

The servaline genet (Genetta servalina) is a genet species native to Central Africa. As it is widely distributed and considered common, it is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.[1]

Characteristics

The servaline genet's fur is rufous with black spots on neck, back and sides. Its feet are black. Its long tail is banded with wide black and narrow white rings.[2] It is short-haired and has a dark broken stripe along the spine. The tip of its tail is bright.[3]

Measurements of male museum specimens range from 490 to 510 mm (19 to 20 in) in head and body with a 450 to 465 mm (17.7 to 18.3 in) long tail. Females range from 445 to 495 mm (17.5 to 19.5 in) in head and body with a 368 to 485 mm (14.5 to 19.1 in) long tail.[4]

Distribution and habitat

The Servaline genet is distributed from the Sanaga River in Cameroon southwards to the Congo Basin and eastwards to Uganda and Tanzania.[5] In the Republic of Congo, it was recorded by camera-traps in the Western Congolian forest–savanna mosaic of Odzala-Kokoua National Park during surveys in 2007.[6]

In Tanzania's Udzungwa Mountains, a Lowe's servaline genet was recorded in 2000 and photographed in 2002 for the first time. In 2005, camera trap records were also obtained in the Uluguru and Nguru ranges at altitudes of 950–1,400 m (3,120–4,590 ft). It is thought possible that it also occurs in other parts of the Eastern Arc Mountains.[7]

The Zanzibar servaline genet is endemic to Unguja Island, Zanzibar, and became known to science in 1995 when a specimen was killed close to the Jozani forest.[8] Several individuals were recorded by camera traps for the first time in January 2003 in the Jozani-Chwaka Bay National Park.[9]

Taxonomy

The servaline genet was first described by Jacques Pucheran in 1855.[2] Five subspecies are recognised:[10]

  • G. s. servalina, the nominate subspecies
  • G. s. bettoni (Thomas, 1902)
  • G. s. schwarzi (Crawford-Cabral, 1970)
  • Lowe's servaline genet (G. s. lowei) (Kingdon, 1977) was described on the basis of a single skin collected in 1932 in the Udzungwa Mountains, Tanzania.[7]
  • Zanzibar servaline genet (G. s. archeri) (Van Rompaey and Colyn, 1998)[8]

The crested servaline genet (G. cristata) was also considered to be a subspecies of the servaline genet, but is now generally regarded as a distinct species.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c Gaubert, P.; De Luca, D.W.; Rovero, F. & Do Linh San, E. (2016). "Genetta servalina". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T41700A97163789. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. ^ a b Pucheran, J. (1855). Genetta servalina. Revue et magasin de zoologie pure et appliquée: 154.
  3. ^ Gaubert, P., Taylor, P. J., & Veron, G. (2005). Integrative taxonomy and phylogenetic systematics of the genets (Carnivora, Viverridae, Genetta): a new classification of the most speciose carnivoran genus in Africa. In: Huber, B. A., Sinclair, B. J., Lampe, K.-H. (eds.) African Biodiversity: Molecules, Organisms, Ecosystems. Proceedings of the 5th International Symposium of Tropical Biology, Museum König, Bonn. Springer. Pp. 371–383.
  4. ^ Van Rompaey, H. and Colyn, M. (2013). Genetta servalina Servaline Genet. In: J. Kingdon and M. Hoffmann (eds.) The Mammals of Africa. V. Carnivores, Pangolins, Equids and Rhinoceroses, pp. 242–245. Bloomsbury, London, UK.
  5. ^ Gaubert, P.; Papeş, M.; Peterson, A.T. (2006). "Natural history collections and the conservation of poorly known taxa: Ecological niche modeling in central African rainforest genets (Genetta spp.)". Biological Conservation. 130: 106–117. doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2005.12.006.
  6. ^ Henschel, P.; Malanda, G.A.; Hunter, L. (2014). "The status of savanna carnivores in the Odzala-Kokoua National Park, northern Republic of Congo". Journal of Mammalogy. 95 (4): 882–892. doi:10.1644/13-MAMM-A-306.
  7. ^ a b Rovero, F.; Doggart, N.; Bowkett, A. & Burgess, N. (2006). "Conservation News: New Records for Lowe's Servaline Genet from the Eastern Arc Mountains of Tanzania". Oryx. 40 (2): 139. doi:10.1017/S0030605306000688.
  8. ^ a b Van Rompaey, H.; Colyn, M. (1998). "A new servaline genet (Carnivora, Viverridae) from Zanzibar island". South African Journal of Zoology. 33 (1): 42–46. doi:10.1080/02541858.1998.11448452.
  9. ^ Goldman, H. V. & Winther-Hansen, J. (2003). "The Small Carnivores of Unguja: Results of a Photo-trapping Survey in Jozani Forest Reserve, Zanzibar, Tanzania" (PDF). Retrieved 2007-01-11.
  10. ^ 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. p. 557. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.
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Extant Carnivora species
Feliformia ("cat-like" carnivorans)
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Prionodon (Asiatic linsangs)
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Felidae (cats)
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lineage
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lineage
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Prionailurus
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Felis
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Viverroidea
    • see below↓
Hemigalinae
  • Owston's palm civet (Chrotogale owstoni)
  • Otter civet (Cynogale bennettii)
  • Hose's palm civet (Diplogale hosei)
  • Banded palm civet (Hemigalus derbyanus)
Paradoxurinae
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  • Sulawesi palm civet (Macrogalidia musschenbroekii)
  • Masked palm civet (Paguma larvata)
Paradoxurus
  • Asian palm civet (P. hermaphroditus)
  • Brown palm civet (P. jerdoni)
  • Golden palm civet (P. zeylonensis)

Viverrinae
sensu lato
Viverrinae
sensu stricto
  • Small Indian civet (Viverricula indica)
  • African civet (Civettictis civetta)
Viverra
  • Malabar large-spotted civet (V. civettina)
  • Large-spotted civet (V. megaspila)
  • Malayan civet (V. tangalunga)
  • Large Indian civet (V. zibetha)
Genettinae
Poiana
(African linsangs)
  • Central African oyan (P. richardsonii)
  • West African oyan (P. leightoni)
Genetta
(genets)
  • Abyssinian genet (G. abyssinica)
  • Angolan genet (G. angolensis)
  • Bourlon's genet (G. bourloni)
  • Crested servaline genet (G. cristata)
  • Common genet (G. genetta)
  • Johnston's genet (G. johnstoni)
  • Letaba genet (G. letabae)
  • Rusty-spotted genet (G. maculata)
  • Pardine genet (G. pardina)
  • Aquatic genet (G. piscivora)
  • King genet (G. poensis)
  • Servaline genet (G. servalina)
  • Hausa genet (G. thierryi)
  • Cape genet (G. tigrina)
  • Giant forest genet (G. victoriae)
  • South African small-spotted genet (G. felina)
Herpestoidea
    • see below↓
Hyaenidae
(hyenas)
Proteles
  • Aardwolf (P. cristata)
Hyaeninae
(bone-crushing hyenas)
  • Striped hyena (Hyaena hyaena)
  • Brown hyena (Parahyaena brunnea)
Crocuta
  • Spotted hyena (C. crocuta)
Herpestidae sensu lato
Eupleridae
(Malagasy
carnivorans)
Euplerinae
  • Fossa (Cryptoprocta ferox)
  • Malagasy civet (Fossa fossana)
Eupleres
  • Eastern falanouc (E. goudotii)
  • Western falanouc (E. major)
Galidiinae
  • Ring-tailed vontsira (Galidia elegans)
Galidictis
  • Broad-striped Malagasy mongoose (G. fasciata)
  • Grandidier's mongoose (G. grandidieri)
  • Narrow-striped mongoose (Mungotictis decemlineata)
Salanoia
  • Brown-tailed mongoose (S. concolor)
  • Durrell's vontsira (S. durrelli)
Herpestidae
sensu stricto

(mongooses)
Mungotinae
Suricata
  • Meerkat (S. suricatta)
  • Liberian mongoose (Liberiictus kuhni)
Mungos
  • Gambian mongoose (M. gambianus)
  • Banded mongoose (M. mungo)
  • Pousargues's mongoose (Dologale dybowskii)
Helogale
  • Ethiopian dwarf mongoose (H. hirtula)
  • Common dwarf mongoose (H. parvula)
Crossarchus
  • Alexander's kusimanse (C. alexandri)
  • Angolan kusimanse (C. ansorgei)
  • Common kusimanse (C. obscurus)
  • Flat-headed kusimanse (C. platycephalus)
Herpestinae
  • Marsh mongoose (Atilax paludinosus)
  • Long-nosed mongoose (Xenogale naso)
Urva
  • Small Indian mongoose (U. auropunctata)
  • Short-tailed mongoose (U. brachyura)
  • Indian grey mongoose (U. edwardsii)
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  • Javan mongoose (U. javanica)
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  • Ruddy mongoose (U. smithii)
  • Crab-eating mongoose (U. urva)
  • Stripe-necked mongoose (U. vitticolla)
  • White-tailed mongoose (Ichneumia albicauda)
  • Yellow mongoose (Cynictis penicillata)
  • Selous's mongoose (Paracynictis selousi)
  • Meller's mongoose (Rhynchogale melleri)
Bdeogale
  • Bushy-tailed mongoose (B. crassicauda)
  • Jackson's mongoose (B. jacksoni)
  • Black-footed mongoose (B. nigripes)
Herpestes
  • Angolan slender mongoose (H. flavescens)
  • Egyptian mongoose (H. ichneumon)
  • Somalian slender mongoose (H. ochracea)
  • Cape gray mongoose (H. pulverulenta)
  • Common slender mongoose (H. sanguinea)
Caniformia ("dog-like" carnivorans)
Canidae (dogs)
Urocyon
  • Gray fox (U. cinereoargenteus)
  • Island fox (U. littoralis)
Vulpini
  • Bat-eared fox (Otocyon megalotis)
Nyctereutes
  • Common raccoon dog (N. procyonoides)
  • Japanese raccoon dog (N. viverrinus)
Vulpes
(foxes)
  • Bengal fox (V. bengalensis)
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  • Corsac fox (V. corsac)
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  • Swift fox (V. velox)
  • Red fox (V. vulpes)
  • Fennec fox (V. zerda)
Canini
(true dogs)
Cerdocyonina
(zorro)
  • Maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus)
Speothos
  • Bush dog (S. venaticus)
  • Short-eared dog (Atelocynus microtis)
  • Crab-eating fox (Cerdocyon thous)
Lycalopex
  • Culpeo (L. culpaeus)
  • Darwin's fox (L. fulvipes)
  • South American gray fox (L. griseus)
  • Pampas fox (L. gymnocercus)
  • Sechuran fox (L. sechurae)
  • Hoary fox (L. vetulus)
Canina
(wolf-like canids)
Lupulella
  • Side-striped jackal (L. adustus)
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  • African wild dog (Lycaon pictus)
  • Dhole (Cuon alpinus)
Canis
  • Golden jackal (C. aureus)
  • Domestic dog (C. familiaris)
  • Coyote (C. latrans)
  • African wolf (C. lupaster)
  • Wolf (C. lupus)
  • Eastern wolf (C. lycaon)
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  • Ethiopian wolf (C. simensis)
Ursidae
(bears)
Ailuropoda
  • Giant panda (A. melanoleuca)
Tremarctos
  • Spectacled bear (T. ornatus)
Ursinae
  • Sloth bear (Melursus ursinus)
  • Sun bear (Helarctos malayanus)
Ursus
  • American black bear (U. americanus)
  • Asian black bear (U. thibetanus)
  • Brown bear (U. arctos)
  • Polar bear (U. maritimus)
Mustelida
Pinnipedia (seals)
    • see below↓
Musteloidea
    • see below↓
Pinnipedia (seals)
Odobenidae
  • Walrus (Odobenus rosmarus)

Otariidae
(eared seals:
fur seals,
sea lions)
Callorhinus
  • Northern fur seal (C. ursinus)
Otariinae
  • Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus)
Zalophus
  • California sea lion (Z. californianus)
  • Galápagos sea lion (Z. wollebaeki)
  • South American sea lion (Otaria flavescens)
Neophoca
  • Australian sea lion (N. cinerea)
  • New Zealand sea lion (Phocarctos hookeri)
Arctocephalus
  • South American fur seal (A. australis)
  • Australasian fur seal (A. forsteri)
  • Galápagos fur seal (A. galapagoensis)
  • Antarctic fur seal (A. gazella)
  • Juan Fernández fur seal (A. philippii)
  • Brown fur seal (A. pusillus)
  • Guadalupe fur seal (A. townsendi)
  • Subantarctic fur seal (A. tropicalis)
Phocidae
(earless seals
or true seals)
Phocinae
("northern seals")
  • Bearded seal (Erignathus barbatus)
  • Hooded seal (Cystophora cristata)
Phocini
  • Harp seal (Pagophilus groenlandicus)
  • Ribbon seal (Histriophoca fasciata)
  • Grey seal (Halichoerus grypus)
Phoca
  • Spotted seal (P. largha)
  • Harbor seal (P. vitulina)
Pusa
  • Caspian seal (P. caspica)
  • Ringed seal (P. hispida)
  • Baikal seal (P. sibirica)
Monachinae
("southern seals")
Monachini
(monk seals)
  • Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus)
Neomonachus
  • Hawaiian monk seal (N. schauinslandi)
Mirounga
(elephant seals)
  • Northern elephant seal (M. angustirostris)
  • Southern elephant seal (M. leonina)
Lobodontini
(Antarctic seals)
  • Leopard seal (Hydrurga leptonyx)
  • Weddell seal (Leptonychotes weddellii)
  • Crabeater seal (Lobodon carcinophagus)
  • Ross seal (Ommatophoca rossi)
Ailuridae
  • Red panda (Ailurus fulgens)
Mephitidae
(skunks)
Conepatus
(hog-nosed skunks)
  • Molina's hog-nosed skunk (C. chinga)
  • Humboldt's hog-nosed skunk (C. humboldtii)
  • American hog-nosed skunk (C. leuconotus)
  • Striped hog-nosed skunk (C. semistriatus)
Mephitis
  • Hooded skunk (M. macroura)
  • Striped skunk (M. mephitis)
Mydaus
(stink badgers)
  • Sunda stink badger (M. javanensis)
  • Palawan stink badger (M. marchei)
Spilogale
(spotted skunks)
  • Southern spotted skunk (S. angustifrons)
  • Western spotted skunk (S. gracilis)
  • Eastern spotted skunk (S. putorius)
  • Pygmy spotted skunk (S. pygmaea)
Procyonidae
  • Kinkajou (Potos flavus)
Bassariscus
  • Ringtail (B. astutus)
  • Cacomistle (B. sumichrasti)
Procyon
(raccoons)
  • Crab-eating raccoon (P. cancrivorus)
  • Raccoon (P. lotor)
  • Cozumel raccoon (P. pygmaeus)
Bassaricyon
(olingos)
  • Eastern lowland olingo (B. alleni)
  • Northern olingo (B. gabbii)
  • Western lowland olingo (B. medius)
  • Olinguito (B. neblina)
Nasuina
(coatis)
Nasua
  • South American coati (N. nasua)
  • White-nosed coati (N. narica)
Nasuella
  • Eastern mountain coati (N. meridensis)
  • Western mountain coati (N. olivacea)
Mustelidae
    • see below↓
  • American badger (Taxidea taxus)
Mellivora
  • Honey badger (M. capensis)
Melinae
(Eurasian badgers)
Arctonyx
  • Northern hog badger (A. albogularis)
  • Greater hog badger (A. collaris)
  • Sumatran hog badger (A. hoevenii)
Meles
  • Japanese badger (M. anakuma)
  • Caucasian badger (M. canescens)
  • Asian badger (M. leucurus)
  • European badger (M. meles)
Melogale
(ferret-badgers)
  • Vietnam ferret-badger (M. cucphuongensis)
  • Bornean ferret badger (M. everetti)
  • Chinese ferret-badger (M. moschata)
  • Javan ferret-badger (M. orientalis)
  • Burmese ferret-badger (M. personata)
  • Formosan ferret-badger (M. subaurantiaca)
Guloninae
  • Tayra (Eira barbara)
Pekania
  • Fisher (P. pennanti)
Gulo
  • Wolverine (G. gulo)
Martes
(martens)
  • American marten (M. americana)
  • Pacific marten (M. caurina)
  • Yellow-throated marten (M. flavigula)
  • Beech marten (M. foina)
  • Nilgiri marten (M. gwatkinsii)
  • European pine marten (M. martes)
  • Japanese marten (M. melampus)
  • Sable (M. zibellina)
Ictonychinae
Lyncodontini
  • Patagonian weasel (Lyncodon patagonicus)
Galictis
(grisons)
  • Lesser grison (G. cuja)
  • Greater grison (G. vittata)
Ictonychini
(African polecats)
Vormela
  • Marbled polecat (V. peregusna)
  • African striped weasel (Poecilogale albinucha)
Ictonyx
  • Saharan striped polecat (I. libycus)
  • Striped polecat (I. striatus)
Lutrinae
(otters)
  • Giant otter (Pteronura brasiliensis)
Lontra
  • North American river otter (L. canadensis)
  • Marine otter (L. felina)
  • Neotropical otter (L. longicaudis)
  • Southern river otter (L. provocax)
Enhydra
  • Sea otter (E. lutris)
  • Spotted-necked otter (Hydrictis maculicollis)
Lutra
  • Eurasian otter (L. lutra)
  • Hairy-nosed otter (L. sumatrana)
Lutrogale
  • Smooth-coated otter (L. perspicillata)
Aonyx
  • African clawless otter (A. capensis)
  • Asian small-clawed otter (A. cinereus)
  • Congo clawless otter (A. congicus)
Mustelinae
Neogale
  • Amazon weasel (N. africana)
  • Colombian weasel (N. felipei)
  • Long-tailed weasel (N. frenata)
  • American mink (N. vison)
Mustela
(weasels)
  • Sichuan weasel (M. aistoodonnivalis)
  • Mountain weasel (M. altaica)
  • Stoat/Beringian ermine (M. erminea)
  • Steppe polecat (M. eversmannii)
  • Ferret (M. furo)
  • Haida ermine (M. haidarum)
  • Japanese weasel (M. itatsi)
  • Yellow-bellied weasel (M. kathiah)
  • European mink (M. lutreola)
  • Indonesian mountain weasel (M. lutreolina)
  • Black-footed ferret (M. nigripes)
  • Least weasel (M. nivalis)
  • Malayan weasel (M. nudipes)
  • European polecat (M. putorius)
  • American ermine (M. richardsonii)
  • Siberian weasel (M. sibirica)
  • Back-striped weasel (M. strigidorsa)
Taxon identifiers
Genetta servalina