Servaline genet

Serval genet ( Genetta servalina )

The Serval genet or forest genet ( Genetta servalina ) is a predatory species from the family of mongooses ( genus genets ). She lives in parts of West, Central and East Africa, where she and other forest and bush landscapes inhabited mainly rain forests. The species is not endangered.

Features

The coat is gray to ocher and has large black spots on. A dark, broken dorsal stripe runs along the center back. The top three spot series are rather evenly down the spots are small and are distributed irregularly. Neck and face are hardly spotted, his face wearing a black mask between paired white spots. The tail has 8-12 narrow, bright stripes, alternating with much wider dark stripes, the tail tip is bright is the head -body length in males 49-51 cm, females from 44.5 to 49.5 cm. The latter weigh 2-3 kg.

Distribution and habitats

The distribution of Serval genet extends over southern Cameroon, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan, Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya and Burundi presumably. In Tanzania, isolated deposits are located in the ( to the Eastern Arc Mountains counting ) Udzungwa Mountains, Uluguru Mountains and the South Nguru Mountains, also in Zanzibar lives the kind, the altitudinal distribution extends from the lowlands up to 3,500 meters on Mount Kenya and possibly more than 4400 meters in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. As habitats are different in every region of woodland and forest types ( both primary and secondary forests ) and tree savannas and rainforests.

Way of life

Serval genets eat regularly of small mammals and arthropods ( arthropods, such as insects). Even reptiles and amphibians and to a lesser extent birds and fruits were detected as food. The hunt takes place on the ground or in the lower wooded regions. The animals are probably nocturnal.

Endangering

Because of the wide distribution and occurrence in different habitats, the IUCN classified the Serval genet as a uncritical ( " least concern "). Regional declines by deforestation and hunting ( bushmeat, skins ), however, are possible.

Taxonomy

Currently five subspecies of Serval genet are generally recognized:

  • Genetta servalina archeri Van Rompaey & Colyn, 1998 - Zanzibar
  • Genetta servalina bettoni Thomas, 1902 - Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda and (South ) Sudan
  • Genetta servalina lowei Kingdon, 1977 - Southern Tanzania
  • Genetta servalina schwarzi Crawford - Cabral, 1970 - Republic of Congo
  • Genetta servalina servalina Pucheran, 1855 - ( nominate ) Cameroon, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon

The Hood genet ( Genetta cristata ) has long been considered a subspecies of Serval genet, but now viewed by DNA testing as an independent species. Both species are be sister.

Jacques Pucheran Genet (animal) Primitive markings#Dorsal stripe Digital Object Identifier
365650
de