| Marsh mongoose | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Carnivora |
| Family: | Herpestidae |
| Subfamily: | Herpestinae |
| Genus: | Atilax |
| Species: | A. paludinosus |
| Binomial name | |
| Atilax paludinosus G. Cuvier, 1829 | |
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Themarsh mongoose (Atilax paludinosus), also calledwater mongoose,[1][2] is a medium-sizedmongoose species native tosub-Saharan Africa that inhabitsfreshwaterwetlands. It has been listed as aLeast-concern species on theIUCN Red List since 2008.[1]
Thegeneric nameAtilax was introduced in 1826 byFrédéric Cuvier.[3]In 1829,Georges Cuvier referred to a mongoose in themarshes of theCape Province using thescientific nameHerpestes paludinosus.[4]It is the only extant member of the genusAtilax,[5] although an extinct ancestral species from theEarly Pleistocene known asAtilax mesotes was also a member of the genus.[6]
The marsh mongoose'sfur is dark reddish brown to black with white and fawn colouredguard hairs. The hair behind the neck and in front of the back is short, but longer on the hind legs and on the tail. Its muzzle is short with a fawn coloured mouth, short whiskers and a nakedrhinarium. It has3.1.3.23.1.3.2 × 2 = 36 teeth. Its short ears are round. It has twonipples. Its feet have five flexible digits each with curvedclaws, but without any webbing. The soles of its feet are naked.[7]
Females measure 48.72 cm (19.18 in) in head-to-body length, and males 51.38 cm (20.23 in), with a 32.18–34.11 cm (12.67–13.43 in) long tail. In weight, adults range from 2.56 to 2.95 kg (5.6 to 6.5 lb). Both sexes have analglands in a pouch that produce a musky smelling secretion.[8]
Female marsh mongooses have 36chromosomes, and males 35, as oneY chromosome is translocated to anautosome.[9]
The marsh mongoose occurs across much of sub-Saharan Africa fromSenegal andThe Gambia toEthiopia, and throughout much ofCentral,Eastern and parts ofSouthern Africa.[1]It inhabits freshwaterwetlands,marshes andswamps along slow-moving rivers and streams, in forested, jungle andsavanna regions. It is occurs inriver deltas,estuarine andbrackish-water habitats in coastal areas.[7]It was likely introduced by humans toPemba Island in theZanzibar Archipelago.[10]
InGuinea'sNational Park of Upper Niger, it was recorded during surveys conducted in 1996 to 1997.[11]InGabon'sMoukalaba-Doudou National Park, it was recorded only in forested habitats during a two-month survey in 2012.[12]
In theEthiopian Highlands, it was recorded at an elevation of 3,950 m (12,960 ft) inBale Mountains National Park.[13]
The marsh mongoose is primarily asolitary species.[2]It is an excellent swimmer and can dive for up to 15 seconds, using its feet to paddle. On land, it usually trots slowly, but can also move fast.[14]Radio-collared marsh mongooses inKwaZulu-Natal were active from shortly after sunset until after midnight showing acrepuscular activity pattern.[15]A radio-collared male marsh mongoose inDzanga-Sangha Special Reserve was most active during early mornings and late evenings, but rested by day in burrows situated in dry areas above water and mud in a dense cover of high grasses andclimbing plants.[16]
Feeding behaviour of eight captive marsh mongooses was studied in 1984. When the mongooses sighted prey in the water, they swam or walked towards it, used their digits to seek it out, but kept their heads above water. Once located, they grabbed it with the mouth and killed it outside the water. They killedrodents andfrogs by biting them in the head, and occasionally also shook them. When finished eating, they wiped their mouths with the forefeet. They broke eggs by throwing them backwards between the legs.[2]Scat of marsh mongooses collected aroundLake St Lucia contained foremost remains ofcrustaceans,amphibians,insects andfish. Marsh mongooses were observed while carryingmudcrabs (Scylla serrata) ashore. They removed thechelipeds and opened thesternum to feed on the body contents.[17]They deposit scat at specificlatrine sites located on low shrubs, on rocks or sand well away from the water edge. Scat of marsh mongoose collected in a rocky coastal habitat contained remains ofsandhoppers, shore crab (Cyclograpsus punctatus), pink-lipped topshell (Oxystele sinensis) andTropidophora snails.[18]Research in southeasternNigeria revealed that the marsh mongoose has anomnivorous diet. It feeds on rodents likegiant pouched rats (Cricetomys),Temminck's mouse (Mus musculoides),Tullberg's soft-furred mouse (Praomys tulbergi),grass frogs (Ptychadena),crowned bullfrog (Hoplobatrachus occipitalis), herald snake (Crotaphopeltis hotamboeia),mudskippers (Periophthalmus), insects such asspiders andColeoptera,snails and slugs,Bivalvia,Decapoda as well as fruits, berries and seeds.[19]
After agestation of 69 to 80 days, females give birth to a litter of two to three young, which are fully furred. Their eyes open between the 9th and 14th day, pupils are bluish at first and change to brown at the age of three weeks. Theirear canal opens between the 17th and 28th day. Females startweaning their offspring earliest on the 30th day, and young are fully weaned by the age of two months.[20]
In 2006, it was estimated that about 950 marsh mongooses are hunted annually in theCameroon part of theCross–Sanaga–Bioko coastal forests.[21]
