| Rusty-spotted cat | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Carnivora |
| Family: | Felidae |
| Genus: | Prionailurus |
| Species: | P. rubiginosus[1] |
| Binomial name | |
| Prionailurus rubiginosus[1] (Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1834) | |
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range of the rusty-spotted cat in 2016[2] | |
Therusty-spotted cat (Prionailurus rubiginosus) is one of thecat family's smallest members. It is native toIndia,Nepal andSri Lanka. Since 2016, it has been listed asNear Threatened on theIUCN Red List as the global population is affected by loss and destruction of its prime habitat,deciduous forests.
Felis rubiginosa was thescientific name used byIsidore Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire in 1831 for a rusty-spotted cat specimen fromPondicherry, India.[3]Prionailurus was proposed byNikolai Severtzov in 1858 as ageneric name.[4]Prionailurus rubiginosus phillipsi was proposed byReginald Innes Pocock in 1939 who described a specimen from theCentral Province, Sri Lanka and subordinated both to the genusPrionailurus.[5]
Phylogenetic analysis of thenuclear DNA in tissue samples from all Felidae species revealed that theevolutionary radiation of the Felidae began in Asia in theMiocene around14.45 to 8.38 million years ago.[6][7] Analysis ofmitochondrial DNA of all Felidae species indicates a radiation at around16.76 to 6.46 million years ago.[8]
ThePrionailurus species are estimated to have had acommon ancestor between8.16 to 4.53 million years ago,[6] and8.76 to 0.73 million years ago.[8] The rusty-spotted cat possiblygenetically diverged from this ancestor between6.54 to 3.42 million years ago.[6] Both models agree in the rusty-spotted cat having been the first cat of thislineage that diverged, followed by theflat-headed cat (P. planiceps) and thefishing cat (P. viverrinus).[6][8] The followingcladogram shows the phylogenetic relationships of the rusty-spotted cat as derived through analysis of nuclear DNA:[6][7]
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The rusty-spotted cat has a short reddish grey fur over most of the body with rusty spots on the back and flanks. Four blackish lines run over the eyes, and two of them extend over the neck. Six dark streaks are on each side of the head, extending over the cheeks and forehead. Its chin, throat, inner side of the limbs and belly are whitish with tiny brownish spots. It has a rusty band on the chest. Its paws and tail are uniform reddish grey.[3]
It is the smallest wild cat inAsia and rivals theblack-footed cat as the world's smallest wild cat. It is 35 to 48 cm (14 to 19 in) in length, with a 15 to 30 cm (5.9 to 11.8 in) tail, and weighs only 0.9 to 1.6 kg (2.0 to 3.5 lb). The bushy tail is about half the length of the body.[9]
The distribution of the rusty-spotted cat is relatively restricted. It occurs mainly inmoist anddry deciduous forests as well as scrub andgrassland, but is likely absent inevergreen forest.[10] It prefers dense vegetation and rocky areas.[11][12]
In India, it was long thought to be confined to the south, but records have established that it occurs over much of the country.[10] It was observed in easternGujarat'sGir National Park, inMaharashtra'sTadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve and along India'sEastern Ghats.[12][13][14][15][16]Camera trapping revealed its presence inPilibhit Tiger Reserve in the IndianTerai and inNagzira Wildlife Sanctuary in Maharashtra.[17][18] In western Maharashtra, the rusty-spotted cat is breeding in a human dominated agricultural landscape, where rodent densities are high.[19] In December 2014 and in April 2015, it was photographed by camera traps in theKalesar National Park ofHaryana.[20] It was also recorded by camera traps inMirzapur Forest Division ofUttar Pradesh in 2018.[21]
In March 2012, a rusty-spotted cat was photographed inBardia National Park for the first time, and in March 2016 also inShuklaphanta National Park, both in Nepal.[22][23]
In Sri Lanka, there are a few records in montane and lowlandrainforest. There are two distinct populations, one in thedry zone and the other in the wet zone.[24]In 2016, it was recorded for the first time inHorton Plains National Park at elevations of 2,084–2,162 m (6,837–7,093 ft).[25]
Very little is known about the ecology and behaviour of the rusty-spotted cat in the wild. Captive ones are mostlynocturnal but also briefly active during the day.[9] Most wild ones were also recorded after dark. At Horton Plain National Park in Sri Lanka, they were mostly recorded between sunset and sunrise, with limited daytime activity.[25] Several individuals were observed hiding in trees and in caves.[26][27][28]
It feeds mainly onrodents andbirds, but also preys onlizards,frogs, andinsects. It hunts primarily on the ground, making rapid, darting movements to catch its prey. It apparently ventures into trees to escape larger predators. Captive females and males bothscent-mark their home range byspraying urine.[9]
The female'soestrus lasts five days, and mating is unusually brief. Since the female is likely to be vulnerable during this period, its brevity may be an adaptation to help it avoid larger predators. She prepares a den in a secluded location, and after agestation of 65–70 days gives birth to one or two kittens. At birth, the kittens weigh just 60 to 77 g (2.1 to 2.7 oz), and are marked with rows of black spots. They reach sexual maturity at around 68 weeks, by which time they have developed the distinctive adult coat pattern of rusty blotches. Rusty-spotted cats have lived for twelve years in captivity; their lifespan in the wild is unknown.[9]
Habitat loss and the spread of cultivation are serious problems for wildlife in both India and Sri Lanka. Although there are several records of the rusty-spotted cat in cultivated and settled areas, it is not known to what degree these populations are able to persist in such areas. There have been occasional reports of rusty-spotted cat skins in trade.[10] In some areas, it is hunted for food or as a livestock pest.[9]
The Indian population is listed onCITES Appendix I. The Sri Lankan population is included onCITES Appendix II. The species is fully protected over most of its range, with hunting and trade banned in India and Sri Lanka.[2]
As of 2010, the captive population ofP. r. phillipsi comprised 56 individuals in eight institutions, of which 11 individuals were kept in theColombo Zoo in Sri Lanka and 45 individuals in seven European zoos.[29]
