African civet: Difference between revisions

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| subdivision_ranks = Subspecies
| subdivision=
''C. c. civetta'' <small>(Schreber, 1776)</small><br />
''C. c. congica'' <small>[[Ángel Cabrera (naturalist)|Cabrera]], 1929</small><br />
''C. c. schwarzi'' <small>Cabrera, 1929</small><br />
''C. c. australis'' <small>Lundholm, 1955</small><br />
''C. c. volkmanni'' <small>Lundholm, 1955</small><br />
''C. c. pauli'' <small>Kock, Künzel and Rayaleh, 2000</small>
}}
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===Evolution===
A 2006 [[phylogenetic]] study showed that the African civet is closely related to the genus ''[[Viverra]]''. It was estimated that the ''Civettictis''-''Viverra'' [[clade]] diverged from ''[[Viverricula]]'' around 16.2 [[Mya (unit)|Mya]]; the African civet split from ''Viverra'' 12.3 Mya. The authors suggested that the [[subfamily]] Viverrinae should be bifurcated into Genettinae (''[[Poiana (genus)|Poiana]]'' and ''[[Genetta]]'') and Viverrinae (''Civettictis'', ''Viverra,'' and ''[[Viverricula]]''). The following cladogram is based on this study.<ref name="Gaubert2006">{{cite journal|last1=Gaubert|first1=P.|last2=Cordeiro-Estrela|first2=P.|title=Phylogenetic systematics and tempo of evolution of the Viverrinae (Mammalia, Carnivora, Viverridae) within feliformians: implications for faunal exchanges between Asia and Africa|journal=[[Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution]]|date=2006|volume=41|issue=2|pages=266–78|doi=10.1016/j.ympev.2006.05.034|url=http://uahost.uantwerpen.be/funmorph/raoul/fylsyst/gaubert2006.pdf|pmid=16837215|bibcode=2006MolPE..41..266G |access-date=2016-04-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161004185817/http://uahost.uantwerpen.be/funmorph/raoul/fylsyst/gaubert2006.pdf|archive-date=2016-10-04|url-status=dead}} {{open access}}</ref>
 
{{clade| style=font-size:90%; line-height:100%
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===Local and indigenous names===
*In [[Tigrinya language|Tigrinya]]: {{lang|ti|ዝባድ}} (''zibad'')<ref name= "Aerts2019">{{cite book |last1=Aerts |first1=R. |chapter=Forest and woodland vegetation in the highlands of Dogu’a Tembien |editor1=Nyssen J. |editor2=Jacob, M. |editor3=Frankl, A. |title=Geo-trekking in Ethiopia's Tropical Mountains: The Dogu'a Tembien District |date=2019 |publisher=Springer International Publishing |isbn=9783030049546 }}</ref>
*In [[Akan language|Akan]]: {{lang|ak|kankane}}
*In [[Yoruba language|Yoruba]]: {{lang|yo|Ẹtà}}, {{lang|yo|àgútà}}
*In [[Igbo language|Igbo]]: {{lang|ig|Edi}}<ref>{{Cite web|title=List of Animal Names in Igbo Language|url=https://www.igbostudy.com/blog/list-of-animal-names-in-igbo-language|access-date=2021-10-11|website=Igbostudy|date=25 August 2020 |language=en-US}}</ref>
 
==Characteristics==
{{multiple image |align= right |direction = vertical |image1 = Description iconographique comparée du squelette et du système dentaire des mammifères récents et fossiles (Civettictis civetta skull).jpg |caption1 = Skull |image2 = Description iconographique comparée du squelette et du système dentaire des mammifères récents et fossiles (Civettictis civetta).jpg |caption2 = Skeleton |image 3=AfricanCivet.jpg |caption3=Drawing of an African civet}}
{{multiple image
| align = right
| direction = vertical
| image1 = Description iconographique comparée du squelette et du système dentaire des mammifères récents et fossiles (Civettictis civetta skull).jpg
| caption1 = Skull
| image2 = Description iconographique comparée du squelette et du système dentaire des mammifères récents et fossiles (Civettictis civetta).jpg
| caption2 = Skeleton
}}
 
[[Image:AfricanCivet.jpg|thumb|Drawing of an African civet]]
The African civet has a coarse and wiry [[fur]] that varies in colour from white to creamy yellow to reddish on the back. The stripes, spots, and blotches are deep brown to black. Horizontal lines are prominent on the hind limbs, spots are normally present on its midsection and fade into vertical stripes above the forelimbs. Its muzzle is pointed, ears small and rounded. A black band stretches across its small eyes, and two black bands are around its short broad neck. Following the spine of the animal extending from the neck to the base of the tail is the erectile [[Dorsum (anatomy)|dorsal]] crest. The hairs of the erectile crest are longer than those of the rest of the pelage.<ref name=Ray/>
 
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[[File:African civet.jpg|right|thumb|Head of African civet]]
African civets typically sleep during the day in the tall grasses near water sources in central and southern Africa. It often inhabits savannahs, forests, and sometimes near rivers as the tall grasses and thickets present provide them with necessary cover during the day.<ref name= Ray /> In [[Guinea]]'s [[National Park of Upper Niger]], it was recorded during surveys conducted in 1996 to 1997.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Ziegler |first1=S. |last2=Nikolaus |first2=G. |last3=Hutterer |first3=R. |date=2002 |title=High mammalian diversity in the newly established National Park of Upper Niger, Republic of Guinea |journal=Oryx |volume=36 |issue=1 |pages=73–80 |doi=10.1017/S003060530200011X |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/231894098|doi-access=free }}</ref>
In [[Gabon]]’s's [[Moukalaba-Doudou National Park]], it was photographed close to forested areas during a survey in 2012.<ref>{{cite journal |author=Nakashima, Y. |year=2015 |title=Inventorying medium-and large-sized mammals in the African lowland rainforest using camera trapping |journal=Tropics |volume=23 |issue=4 |pages=151–164 |doi=10.3759/tropics.23.151|doi-access=free }}</ref>
In [[Batéké Plateau National Park]], it was recorded in [[gallery forest]] along the [[Mpassa River]] during surveys conducted between June 2014 and May 2015.<ref>{{cite journal |author1=Hedwig, D. |author2=Kienast, I. |author3=Bonnet, M. |author4=Curran, B. K. |author5=Courage, A. |author6=Boesch, C. |author7=Kühl, H. S. |author8=King, T. |year= 2018 |title=A camera trap assessment of the forest mammal community within the transitional savannah‐forestsavannah-forest mosaic of the Batéké Plateau National Park, Gabon |journal=African Journal of Ecology |volume=56 |issue=4 |pages=777–790 |doi=10.1111/aje.12497|doi-access=free |bibcode=2018AfJEc..56..777H }}</ref>
 
In the [[Republic of Congo]], it was recorded in the [[Western Congolian forest–savanna mosaic]] of [[Odzala-Kokoua National Park]] during surveys in 2007.<ref>{{cite journal |author1=Henschel, P. |author2=Malanda, G.A. |author3=Hunter, L. |year=2014 |title=The status of savanna carnivores in the Odzala-Kokoua National Park, northern Republic of Congo |journal=Journal of Mammalogy |volume=95 |issue=4 |pages=882–892 |doi=10.1644/13-MAMM-A-306|doi-access=free }}</ref>
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==Behaviour and ecology==
African civets deposit their [[feces]] in large piles called [[Latrine (animal)|latrines]], or specifically "civetries".<ref name=Ewer1974 /><ref>{{cite journal |author1=Bearder, S. K. |author2=Randall, R. M. |title=Use of fecal marking sites by Spotted Hyenas and Civets |journal=Carnivore |pages=32–48 |year=1978}}</ref> The latrines are characterized by fruits, seeds, [[exoskeleton]]s of insect and millipede rings, and occasionally clumps of grass.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Mullu |first1=D. |last2=Balakrishnan |first2=M. |date=2014 |title=Ecology of African Civet (''Civettictis civetta'') in Arba Minch Forest, Arba Minch, Ethiopia |journal=Science, Technology and Arts Research Journal |volume=3 |issue=3 |pages=99–102 |url=https://www.ajol.info/index.php/star/article/view/109826|doi=10.4314/star.v3i3.16 |doi-access=free }}</ref> The role of civet latrines as a mechanism of seed dispersal and forest regeneration is still being researched.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Abiyu |first1=A. |last2=Teketay |first2=D. |last3=Glatzel |first3=G. |last4=Gratzer |first4=G. |date=2015 |title=Tree seed dispersal by African civets in the Afromontane Highlands: too long a latrine to be effective for tree population dynamics |journal=African Journal of Ecology |volume=53 |issue=4 |pages=588–591 |doi=10.1111/aje.12198|bibcode=2015AfJEc..53..588A }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |author=Engel, T. R. |year=2000 |title=Seed dispersal and forest regeneration in a tropical lowland biocoenosis (Shimba Hills, Kenya |publisher=Logos Verlag }}</ref> Like [[Felid|felids]], male African civets [[scent mark]] by spraying [[urine]] backwards.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ewer |first=R. F. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IETMd3-lSlkC&q=Civettictis&pg=PA239 |title=The Carnivores |date=1998 |publisher=Cornell University Press |isbn=978-0-8014-8493-3 |language=en}}</ref>
 
African civets are typically solitary creatures. They use their perineal gland secretion to mark their territories around their civetries. These markings typically follow common routes and paths and lie within 100 meters of civetries 96.72% of the time.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Mullu|first1=D.|last2=Balakrishnan|first2=M.|date=2014-11-17|title=Ecology of African Civet (Civettictis civetta) in Arba Minch Forest, Arba Minch, Ethiopia|url=https://www.ajol.info/index.php/star/article/view/109826|journal=Science, Technology and Arts Research Journal|language=en|volume=3|issue=3|pages=99–102|doi=10.4314/star.v3i3.16|issn=2305-3372|doi-access=free}}</ref>
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=== Feeding ===
Research in southeastern Nigeria revealed that the African civet has an [[omnivorous]] diet. It feeds on [[rodents]] like [[giant pouched rat]]s (''Cricetomys''), [[Temminck's mouse]] (''Mus musculoides''), [[Tullberg's soft-furred mouse]] (''Praomys tulbergi''), [[greater cane rat]] (''Thryonomys swinderianus''), and [[typical striped grass mouse]] (''Lemniscomys striatus''), [[amphibian]]s and small [[reptile]]s like [[Hallowell's toad]] (''Amietophrynus maculatus''), herald snake (''[[Crotaphopeltis hotamboeia]]''), [[black-necked spitting cobra]] (''Naja nigricollis''), [[common agama]] (''Agama agama''), and ''[[Mabuya]]'' skinks, insects[[bird]]s, [[millipede]]s, and [[insect]]s such as [[Orthoptera]], [[Coleoptera]], and [[Blattodea]], as well as carrion, eggs, fruits (such as ''[[Strychnos]]''), berries and seeds.<ref>{{cite journal |author1=Angelici, F. M. |year=2000 |title=Food habits and resource partitioning of carnivores (Herpestidae, Viverridae) in the rainforests of southeastern Nigeria: preliminary results |journal=Revue d'Écologie (La Terre et la Vie) |volume=55 |pages=67–76 |doi=10.3406/revec.2000.2314 |s2cid=55589137 |url=http://documents.irevues.inist.fr/bitstream/handle/2042/55398/RevuedEcologie_2000_55_1_67.pdf?sequence=1 |access-date=2018-11-24 |archive-date=2017-08-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170817165645/http://documents.irevues.inist.fr/bitstream/handle/2042/55398/RevuedEcologie_2000_55_1_67.pdf?sequence=1 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Civettictis_civetta/ | title=Civettictis civetta (African civet) | website=[[Animal Diversity Web]] }}</ref>
African civets can take prey as large as [[hare]]s but can be somewhat clumsy killers with sizable prey.<ref name= Ray /> Stomach content of three African civets in Botswana included foremost husks of fan palm (''[[Hyphaene petersiana]]'') and jackalberry (''[[Diospyros mespiliformis]]''), and some remains of [[African red toad]] (''Schismaderma carens''), [[Acrididae]] grasshoppers and larvae of [[Dytiscidae]] beetles.<ref name=Smithers1971>{{cite book |last=Smithers |first=R. H. N. |year=1971 |title=The Mammals of Botswana |publisher=University of Pretoria |location=Pretoria |chapter=''Viverra civetta'' |pages=162−163}}</ref>
 
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==Threats==
In 2006, it was estimated that about 9,400 African civets are hunted yearly in the Nigerian part and more than 5,800 in the Cameroon part of the [[Cross-Sanaga-Bioko coastal forests]].<ref>{{cite journal |author1=Fa, J. E. |author2=Seymour, S. |author3=Dupain, J. E. F. |author4=Amin, R. |author5=Albrechtsen, L. |author6=Macdonald, D. |year=2006 |title=Getting to grips with the magnitude of exploitation: bushmeat in the Cross–Sanaga rivers region, Nigeria and Cameroon |journal=Biological Conservation |volume=129 |issue=4 |pages=497–510 |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/223445717|doi=10.1016/j.biocon.2005.11.031 |bibcode=2006BCons.129..497F }}</ref>
Skins and skulls of African civets were found in 2007 at the [[Dantokpa Market]] in southern Benin, where it was among the most expensive small carnivores. Local hunters considered it a rare species, indicating that the population declined due to hunting for trade as [[bushmeat]].<ref>{{cite journal |author1=Djagoun, C. A. M. S. |author2=Gaubert, P. |year=2009 |title=Small carnivorans from southern Benin: a preliminary assessment of diversity and hunting pressure |journal=Small Carnivore Conservation |issue=40 |pages=1–10 |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228762921}}</ref>
 
The African civet has historically been hunted for the secretion of perineal [[Scent gland|gland]]s. This secretion is a white or yellow waxy substance called [[Civet (perfumery)|civetone]], which has been used as a basic ingredient for many [[perfumes]] for hundreds of years.<ref name=Ray/> In Ethiopia, African civets are hunted alive, and are kept in small cages. Most die within three weeks after capture, most likely due to stress. Extraction of the civetone is cruel and has been criticised by animal rights activists.<ref>{{cite journal |author1=Daniel, W. O. |author2=Bekele, A. F. |author3=Balakrishnan, M. |author4=Belay, G. U. |year=2011 |title=Collection of African Civet ''Civettictis civetta'' perineal gland secretion from naturally scent-marked sites |journal=Small Carnivore Conservation |volume=44 |pages=14–18 |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/265194851}}</ref> The writer [[Daniel Defoe]] once invested in a scheme to raise civets in captivity for their secretions.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://daily.jstor.org/the-strange-case-of-daniel-defoes-civet-scheme/|title=The Strange Case of Daniel Defoe's Civet Scheme|first=Matthew|last=Wills|date=4 September 2019|website=JSTOR Daily}}</ref>
 
The population of African civet in [[Botswana]] is listed under Appendix III of the [[Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora]] (CITES).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cites.org/eng/app/appendices.php|title=Appendices I, II and III|publisher=Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora|access-date=22 May 2023|date=21 May 2023}}</ref>
 
==References==
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[[Category:Mammals described in 1776]]
[[Category:Mammals of Uganda]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Johann Christian Daniel von Schreber]]