Cephalophus harveyi, Thomas, 1893

Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2011, Bovidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 2 Hoofed Mammals, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 444-779 : 730

263.

Harvey's Duiker

Cephalophus harveyi

French: Céphalophe de Harvey / German: Harvey-Rotducker / Spanish: Duiker de Harvey

Taxonomy. Cephalophus harveyi Thomas, 1893 ,

Kilimanjaro.

The species status of C. harvey : has been debated frequently; it is sometimes considered to be a subspecies of C. natalensis , but is treated as a full species here. Monotypic.

Distribution. S Somalia and C & E Kenya through Tanzania to N Zambia and Malawi; an isolated population from C Ethiopia has been tentatively identified as C. harvey.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 85-95 cm, tail 8-11 cm, shoulder height 38.5-47 cm; weight 9.4-13. 6 kg. Harvey's Duiker is generally larger than the Natal Red Duiker ( C. natalensis ). The coat is a rich rufous-chestnut color with paler underparts; the overall coloration is brighter and deeper than that of the Natal Red Duiker. There is no dorsalstripe, although the back may be slightly darker than the rest of the body. The legs tend to be dark gray or brownish-black, but there is considerable variation in the degree of darkening, even among individuals in the same region. A dark patch at the back of the head may extend down the neck as far as the shoulders in some individuals (especially those from southern parts of the species’ range). The face is generally reddish, with a distinctly dark brown or blackish blaze from the nose to the top of the head. The forehead is usually black. The muzzle, including the lower lip and chin, is black; the rest of the underside of the jaw is white. The ears are white-lined and tipped with black. The coronal tuft of Harvey's Duiker is darker than in the Natal Red Duiker; the middle of the crest is typically black and the sides reddish. Horns are present in both sexes; they are 6-9 cm long in males and shorter in females (no measurements are available). The bases of the horns are ringed and are very thick; horn length may be only 2-5 times the basal circumference. Dental formula is 10/3, C0/1, P 3/3, M 3/3 (x2) = 32.

Habitat. Forests with dense vegetation, including coastal thickets, secondary forests, riverine galleries, and montane forests. Harvey's Duikeris present from sea level to elevations above 2400 m. Densities in the Udzungwa Mountains, Tanzania are 2-07-13-32 ind/km?. Based on camera-trapping rates, this species prefers habitats with a high diversity of small plant stems (less than 5 cm in diameter) and low visibility.

Food and Feeding. Anecdotal evidence suggests a diet of fruits, blossoms, and leaves. One stomach examined from northern Malawi contained green moss, fruits of Diospyros whyteana, Olinia usambarensis, and Uapaca kirkiana, dry leaves of Podocarpus milan-Jianus, and Kiggelaria africana , and buds of Protea sp. Harvey’s Duikers have been observed standing on their hindlegs to reach hanging lichens.

Breeding. Harvey's Duiker breeds year-round in northern Malawi. Reproductive habits are presumably similar to the Natal Red Duiker.

Activity patterns. Diurnal. Of 42 camera-trapping observations of Harvey's Duiker in the Udzungwa Mountains, Tanzania, 71% were during daylight (07:00-18:00 h); another 21% were during the periods of dawn and dusk (06:00-07:00 h and 18:00-19:00 h). In northern Malawi, two distinct periods of activity (early morning and late afternoon) have been observed; at these times, individuals are often seen foraging in open areas adjacentto forest.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Generally solitary. A pair of Harvey's Duikers observed foraging together in Tanzania used soft barks as contact calls.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. The total population has been estimated conservatively at 20,000 individuals. Harvey’s Duiker is common in several protected areas. Principal threats include hunting (both with dogs and snares) and habitat loss, especially in coastal forests. Montane populations are affected by deforestation and human settlement.

Bibliography. Bowkett et al. (2008), Cordeiro et al. (2005), Grubb & Groves (2001), IUCN/SSC Antelope Specialist Group (2008c), Kingdon (1982, 1997), Lydekker (1914), Rovero & Marshall (2009), Rovero et al. (2005), Wilson (2001).

Figures

On following pages: 259. Western White-bellied Duiker (Cephalophus leucogaster); 260. Uele White-bellied Duiker (Cephalophus arrhenii); 261. Red-flanked Duiker (Cephalophus rufilatus); 262. Natal Red Duiker (Cephalophus natalensis); 263. Harvey's Duiker (Cephalophus harveyi); 264. Black-fronted Duiker (Cephalophus nigrifrons); 265. ltombwe Duiker (Cephalophus hypoxanthus); 266. Rwenzori Duiker (Cephalophus rubidus); 267. Mount Elgon Duiker (Cephalophus fosteri); 268. Mount Kenya Duiker (Cephalophus hooki)

Distribution. S Somalia and C & E Kenya through Tanzania to N Zambia and Malawi ; an isolated population from C Ethiopia has been tentatively identified as C. harvey.