Marmota caudata (Geoffroy, 1844)
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publication ID |
https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.6840226 |
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DOI |
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6840690 |
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persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/064D0660-FFA3-ED5E-FA6C-FE2BF7C7FC8C |
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treatment provided by |
Diego |
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scientific name |
Marmota caudata |
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Long-tailed Marmot
French: Marmotte a longue queue / German: Langschwanzmurmeltier / Spanish: Marmota de cola larga
Other common names: Golden Marmot, Red Marmot
Taxonomy. Arctomys caudatus Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1844 ,
“la vallée du Gom-
bour, élevée de 3500 metres.”
Interpret
ed by S. I. Ognev in 1963 as “Hombur [Ghombur] area, upper reaches of the Indus in Kashmir, [India].”
Widely used subspecific name dichrous has been changed for gender agreement. Three subspecies recognized.
Subspecies and Distribution.
M. c¢. caudata 1. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1844 — N India (Kashmir).
M.c.aureaBlanford,1875—SEKazakhstan,EUzbekistan,WChina(WXinjiang),Kyrgyzstan,andTajikistan.
M. c. dichroa Anderson, 1875 — Afghanistan and N Pakistan.
Descriptive notes. Head-body mean 500 mm, tail mean 182 mm; weight 3-5 kg. The Long-tailed Marmot has long coarse dorsal pelage that is golden orange suffused with black; dorsal black midline or saddle is often apparent. Head typically has dark brown to black cap that extends from snout to back of skull and includes eyes and cheeks. Tail is relatively long and bushy, with solid black tip. Venter is rusty orange. Bare eye patches are larger on males than females. Chromosomal complement is 2n = 38 and FN = 70. Nominate caudata has darkest dorsum of subspecies; dichroa is more grayish; and aurea has brilliant yellow-to-orange venter and suffusion ofthis color over some of its dorsum.
Habitat. High elevation, low productivity alpine flats and meadows, often associated with glacial and terminal moraines. Alpine scrub with some dwarfjuniper (Juniperus, Cupressaceae) is also selected.
Food and Feeding. The Long-tailed Marmot is an herbivore that feeds primarily on young grasses, shoots of forbs, legumes, and small shrubs in open grasslands.
Breeding. The Long-tailed Marmotlives in complex burrows where young are born. Mating occurs about the time of spring emergence, and ¢.17% of females breed. Litters of 2-6 young are born after gestation of 30-33 days. Weaning is related to food availability, and ¢.60% ofjuveniles die during the first year. Infanticide by immigrating males occurs to avoid providing resources for another male’s progeny. Juveniles delay dispersal and remain in their natal group for at least three years. Most dispersal appears to occurafter sexual maturity when males move to groups with fewer individuals than their natal group. Non-juvenile survival increases in years when food is abundant.
Activity patterns. Long-tailed Marmots are diurnal. They are only aboveground for 4-5 months, emerging from burrows in late spring or early summer. Individuals often bask on rocks or at burrow entrances.
Movements, Home range and Social organization. The Long-tailed Marmotis social and lives in large colonies often consisting of many monogamous pairs, but groups of seven adults plus their young and yearlings are also reported. Densities are typically less than 0-5 ind/ha. Home ranges are large and average 3 ha. Group members nest communally and most often are amicable. Both sexes scent-mark near their burrows using orbital glands; males are more responsive to novel scents than females. In some parts of the distribution, Long-tailed Marmots are hunted and trapped for food, pelts, and medicinal purposes; they are not considered pests, except where they are believed to compete with livestock for forage. The Long-tailed Marmot frequently is vigilant, standing on its haunches. Complex alarm calls warn conspecifics about relative risk of predation, and they use a variety of less apparent vocalizations in other social contexts.
Status and Conservation. CITES Appendix III (India). Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. Population trend of the Long-tailed Marmot is unknown. Lack of knowledge about the natural history of this species impedes conservation and management. Hunting of Long-tailed Marmots for food and medicine appears to be a significant threat in somelocalities. Overgrazing and rangeland degradation can be an issue.
Bibliography. Armitage (2014), Blumstein & Arnold (1998), Habibi (2004), Hayssen (2008a), Ognev (1963), Qureshi et al. (2015), Roberts (1977), Thorington et al. (2012).
No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.
