Paradoxurus zeylonensis (Pallas, 1777)

Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2009, Viverridae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 1 Carnivores, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 174-232 : 197

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.5714564

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5714883

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/FC03440B-FFF5-FF95-EADB-46F2F800F42C

treatment provided by

Conny

scientific name

Paradoxurus zeylonensis
status

 

30. View Plate 15: Viverridae

Golden Palm Civet

Paradoxurus zeylonensis View in CoL

French: Civette de Ceylan / German: Goldmusang / Spanish: Musang dorado

Taxonomy. Viverra zeylonensis Pallas, 1777 ,

Sri Lanka.

Monotypic.

Distribution. Sri Lanka. View Figure

Descriptive notes. Head-body 50.2-58 cm, tail 43.7-52. 5 cm; weight 3-6 kg. A small civet with a tail as long as the body.

The pelage is golden brown, rusty red or beige; there are sometimes three indistinct brown dorsal stripes. The face may be paler, and the tail more yellowish, than rest of the body. The tip ofthe tail is often white or yellow. The hairs on the neck are directed forward, as in the Brown Palm Civet. The feet and perineal glands are believed to be identical to those of the Common Palm Civet. Dental formula: I 3/3, C 1/1, P 4/4, M 2/2 = 40. The upper third molar is narrow and has no lingual lobe. The upper carnassial does not have a distinct parastyle and the posterolingual cingulum is absent.

Habitat. [Lowland to montane forest and dense monsoon forest.

Food and Feeding. Believed to be omnivorous, feeding on fruits and possibly small vertebrates and insects.

Activity patterns. Appears to be nocturnal, based on field sightings and camera-trapping data. Said to spend the day in large hollow tree branches.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Believed to be solitary. Arboreal, but has been trapped and camera-trapped on the ground.

Breeding. Litter size is reported to be two or three. Births may occur in October and November.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Vulnerable on The IUCN Red List. Listed as Threatened in the 1989 IUCN Action Plan for the Conservation of Mustelids and Viverrids. A poorly known species, vulnerable due to its very restricted range. It has been recorded in Uda Walawe National Park, the Sinharaja Forest area, Wasgomuwa and Yala National Parks. Deforestation is a threat: lowland forests have almost totally disappeared from Sri Lanka. It is also hunted for its meat. Field surveys within National Parks and other established reserves are needed to obtain population estimates. A greater protection status for other forested areas is also needed (particularly lowland forests). Research into the species’ ecological and conservation requirements are a high priority. In 2005, the National Zoological Gardens of Sri Lanka initiated a breeding and conservation programme.

Bibliography. Corbet & Hill (1992), Hoffman (1990), IUCN (2008), Jayasekara et al. (2003), Pocock (1939), Schreiber et al. (1989), Wozencraft (1984, 2005).

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Chordata

Class

Mammalia

Order

Carnivora

Family

Viverridae

Genus

Paradoxurus

Loc

Paradoxurus zeylonensis

Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier 2009
2009
Loc

Viverra zeylonensis

Pallas 1777
1777
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