NARROW STRIPED MONGOOSE

EUPLERIDAE

COMMON NAME	FAMILY	GENUS	SCIENTIFIC NAME	SUB SPECIES - 2
NARROW STRIPED MONGOOSE	Eupleridae	Mungotictis	Mungotictis decemlineata	1.  Malagasy Narrow Striped Mongoose -  M. d. decemlineata
The narrow-striped mongoose (Mungotictis decemlineata) is a member of the family Eupleridae, subfamily Galidiinae and endemic to Madagascar.It inhabits the dry deciduous forests of western and southwestern Madagascar, where it lives from sea level to about 125 m (410 ft) between the Tsiribihina and Mangoky rivers. In Malagasy it is called boky-boky (pronounced "Boo-ky Boo-ky").				2.  (M. d.  lineatus)

GRANDIDIER’S MONGOOSE

EUPLERIDAE

COMMON NAME	FAMILY	GENUS	SCIENTIFIC NAME	SUB SPECIES - 0
GRANDIDIER’S MONGOOSE	Eupleridae	Galidictis	Galidictis grandidieri
Grandidier's mongoose (Galidictis grandidieri), also known as the giant-striped mongoose or Grandidier's vontsira, is a small mammal that lives only in a very small area of Southwestern Madagascar, in areas of spiny forest vegetation. It is a pale brown or grayish coloured mongoose, with eight wide, dark stripes on its back and sides. Grandidier's mongoose is larger than the related Broad-striped Malagasy Mongoose, G. fasciata, and its stripes are not as wide. The species is named after Alfred Grandidier. This species has been called one of the rarest carnivores in the world. With a few exceptions, the majority of records of G. grandidieri come from a narrow zone at the western edge of the Mahafaly Plateau in the Parc National de Tsimanampetsotsa, making it the Madagascan carnivore with the smallest range. Nocturnal and crepuscular, this mongoose lives in pairs which produce one offspring a year, in the summer. They hunt primarily by searching through ground litter and in rock crevices. The diet of Grandidier's mongoose varies markedly between the dry and wet seasons. Whereas food consists mainly of invertebrates throughout the year, small vertebrates are the most important food by biomass, comprising 58% during the dry season and 80% during the wet season. Grandidier's mongoose weighs 1.1 to 1.3 lb (500 to 600 g). The species is sympatric with two other carnivores, the fossa (Cryptoprocta ferox) and the introduced Indian civet (Viverricula indica). However, there seems to be virtually no range or dietary overlap between these animals and Grandidier's mongoose. From sub-fossil evidence, it is clear that the region underwent drastic climatic change during the last 3000-2000 years. It is presumed that the distribution of this mongoose was notably broader and the proportion of prey types different in earlier times than today. Grandidier's mongoose must have adapted to dryer conditions, which have resulted in its very limited distribution and the exploitation of notably small prey. The animals can be vocal, with a cooing mew, and are described as sociable and playful.

BROAD STRIPED MALAGASY MONGOOSE

EUPLERIDAE

COMMON NAME	FAMILY	GENUS	SCIENTIFIC NAME	SUB SPECIES - 2
BROAD STRIPED MALAGASY MONGOOSE	Eupleridae	Galidictis	Galidictis fasciata	1.  (G. f. striata)
The broad-striped Malagasy mongoose (Galidictis fasciata) is a species of mongoose. It is a forest-dweller native to eastern Madagascar. Thespecific epithet fasciata means ‘banded’ in Latin. Its local common name is vontsira fotsy, ‘white vontsira’ in Malagasy. The species contains two known subspecies: G. f. striata and G. f. fasciata. Their main distinguishing factors are their stripes and their tails; the former has a thinner, white tail and 5 stripes, while the latter has a fuller, reddish-brown tail and 8-10 stripes. The mongoose primary prey on small rodents. This species is most active in the evening and at night.				2.  (G. f. fasciata)

RING TAILED MONGOOSE

EUPLERIDAE

COMMON NAME	FAMILY	GENUS	SCIENTIFIC NAME	SUB SPECIES - 3
RING TAILED MONGOOSE	Eupleridae	Galidia	Galidia elegans	1.  Northern Ring Tailed Mongoose - Galidia elegans dambrensis
The ring-tailed mongoose (Galidia elegans) is a euplerid, a carnivoran native to Madagascar. There is actually much disagreement about the placement of Madagascar's carnivores including the ring-tailed mongoose, within the phylogenetic tree. Recent molecular work by Anne Yoder et al. (2003) reported in the journal "Nature" suggests that the Malagasy Carnivora evolved from a single herpestid (mongoose) ancestor. A monotypic genus, Galidia literally means "little weasel", being a diminutive form of galeē, ‘weasel’ in ancient Greek. Its local common name is vontsira mena, ‘red vontsira’ in Malagasy. The ring-tailed mongoose is relatively small but is the largest member of the subfamily Galidiinae. It is usually 32 to 38 cm (12.5 to 15 in) long and weighs only 700 to 900 g (24 to 32 oz). Its body is long and slender, and the rounded head has a pointed snout. The body is a dark red color and the feet are black. As the name implies, its bushy tail is covered with black and red rings. Ring-tailed mongooses are very agile, and good climbers. They are quite playful and are active during the day. Their habitat consists of humid forests. Their diet is mostly of small mammals, invertebrates, fish, reptiles and eggs, but they occasionally eat insects and fruit. The population of ring-tailed mongooses has decreased by 20% over the past ten years due to habitat loss. Another problem is competition with the small Indian civet (Vivericula indica).				2.  Malagasy Ring Tailed Mongoose - Galidia elegans elegans
				3.  Western Ring Tailed Mongoose - Galidia elegans occidentalis

MALAGASY CIVET

EUPLERIDAE

COMMON NAME	FAMILY	GENUS	SCIENTIFIC NAME	SUB SPECIES - 0
MALAGASY CIVET	Eupleridae	Fossa	Fossa fossana
The Malagasy or striped civet (Fossa fossana), also known as the fanaloka (Malagasy, [fə̥ˈnaluk]), is an euplerid endemic to Madagascar. Previously, the Malagasy civet was placed in the subfamily Hemigalinae with the banded palm civets and then in its own subfamily, Fossinae, but it is now classified as a member of the subfamily Euplerinae. It has also been classified Fossa fossa. It should not be confused with the fossa (Cryptoprocta ferox), a similar animal also endemic to Madagascar. Nor is it the same as the related—and similarly named—Malagasy carnivore the falanouc, which is also a euplerine. It is a small mammal: about 47 cm excluding the tail (which is only about 20 cm) and 2.5 kg. It has the appearance and movements of a small fox. It has a short coat greyish beige in colour, with dark black horizontal stripes running from head to tail, where the stripes are vertical, wrapping around the bushier tail. The stripes morph into spots near the belly. Its legs are short and very thin. The sources disagree over whether its claws are retractile. It has no anal glands, unlike actual civets. It is endemic to the tropical forests of Madagascar. It is nocturnal, though sources disagree over whether it is solitary or, unusual among euplerids, lives in pairs. It is not a good climber and frequents ravines. It eats small vertebrates (mammals, reptiles, and amphibians), insects, and eggs stolen from birds' nests. The mating season of the Malagasy civet is August to September and the gestation period is three months, ending with the birth of one young. The young are rather well-developed, with opened eyes, and they are weaned in 10 weeks. Though threatened by deforestation, hunting and competition from introduced species, the Malagasy civet is locally common.

FALANOUC

EUPLERIDAE

COMMON NAME	FAMILY	GENUS	SCIENTIFIC NAME	SUB SPECIES - 2
FALANOUC	Eupleridae	Eupleres	Eupleres goudotii	1.  Eastern Falanouc - E. g. goudotii
The falanouc (Eupleres goudotii) is a rare mongoose-like mammal endemic to Madagascar and classified in the Eupleridae family of carnivora. It is classified alongside its closest living relative, the fanaloka, in the subfamily Euplerinae. The falanouc has several peculiarities that merit its independent classification. It has no anal or perineal glands (unlike the fanaloka), non retractile claws, and a unique dentition: the canines and premolars are backwards-curving and flat. This is thought to be related to its prey, mostly invertebrates, such as worms, slugs, snails, and larvae. It lives primarily in the lowland rainforests of the centre and northwest of Madagascar. It is solitary and territorial, but whether nocturnal or diurnal is unknown. It is small (about 50 cm long with a 24 cm long tail) and shy (clawing, not biting, in self-defence). It most closely resembles the mongooses with its long snout and low body, though its coloration is plain and brown (most mongooses have colouring schemes such as striping, banding, or other variations on the hands and feet). Its life cycle displays periods of fat buildup during April and May, before the dry months of June and July. It has a brief courting period and weaning period, the young being weaned before the next mating season. Its reproductive cycle is fast. The offspring (one per litter) are born in burrows with opened eyes and can move with the mother through dense foliage at only two days old. In nine weeks, the already well-developed young are on solid food and shortly thereafter they leave their mothers. Though it is fast in gaining mobility (so as to follow its mother on forages), it grows at a slower rate than comparatively-sized carnivores. "Falanoucs are threatened by habitat loss, humans, dogs and an introduced competitor, the small Indian civet (Viverricula indica).				2.  Western Falanouc - E. g. major

FOSSA

EUPLERIDAE

COMMON NAME	FAMILY	GENUS	SCIENTIFIC NAME	SUB SPECIES - 0
FOSSA	Eupleridae	Cryptoprocta	Cryptoprocta ferox
The fossa (/ˈfɒsə/ or /ˈfuːsə/; Malagasy [ˈfusə̥]; Cryptoprocta ferox) is a cat-like, carnivorous mammal that is endemic to Madagascar. It is a member of the Eupleridae, a family of carnivorans closely related to the mongoose family (Herpestidae). Its classification has been controversial because its physical traits resemble those of cats, yet other traits suggest a close relationship with viverrids (most civets and their relatives). Its classification, along with that of the other Malagasy carnivores, influenced hypotheses about how many times mammalian carnivores have colonized the island. With genetic studies demonstrating that the fossa and all other Malagasy carnivores are most closely related to each other (forming a clade, recognized as the family Eupleridae), carnivorans are now thought to have colonized the island once around 18 to 20 million years ago. The fossa is the largest mammalian carnivore on the island of Madagascar and has been compared to a small cougar. Adults have a head-body length of 70–80 cm (28–31 in) and weigh between 5.5–8.6 kg (12–19 lb), with the males larger than the females. It has semi-retractable claws and flexible ankles that allow it to climb up and down trees head-first, and also support jumping from tree to tree. The fossa is unique within its family for the shape of its genitalia, which share traits with those of cats and hyenas. The species is widespread, although population densities are usually low. It is found solely in forested habitat, and actively hunts both by day and night. Over 50% of its diet consists of lemurs, the endemic primates found on the island; tenrecs, rodents, lizards, birds, and other animals are also documented as prey. Mating usually occurs in trees on horizontal limbs and can last for several hours. Litters range from one to six pups, which are born blind and toothless (altricial). Infants wean after 4.5 months and are independent after a year. Sexual maturity occurs around three to four years of age, and life expectancy in captivity is 20 years. The fossa is listed as "Vulnerable" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). It is generally feared by the Malagasy people and is often protected by their taboo, known as fady. The greatest threat to the species is habitat destruction.