marsh mongoose

The generic name Atilax was introduced in 1826 by Frédéric Cuvier.{{cite book |author=Cuvier, F. G. |year=1826 |chapter=Vansire |title=Histoire Naturelle des Mammifères : avec des figures originales, coloriées, dessinées d'aprèsdes animaux vivans. Tome 5 |editor=E. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire |editor2=F. G. Cuvier |publisher=A. Belin |location=Paris |page=LIV |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/HistoirenaturelVGeof/page/n223}}

In 1829, Georges Cuvier referred to a mongoose in the marshes of the Cape Province using the scientific name Herpestes paludinosus.{{cite book |author=Cuvier, G. |year=1829 |title=Le règne animal distribué d'après son organisation, pour servir de base à l'histoire naturelle des animaux et d'introduction à l'anatomie comparée |chapter=Les Mangoustes. Cuv. (Herpestes, Illiger) |publisher=Chez Déterville |location=Paris |pages=157–158 |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/lergneanimaldi01regn/page/158}}

It is the only extant member of the genus Atilax,{{MSW3 Wozencraft| id=14000479 |heading=Atilax paludinosus |page=562}} although an extinct ancestral species from the Early Pleistocene known as Atilax mesotes was also a member of the genus.{{cite book |last1=Brain |first1=C.K. |title=The Hunters Or the Hunted? An Introduction to African Cave Taphonomy |date=1983 |publisher=University of Chicago Press |page=166}}

The marsh mongoose's fur is dark reddish brown to black with white and fawn coloured guard hairs. The hair behind the neck and in front of the back is short, but longer on the hind legs and on the tail. Its muzzle is short with a fawn coloured mouth, short whiskers and a naked rhinarium. It has {{DentalFormula |upper=3.1.3.2 |lower=3.1.3.2 |total=36}} teeth. Its short ears are round. It has two nipples. Its feet have five flexible digits each with curved claws, but without any webbing. The soles of its feet are naked.{{cite book |author=Baker, C. M. |author2=Ray, J. C. |year=2013 |title=The Mammals of Africa |volume=((V. Carnivores, Pangolins, Equids and Rhinoceroses)) |publisher=Bloomsbury |location=London |pages=298−302 |chapter=Genus Atilax paludinosus Marsh Mongoose |editor=J. Kingdon |editor2=M. Hoffmann |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=B_07noCPc4kC&pg=RA4-PA298 |isbn=9781408189962}}

Females measure {{cvt|48.72|cm}} in head-to-body length, and males {{cvt|51.38|cm}}, with a {{cvt|32.18|-|34.11|cm}} long tail. In weight, adults range from {{cvt|2.56|to|2.95|kg}}. Both sexes have anal glands in a pouch that produce a musky smelling secretion.{{cite journal |author=Baker, C. M. |year=1992 |title=Atilax paludinosus |journal=Mammalian Species |issue=408 |pages=1–6 |doi=10.2307/3504291 |jstor=3504291 |url=http://www.science.smith.edu/msi/pdf/i0076-3519-408-01-0001.pdf |access-date=22 September 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924122147/http://www.science.smith.edu/msi/pdf/i0076-3519-408-01-0001.pdf |archive-date=24 September 2015 |url-status=dead}}

Female marsh mongooses have 36 chromosomes, and males 35, as one Y chromosome is translocated to an autosome.{{cite journal |author=Fredga, K. |year=1977 |title=Chromosomal changes in vertebrate evolution |journal=Proceedings of the Royal Society of London |series=Series B, Biological Sciences |volume=199 |issue=1136 |pages=377–397 |doi=10.1098/rspb.1977.0148 |jstor=77302 |pmid=22865 |bibcode=1977RSPSB.199..377F |s2cid=32364326}}

The marsh mongoose occurs across much of sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal and The Gambia to Ethiopia, and throughout much of Central, Eastern and parts of Southern Africa.

It inhabits freshwater wetlands, marshes and swamps along slow-moving rivers and streams, in forested, jungle and savanna regions. It is occurs in river deltas, estuarine and brackish-water habitats in coastal areas.

It was likely introduced by humans to Pemba Island in the Zanzibar Archipelago.{{cite journal |last1=Walsh |first1=M. T. |year=2007 |title=Island subsistence: hunting, trapping and the translocation of wildlife in the Western Indian Ocean |journal=Azania: Journal of the British Institute in Eastern Africa |volume=42 |issue=1 |pages=83−113 |doi=10.1080/00672700709480452 |s2cid=162594865 |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/233172527}}

In Guinea's National Park of Upper Niger, it was recorded during surveys conducted in 1996 to 1997.{{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 |doi-access=free}}

In Gabon's Moukalaba-Doudou National Park, it was recorded only in forested habitats during a two-month survey in 2012.{{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}}

In the Ethiopian Highlands, it was recorded at an elevation of {{cvt|3950|m}} in Bale Mountains National Park.{{cite journal |author=Yalden, D. W. |author2=Largen, M. J. |author3=Kock, D. |author4=Hillman, J. C. |year=1996 |title=Catalogue of the Mammals of Ethiopia and Eritrea. Revised checklist, zoogeography and conservation |journal=Tropical Zoology |volume=9 |issue=1 |pages=73−164 |doi=10.1080/03946975.1996.10539304 |doi-access=|bibcode=1996TrZoo...9...73Y }}

The marsh mongoose is primarily a solitary species.{{cite journal |author=Baker, C. M. |year=1989 |title=Feeding habits of the water mongoose (Atilax paludinosus) |journal=Zeitschrift für Säugetierkunde |volume=54 |issue=1 |pages=31–39 |url=http://www.zobodat.at/pdf/Zeitschrift-Saeugetierkunde_54_0031-0039.pdf}}

It is an excellent swimmer and can dive for up to 15 seconds, using its feet to paddle. On land, it usually trots slowly, but can also move fast.{{cite journal |author=Taylor, M. E. |year=1970 |title=Locomotion in some African viverrids |journal=Journal of Mammalogy |volume=51 |issue=1 |pages=42–51 |doi=10.2307/1378530|jstor=1378530}}

Radio-collared marsh mongooses in KwaZulu-Natal were active from shortly after sunset until after midnight showing a crepuscular activity pattern.{{cite journal |author=Maddock, A. H. |author2=Perrin, M. R. |year=1993 |title=Spatial and temporal ecology of an assemblage of viverrids in Natal, South Africa |journal=Journal of Zoology |volume=229 |issue=2 |pages=277–287 |doi=10.1111/j.1469-7998.1993.tb02636.x}}

A radio-collared male marsh mongoose in Dzanga-Sangha Special Reserve was most active during early mornings and late evenings, but rested by day in burrows situated in dry areas above water and mud in a dense cover of high grasses and climbing plants.{{cite journal |author=Ray, J. |year=1997 |title=Comparative ecology of two African forest mongooses, Herpestes naso and Atilax paludinosus |journal=African Journal of Ecology |volume=35 |issue=3 |pages=237–253 |doi=10.1111/j.1365-2028.1997.086-89086.x|bibcode=1997AfJEc..35..237R }}

Feeding behaviour of eight captive marsh mongooses was studied in 1984. When the mongooses sighted prey in the water, they swam or walked towards it, used their digits to seek it out, but kept their heads above water. Once located, they grabbed it with the mouth and killed it outside the water. They killed rodents and frogs by biting them in the head, and occasionally also shook them. When finished eating, they wiped their mouths with the forefeet. They broke eggs by throwing them backwards between the legs.

Scat of marsh mongooses collected around Lake St Lucia contained foremost remains of crustaceans, amphibians, insects and fish. Marsh mongooses were observed while carrying mudcrabs (Scylla serrata) ashore. They removed the chelipeds and opened the sternum to feed on the body contents.{{cite journal |author=Whitfield, A. K. |author2=Blaber, S. J. M. |year=1980 |title=The diet of Atilax paludinosus (water mongoose) at St Lucia, South Africa |journal=Mammalia |volume=44 |issue=3 |pages=315–318 |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/249943246 |doi=10.1515/mamm.1980.44.3.315|s2cid=84540490 }}

They deposit scat at specific latrine sites located on low shrubs, on rocks or sand well away from the water edge. Scat of marsh mongoose collected in a rocky coastal habitat contained remains of sandhoppers, shore crab (Cyclograpsus punctatus), pink-lipped topshell (Oxystele sinensis) and Tropidophora snails.{{cite journal |author=Louw, C. J. |author2=Nel, J. A. J. |year=1986 |title=Diets of coastal and inland-dwelling water mongoose |journal=South African Journal of Wildlife Research |volume=16 |issue=4 |pages=153–156 |url=https://journals.co.za/docserver/fulltext/wild/16/4/3599.pdf}}

Research in southeastern Nigeria revealed that the marsh mongoose has an omnivorous diet. It feeds on rodents like giant pouched rats (Cricetomys), Temminck's mouse (Mus musculoides), Tullberg's soft-furred mouse (Praomys tulbergi), grass frogs (Ptychadena), crowned bullfrog (Hoplobatrachus occipitalis), herald snake (Crotaphopeltis hotamboeia), mudskippers (Periophthalmus), insects such as spiders and Coleoptera, snails and slugs, Bivalvia, Decapoda as well as fruits, berries and seeds.{{cite journal |author=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=2018-11-25 |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 }}

After a gestation of 69 to 80 days, females give birth to a litter of two to three young, which are fully furred. Their eyes open between the 9th and 14th day, pupils are bluish at first and change to brown at the age of three weeks. Their ear canal opens between the 17th and 28th day. Females start weaning their offspring earliest on the 30th day, and young are fully weaned by the age of two months.{{cite journal |author=Baker, C. M. |author2=Meester, J. |year=1986 |title=Postnatal physical development of the Water mongoose (Atilax paludinosus) |journal=Zeitschrift für Säugetierkunde |volume=51 |issue=4 |pages=236–243 |url=http://www.zobodat.at/pdf/Zeitschrift-Saeugetierkunde_51_0236-0243.pdf}}

In 2006, it was estimated that about 950 marsh mongooses are hunted annually in the Cameroon part of the Cross–Sanaga–Bioko coastal forests.{{cite journal |author=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 }}

{{Reflist}}

{{Wikispecies|Atilax paludinosus}}

{{Commons category|Atilax paludinosus}}

• [http://www.wildherps.com/travels/Africa2000/images/marsh_mongoose_big.jpg Picture of a marsh mongoose]

{{Carnivora|F.}}

{{Taxonbar|from=Q855597}}

marsh mongoose

Category:Mammals of Sub-Saharan Africa

Category:Mammals of Cameroon

Category:Mammals of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Category:Mammals of Ethiopia

Category:Mammals of Gabon

marsh mongoose

marsh mongoose