Herpestidae Author Don E. Wilson Author Russell A. Mittermeier text 2009 2009-01-31 Lynx Edicions Barcelona Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 1 Carnivores 262 328 book chapter 3637 10.5281/zenodo.5676639 23dac009-8dc4-4021-a812-5f9db538c89c 978-84-96553-49-1 5676639 2. Long-nosed Mongoose Xenogale naso French: Mangouste a long nez / German: Langnasenichneumon / Spanish: Mangosta hocicuda Taxonomy. Herpestes naso de Winton, 1901 , “ Cameroon River, West Africa”, Cameroon . Has been previously placed in Herpestes and in Xenogale , but recent molecular studies have shown that it is more closely related to the Marsh Mongoose ( Atilax paludinosus ) than to Herpestes spp., and is here placed in the genus Xenogale . Three subspecies have been described: naso , almodovari , and microdon , but a morphometric study has shown that none can be distinguished on the basis of cranial or external features. Monotypic. Distribution. SE Nigeria , Cameroon , Central African Republic , Equatorial Guinea , Gabon , PR Congo , and DR Congo . Descriptive notes. Head-body 43-60. 9 cm (males), 40-58 cm (females), tail 32—42-5 cm (males), 32-42. 5 cm (females), hindfoot 9-6—11-2 cm (males), 8:-5-11. 3 cm (females), ear 2.5-4 cm (males), 3.3-8 cm (females); weight 1-9—4-5 kg (males), 2.3-4 kg (females). A large dark-colored mongoose, with a long muzzle and nose. The long, rough dorsal pelage is brownish-black, speckled with yellow or orange; the hairs have dark and light rings, giving a grizzled aspect, but the overall appearance of the body color is black. The dorsal hairs are 50-60 mm long; the underfur is grayish-brown to orange-brown. The ventral pelage is sparser and paler. The head is grayish and more grizzled than the body; the muzzle is long with a black rhinarium. The eyes have a very dark brown iris, and the ears are round, broad, and low set. The tail is tapered and has long black hairs. The foreand hindlimbs are deep brown to black. The feet have five digits, long claws, and are partly webbed; the soles are hairy up to the pads. The skull is long and fairly narrow; the egg-shaped braincase terminates posteriorly in a broad, flange-like supra-occipital crest. In mature specimens there is a distinct sagittal crest. The rostrum is relatively longer and broader than that of the Egyptian Mongoose, and the inter-orbital breadth is relatively wider in the Long-nosed Mongoose. Dental formula: 13/3, C 1/1, P 4/4, M 2/2 = 40. There is a posterior-lingual cusp on P,, a long talonid on M, and a large M? and M,. On following pages: 3. Small Indian Mongoose ( Herpestes auropunctatus ); 4. Short-tailed Mongoose ( Herpestes brachyurus ); 5. Indian Gray Mongoose ( Herpestes edwardsii ); 6 Indian Brown Mongoose ( Herpestes fuscus ); 7. Egyptian Mongoose ( Herpestes ichneumon ); 8. Javan Mongoose ( Herpestes javanicus ); 9. Collared Mongoose ( Herpestes semitorquatus ); 10. Ruddy Mongoose ( Herpestes smithii ); 11. Crab-eating Mongoose ( Herpestes urva ) ; 12. Stripe-necked Mongoose ( Herpestes vitticollis ). Habitat. Found in forests near swamps, streams, and streambeds. A radio-tracking study in the Central African Republic showed that this species spent most ofits time in upland mixed-species forest; stream habitat was very important and they generally avoided stands of open understorey “molapa” forest ( Gilbertiodendron dewevrer ). Recorded up to 640 m . Food and Feeding. The diet is mainly arthropods and small mammals. In the Central African Republic , the frequency of occurrence of food items in 346 scats was: beetles (72%), orthopterans (68%), mammals (52%, including 23% rodents, 19% shrews, 6% ungulates, 5% porcupines, 0-9% pangolins, 0-6% primates, 0-3% bats, and 0-3% Hyraxes), termites (41%), ants (20%), millipedes (17%), fruits (8%), frogs and toads (8%), snakes (8%), birds (7%), butterflies and moths (5%), lizards and skinks (4%), spiders, scorpions and larvae (4%), bees and wasps (2%), crustaceans (0-6%), and fish (0:3%). Mammal prey greater than 5 kg was rarely taken; Blue Duikers ( Philantomba monticola ) were the most common large prey found in scats. Fluctuations in rodent availability had no effect on the occurrence of shrews in the diet. Among eight coexisting carnivores in the Central African Republic , Long-nosed Mongooses had the second highest niche breadth. In Nigeria , two stomachs contained a centipede, a snail, and some remains offruits and berries. Long-nosed Mongooses are said to carry snails to a particular spot and to break them by throwing them backwards with the forepaws against a tree or a rock. Activity patterns. Diurnal. In the Central African Republic , radio-collared individuals were active 74% of the time during the day (06:00-18:00 h) and active 17% of the time at night (18:00-06:00 h). Movement peaks occurred at midday (12:00 h), with smaller peaks at 08:00 h and 15:00 h. The location of nocturnal resting sites varied from day to day. One specimen was found within a hollow log. There is no evidence of latrineuse; however, scats are occasionally found in the same spot where one had been found previously. Movements, Home range and Social organization. Terrestrial and solitary, but sometimes observed in pairs. In the Central African Republic , the home ranges of two adult males were 0-93 and 0-12 km? and 0-71 km? for a sub-adult male. The home range for an adult female was 1 km ? and 0-24 km? for a sub-adult female. A male followed over 24 hours travelled 2324 m and covered 71% ofits home range during this period. Another male moved 4605 m , but visited only 29% ofits home range. Breeding. A litter of three has been reported. A twoto three-month-old juvenile was found in mid-March in Nigeria , and one juvenile West African specimen was collected at the end of May. The young reach adultsize at around seven months of age and permanent dentition is attained at one year. Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern in The IUCN Red List . May be threatened by forest loss and fragmentation. This species is hunted for food in Cameroon and Nigeria and may be rare in the Niger Delta. In the Central African Republic , it appeared to be the most abundant carnivore species in the Dzanga-Sangha forest reserve. Field surveys, ecological studies, and assessments of threats are needed. Bibliography. Angelici, Luiselli & Politano (1999), Angelici, Luiselli, Politano & Akani (1999), Colyn & Van Rompaey (1994b), Perez et al. (2006), Ray (1995, 1997, 1998), Ray & Sunquist (2001), Rosevear (1974), Van Rompaey & Powell (1999), Veron, Colyn et al. (2004), Wozencraft (2005).