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43-493: Viverra binotata Gray 1830 The African palm civet ( Nandinia binotata ), also known as the two-spotted palm civet , is a small feliform mammal widely distributed in sub-Saharan Africa . It is listed as least concern on the IUCN Red List . The African palm civet is grey to dark brown with dark spots on the back. It has short legs, small ears, a lean body, and a long, ringed tail. It has two sets of scent glands on

86-470: A dominant male includes home ranges of several females. In Gabon, females were recorded to give birth in the long wet season and at the onset of the dry season between September and January. The female usually gives birth after a gestation period of 2–3 months. A litter consists of up to four young that are suckled for around three months. While she has suckling young, the female's mammary glands produce an orange-yellow liquid, which discolours her abdomen and

129-483: A foreign company. Feliformia Feliformia is a suborder within the order Carnivora consisting of "cat-like" carnivorans, including cats (large and small), hyenas , mongooses , viverrids , and related taxa . Feliformia stands in contrast to the other suborder of Carnivora, Caniformia (also Canoidea, "dog-like" carnivorans). The separation of the Carnivora into the broad groups of feliforms and caniforms

172-408: A form of taxidermy. The skin is removed from the animal's carcass, treated with absorbents, and filled with cotton or polyester batting (In the past plant fibres or sawdust were used). Bird specimens have a long, thin, wooden dowel wrapped in batting at their center. The dowel is often intentionally longer than the bird's body and exits at the animal's vent. This exposed dowel provides a place to handle

215-412: A single bone. This feature, however, is problematic for the classification of the extinct Nimravidae as feliforms. Nimravid fossils show ossified bullae with no septum, or no trace at all of the entire bulla. It is assumed that they had a cartilaginous housing of the ear mechanism. The specific characteristics of extant feliform bullae suggest a common ancestor, though one has not been identified in

258-550: A single common ancestor that was a herpestid (Yoder et al. 2003). Phylogenetic analysis supports this view and places all of the Malagasy carnivorans in the family Eupleridae. The differences in form make it difficult to concisely summarise the species in this family. The range in size is as diverse as the range in form, with smaller species at less than 500 g (1 lb) and the largest species at up to 12 kg (26 lb). Some have retractile or semi-retractile claws (the fossa and

301-539: Is a nocturnal , largely arboreal mammal that spends most of the time on large branches, among lianas in the canopy of trees. It eats fruits such as those of the African corkwood tree ( Musanga cecropioides ), Uapaca , persimmon ( Diospyros hoyleana ), fig trees ( Ficus ), papayas ( Carica papaya ), and bananas ( Musa ). Males have home ranges of 34–153 ha (0.13–0.59 sq mi) and females of 29–70 ha (0.11–0.27 sq mi). The home range of

344-765: Is a polyphyletic family of extinct viverrid -like feliforms. The phylogenetic relationships of feliforms are shown in the following cladogram † Nimravidae (false saber-toothed cats) [REDACTED] Nandiniidae (African palm civet) [REDACTED] Viverridae (viverrids) [REDACTED] Herpestidae (mongooses) [REDACTED] Eupleridae (Malagasy mongooses) [REDACTED] † Lophocyonidae † Percrocutidae [REDACTED] Hyaenidae (hyenas) [REDACTED] † Haplogale Prionodontidae (Asiatic linsangs) [REDACTED] † Barbourofelidae † Stenogale Felidae (cats) [REDACTED] Zoological specimen Bird and mammal specimens are conserved as dry study skins ,

387-516: Is a representative specimen of the animal used in a study, such as a specimen collected as part of an ecological survey or a specimen which was the source of DNA for a molecular study. Voucher specimens confirm the identity of the species referred to in the study. They are a backup against misidentification, changing species concepts which mislead results. Type specimens are a special type of voucher specimen used in taxonomy . Museum zoological specimens may have historic significance . For example,

430-516: Is called conchology as distinct from malacology (wet specimens). Most hard-bodied insect specimens and some other hard-bodied invertebrates such as certain Arachnida , are preserved as pinned specimens. Either while still fresh, or after rehydrating them if necessary because they had dried out, specimens are transfixed by special stainless steel entomological pins . As the insect dries the internal tissues solidify and, possibly aided to some extent by

473-421: Is common for the dry material to greatly exceed the amount of material that is preserved in alcohol. The shells minus their soft parts are kept in card trays within drawers or in glass tubes, often as lots (a lot is a collection of a single species taken from a single locality on a single occasion). Shell collections sometimes suffer from Byne's disease which also affects birds eggs. The study of dry mollusc shells

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516-549: Is hostile; they consider them a menace to their food resources and safety of children. In Gabon, it is among the most frequently found small carnivores for sale in bushmeat markets. Upper Guinean forests in Liberia are considered a biodiversity hotspot . They have already been fragmented into two blocks. Large tracts are threatened by commercial logging and mining activities, and are converted for agricultural use including large-scale oil palm plantations in concessions obtained by

559-535: Is no clear common ancestor of the Feliform families in the fossil records. As forest dwellers, the early Feliforms were subject to more rapid decomposition in the absence of sedimentary materials, resulting in large gaps in the fossil records. For more discussion on feliform evolution and the divergence from the caniforms, together with additional external references on this subject, see the articles on Carnivora , Miacoidea and Carnivoramorpha . Family Stenoplesictidae

602-421: Is not divided and cartilaginous at the end. The African palm civet ranges throughout much of sub-Saharan Africa from Guinea to South Sudan , south to Angola , and into eastern Zimbabwe . It has been recorded in deciduous forests , lowland rainforests , gallery and riverine forests , savanna woodlands, and logged forests up to an elevation of 2,500 m (8,200 ft). In the 1950s, one individual

645-405: Is the place and date of collection, attached to the specimen by a label. Additional information is the name of the collector and the habitat. Tissue from specimens may be saved for genetic studies (molecular data, DNA ). Depending on the animal group , other data may be included, for instance in bird collections the bird’s breeding condition, weight, colours of its eyes, bills and legs and nature of

688-449: Is to store the specimen in 70% ethanol with various additives after fixing with formalin or in these days sometimes with a salt-solution. Some methods are very useful, because the color can be preserved. (Salt-)Solutions like this are Jores, Kaiserling and Romhányi. Modern specimens are stored in borosilicate glass due to its chemical and thermal resistance and good optical clarity. Minimum data associated with zoological specimens

731-663: Is widely accepted, as is the definition of Feliformia and Caniformia as suborders (sometimes superfamilies). The classification of feliforms as part of the Feliformia suborder or under separate groupings continues to evolve. Systematic classifications dealing with only extant taxa include all feliforms into the Feliformia suborder, though variations exist in the definition and grouping of families and genera. Indeed, molecular phylogenies suggest that all extant Feliformia are monophyletic . Systematic classifications dealing with both extant and extinct taxa vary more widely. Some separate

774-514: The Middle East , India and Africa . Hyenas are large, powerful animals, up to 80 kg (176 lb) and represent one of the most prolific large carnivorans on the planet. The aardwolf is much smaller and is a specialised feeder, eating mainly harvester termites. Family Herpestidae ( mongooses , kusimanses , and the meerkat ) has 32 species. Previously, these were placed in the family Viverridae. However, Wilson and Reeder (1993) established

817-535: The fossil records. There are other characteristics that differentiate feliforms from caniforms and probably existed in their stem taxa. But, due to speciation, these do not apply unambiguously to all extant species. Feliforms tend to have shorter rostrums (snouts) than caniforms, fewer teeth, and more specialized carnassials . Feliforms tend to be more carnivorous and are generally ambush hunters. Caniforms tend more toward omnivorous and opportunity-based feeding. However, omnivorous feliforms also exist, particularly in

860-752: The "cat-like" carnivorans. There are 41 extant species, and all but a few have retractile claws. This family is represented on all continents except for Australia (where domestic cats have been introduced ) and Antarctica. The species vary in size from the tiny black-footed cat ( Felis nigripes ) at only 2 kg (4.5 lb) to the tiger ( Panthera tigris ) at 300 kg (660 lb). Diet ranges from large to small mammals, birds and insects (depending on species size). Family Hyaenidae ( hyenas and aardwolf ) has four extant species and two subspecies. All show features of convergent evolution with canids , including non-retractile claws, long muzzles, and adaptations to running for long distances. They are extant in

903-405: The Malagasy civet) and others do not (the falanouc and Malagasy mongooses). They all tend to have slender bodies and pointed rostra (except the fossa, which has a blunt snout). Diet varies with size and form of the species and, like their mainland counterparts, ranges from small mammals, insects and invertebrates through to crustaceans and molluscs. Family Felidae (cats) are the most widespread of

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946-815: The Nigerian part and around 3,300 in the Cameroon part of the Cross–Sanaga–Bioko coastal forests . In Guinea, dead African palm civets were recorded in spring 1997 on bushmeat market in villages located in the vicinity of the National Park of Upper Niger . Dried heads of African palm civets were found in 2007 at the Bohicon and Dantokpa Markets in southern Benin, suggesting that they are used as fetish in animal rituals . The attitude of rural people in Ghana towards African palm civets

989-623: The bird without disturbing the feathers. Mammal study skins do not normally utilize wooden dowels, instead preparators use wire to support the legs and tail of mammals. Labels are attached to a leg of the specimen with thread or string. Heat and chemicals are sometimes used to aid the drying of study skins. Osteological collections consist of cleaned, complete and partial skeletons, crania of Vertebrates , mainly birds and mammals. They are used in studies of comparative anatomy and to identify bones from archaeological sites. Human bones are used in medical and forensic studies. In museum collections it

1032-575: The case. In the Middle Eocene (about 42 mya), the miacids started to branch into two distinct groups of the order Carnivora: the Feliforms and Caniforms. The miacid precursors to the extant Feliforms remained forest-dwelling, arboreal or semi-arboreal ambush hunters, while the Caniform precursors were more mobile, opportunistic hunters. While it is clear that the first Feliforms appeared at this time, there

1075-540: The family Nandiniidae , with the genus Nandinia as sole member. He argued that it differs from the Aeluroidea by the structure and shape of its ear canal and mastoid part of the temporal bone . Results of morphological and molecular genetic analyses indicate that it differs from viverrids and diverged from the Feliformia about 44.5  million years ago , It is the most genetically isolated Carnivoran , being

1118-518: The family Viverridae . Many feliforms have retractile or semi-retractile claws and many are arboreal or semi-arboreal. Feliforms also tend to be more digitigrade (walking on toes). Most caniforms are terrestrial and have non-retractile claws. Seven families are extant, with 12 subfamilies, 56 genera, and 114 species in the Feliformia suborder. They range natively across all continents except Australia and Antarctica . Most species are arboreal or semiarboreal ambush hunters. Target prey vary based on

1161-448: The feliforms (extant and extinct) as Aeluroidea (superfamily) and Feliformia (suborder). Others include all feliforms (extant, extinct and "possible ancestors") into the Feliformia suborder. Some studies suggest this inclusion of "possible ancestors" into Feliformia (or even Carnivora) may be spurious. The extinct (†) families as reflected in the taxa chart are the least problematic in terms of their relationship with extant feliforms (with

1204-888: The herpestids as morphologically and genetically distinct from viverrids. They are extant in Africa, Middle East and Asia . All have non-retractile claws. They are smaller as a family, ranging from 1 kg (2.2 lb) to 5 kg (11 lb), and typically have long, slender bodies and short legs. Diet varies based on species size and available food sources, ranging from small mammals, birds to reptiles , insects and crabs . Some species are omnivorous , including fruits and tubers in their diet. Family Nandiniidae (the African palm civet ) has only one species ( Nandinia binotata ), extant across sub-Saharan Africa . They have retractile claws and are slender-bodied, arboreal omnivores (with fruit making up much of their diet). They are relatively small with

1247-435: The integument, they grip the pin and secure the specimen in place on the pin. Very small, delicate specimens may instead be secured by fine steel points driven into slips of card, or glued to card points or similar attachments that in turn are pinned in the same way as entire mounted insects. The pins offer a means of handling the specimens without damage, and they also bear labels for descriptive and reference data. Once dried,

1290-421: The island of Madagascar . The eight species in the family exhibit significant variations in form. These differences initially led to the species in this family sharing common names with, and being placed in the different families of, apparently more similar species on the mainland (e.g. civets and mongoose). However, phylogenetic analysis of DNA provides strong evidence that all Malagasy carnivorans evolved from

1333-536: The larger males weighing up to 5 kg (11 lb). Family Prionodontidae ( Asiatic linsangs ) has two extant species in one genus. They live in Southern-East Asia. All are arboreal hypercarnivorans . They are the closest living relatives of the family Felidae. Family Viverridae (all but two civets , genets , oyans , and the binturong ) has 30 living species. They all have long bodies, short legs with retractile claws, and usually long tails. In weight,

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1376-515: The lower abdomen and between the third and fourth toes on each foot, which secrete a strong-smelling substance used to mark territory and in mating. Adult females reach a body length of 37–61 cm (15–24 in) with a 34–70 cm (13–28 in) long tail and weigh 1.2–2.7 kg (2.6–6.0 lb). Adult males reach 39.8–62.5 cm (15.7–24.6 in) in body length with a 43–76.2 cm (16.9–30.0 in) long tail and weigh 1.3–3 kg (2.9–6.6 lb). The African palm civet's ear canal

1419-401: The miacids, with a full complement of molars, and the viverravines with a reduced number of molars and more specialized carnassials. These dental differences resemble the difference between Caniforms (with more teeth) and Feliforms (with fewer teeth) but this may not mean evolutionary lineages. It was thought that Viverravidae was basal to the Feliforms. However, some studies suggest this is not

1462-430: The most problematic being Nimravidae ). All extant feliforms share a common attribute: their auditory bullae (bony capsules enclosing the middle and inner ear ). This is a key diagnostic in classifying species as feliform versus caniform. In feliforms, the auditory bullae are double-chambered, composed of two bones joined by a septum . Caniforms have single-chambered or partially divided auditory bullae, composed of

1505-415: The only species within its superfamily as a whole. The phylogenetic relationships of African palm civet is shown in the following cladogram: Felidae Prionodontidae Hyaenidae Herpestidae Eupleridae Viverridae Nandinia The African palm civet is threatened by habitat loss and hunting for bushmeat . In 2006, an estimated more than 4,300 African palm civets are hunted yearly in

1548-560: The pinned specimens directly in larger trays or drawers that are glass-topped and stored in cabinets. In contrast to such dried specimens, soft-bodied specimens most commonly are kept in "wet collections", meaning that they are stored in alcohol or similar preservative or fixative liquids, according to the intended function. Small specimens, whether hard or soft bodied, and whether entire, dissected , or sectioned , may be stored as microscope slide preparations. "Wet" specimen collections are stored in different solutions. A very old method

1591-766: The species range from 0.5–14 kg (1.1–30.9 lb). Some occur in Southern Europe, but most in Africa and Asia. Their diet ranges from fruit and plants to insects, crustaceans and molluscs , and small mammals. In the Middle Palaeocene (60 million years ago), Miacoidea appears. Miacoids were a group of paraphyletic taxa believed to be basal to Carnivora. They had Carnivora-like carnassials but lacked fully ossified auditory bullae. Miacids were small arboreal carnivorans and, based on their size (roughly that of mongooses), they probably fed on insects, small mammals and birds. The miacoids are divided into two groups:

1634-495: The species size and available food sources (with the larger species feeding mainly on small mammals and the smallest species feeding on insects or invertebrates ). An overview of each family is provided here. For detailed taxa and descriptions of the species in each family, follow the links to other articles and external references. Family Eupleridae (the "Malagasy carnivorans") includes fossa , falanouc , Malagasy civet and Malagasy mongooses , all of which are restricted to

1677-512: The specimens may be kept in conveniently sized open trays. The bottoms of the trays are lined with a material suited to receiving and holding entomological pins securely and conveniently. Cork and foam plastics are convenient examples. However, open trays are very vulnerable to attack by museum beetle and similar pests, so such open trays are stored in turn inside glass-topped, insect-proof drawers, commonly protected by suitable pesticides or repellents or barriers. Alternatively, some museums store

1720-415: The stomach contents. A single specimen may be a composite of preparations sharing a unique number. An example would be a vertebrate with an alcohol-preserved skin and viscera, a cleared and stained head, the post-cranial dried skeleton, histological , glass slides of various organs, and frozen tissue samples. This specimen could also be a voucher for a publication, or photographs and audiotape. A voucher

1763-490: The young civets' fur. This probably discourages males from mating with nursing females. Its generation length is 7.8 years. In 1830, John Edward Gray first described an African palm civet using the name Viverra binotata based on a zoological specimen obtained from a museum in Leiden . In 1843, Gray proposed the genus Nandinia and subordinated Viverra binotata to this genus. In 1929, Reginald Innes Pocock proposed

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1806-554: Was recorded in forested areas during a camera-trapping survey in 2012. In Batéké Plateau National Park , it was recorded only west of the Mpassa River during surveys carried out between June 2014 and May 2015. In Liberian Upper Guinean forests , it was sighted in Gbarpolu County and Bong County during surveys in 2013. In Zanzibar , it was recorded in groundwater forest on Unguja Island in 2003. The African palm civet

1849-479: Was wild-caught on Bioko Island. However, it was not recorded on the island during subsequent surveys between 1986 and 2015. In Guinea's National Park of Upper Niger , it was recorded during surveys conducted in 1996 to 1997. In Senegal , it was observed in 2000 in Niokolo-Koba National Park , which encompasses mainly open habitat dominated by grasses . In Gabon 's Moukalaba-Doudou National Park , it

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