Banded palm civet

Banded palm civet
A banded palm civet in the Cincinnati Zoo
CITES Appendix II (CITES)
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Suborder: Feliformia
Family: Viverridae
Genus: Hemigalus
Jourdan, 1837
Species:
H. derbyanus
Binomial name
Hemigalus derbyanus
(Gray, 1837)
Subspecies
  • H. d. derbyanus (Gray, 1837)
  • H. d. boiei Muller, 1838
  • H. d. minor Miller, 1903
  • H. d. sipora Chasen & Kloss, 1927
Banded palm civet range
Synonyms
  • Helogale derbianus

The banded palm civet (Hemigalus derbyanus, Indonesian: Musang Belang), also called the banded civet, is a viverrid native to Indomalaya. They primarily inhabit lowland conifer habitat, which is under threat from encroaching human activity. It is estimated the population of the banded palm civet has decreased by around 30% in just three generations. Banded palm civets are usually approximately the size of a domestic cat; their fur is pale but with dark bands on the back.

Hemigalus derbyanus is the only species in its genus. The species comprises four subspecies, distributed across Indonesia and Southeast Asia.

Classification

The banded palm civet is the only species in the monotypic genus Hemigalus, which was first named and described by Claude Jourdan in 1837. The genus name is derived from the Greek hemi (half) and galus (weasel), due to their appearance.

The species is believed to be closely related to Hose's palm civet – another species of civet in the subfamily Hemigalinae, also distributed in Southeast Asia, and with a similar build and appearance.

Hemigalus derbyanus boiei

Subspecies

There are four subspecies: H. derbyanus derbyanus, H. d. boiei, H. d. minor, and H. d. sipora. H. d. derbyanus is known from Myanmar and mainland Malaysia as well as Sumatra; H. d. boiei is known only from Borneo; H. d. minor, from South Pagai and the Mentawai islands; and H. d. sipora, from Sipora and the Mentawai islands. There is also a population on Siberut island, but it has not been attributed to any subspecies.

It is estimated that H. d. minor and H. d. derbyanus diverged from each other some 2.7 million years ago.

Description

The banded palm civet is roughly the size of domesticated cat, growing up to 53 centimetres (1.74 ft) in length – minus the tail – and weighing from 1 to 3 kilograms (2.2 to 6.6 lb). The tail is usually three-quarters the length of the body, and may appear to swell in size in response to a threat. The civets also have sensitive hairs in between the pads of their paws for sensing prey.

Their fur is usually pale in colour, with between seven and eight dark bands on the back. The pale colour is typically pale brown, grey, whitish or buff, but can also be yellowish; the bands are usually dark brown, black, or chestnut in colour. The banded palm civet can potentially be confused with Prionodon linsang, a related species with similar banding.

One generation typically spans five years. They have one or two litters a year.

Distribution and habitat

According to the 2015 IUCN Red List report, the banded palm civet is found in Borneo, Sumatra, and the Malay Peninsula, as well as the smaller islands of Siberut, Sipora, and South Pagai. However, they are in decline and are not found throughout their range as listed in the Red List.

The banded palm civet is primarily found in lowland coniferous forests. The species' survival is probably largely dependent on forest habitat; it is not known to live in non-forested environments. They prefer intact forest habitat; a 2022 paper thus concluded that, as a source of zoonoses – diseases potentially transmitted from other organisms to humans, and vice-versa – in natural areas, the civets are low-risk.

Behaviour and ecology

Banded palm civets have a notably different diet than other civet species. They are known to be strict carnivores, as opposed to other civets, which are usually omnivorous. They are known to prey on a variety of small animals, including crustaceans, ants, spiders, worms, rats, frogs, small reptiles, and even birds. They can only occasionally be found feeding on vegetation such as fruits. Banded palm civets are known to hunt around water or along the forest floor.

In response to a predator or other threat, banded palm civets may swell their tails, or hiss and spit at the animal.

Reginald Innes Pocock believed that the civet's striking colouration must serve some special purpose, perhaps warning of what he described as a "nauseous protective secretion of the anal glands", which is known to exist in other related genera. He also noted that while a previous writer described the animal as without any smell, he found that the secretions of the enlarged anal glands of a female specimen produced a strong odour which "reminded [him] forcefully of that of the Stoat".

The species is nocturnal and spends daytime in low tree holes. Their period of activity overlaps with two other species of civet, species of prey (Muridae), as well as the clouded leopard – a potential predator. They are believed to be solitary creatures.

An illustration of the banded palm civet from The Cambridge Natural History (1902)

Conservation

The population of the species is currently decreasing. The species is listed as near threatened on the IUCN Red List, and under CITES' Appendix II. The major threat to the banded palm civet is habitat loss and transformation, caused by deforestation, agriculture, and plantations; as well as water damming, hunting, and logging. The species' preferred habitat– lowland coniferous forest – is particularly prone to such threats.

A 2022 study estimated that the civet has been reduced to just 21% of the IUCN Red List distribution, with a steep decline in population. The same paper suggested that the IUCN Red List assessment should be re-evaluated. The population is believed to have declined by 30% over just three generations.

It is absent from Singapore, where it is believed to have been extirpated in the early 20th century. A 2013 study concluded that roughly 24% of the species' estimated range was in protected areas, but a later (2022) study estimated that value to be only 12%.

The civets are hunted and eaten locally. Some humans may take them from their natural habitat to keep them as pets.

The species is widespread, and is known to persist even in disrupted habitat. However, reports indicate that sightings of the banded palm civet are significantly lower in forests affected by logging.


This page was last updated at 2023-11-20 02:01 UTC. Update now. View original page.

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