Prionailurus rust – Wikipedia, Enciclopedia libre

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He Herrumbrous cat ( Prionailurus rusty ) It is the smallest species of existing wild cat. It is located in Sri Lanka and India. [ first ] The subspecies A. R. RUBIGINOSA It is limited to the south of India, while P. R. Koladivinus and P. r. phillipsi They are found in Sri Lanka. [ required appointment ]

In Sri Lanka they are scattered in the dense tropical forests high and are absent in the western zone of the island. In India, the distribution is irregular and more dispersed, being in most cases in dry grasslands, mountains, and open forests.

It has been suggested that this type of distribution habitat can be the result of interspecific competition with its close relative, the leopard cat ( P. bengalensis ) in continental India and the jungle cat ( Felis chane ) In Sri Lanka. The Leopardo cat occupies the south of the lands of the forests of India, while the jungle cat is found in the open grasslands of Sri Lanka. In both cases, these two cats are larger than the horny cat and could move it from their favorite habitat.

Characteristics [ To edit ]

The horseshoe cat rivals the skateboard ( F. nigripes ) as the smallest wild cat in the world. It measures 35 to 48 cm long, with a 15 to 30 cm tail, and weighs only 0.9 to 1.6 kg. His hair is short and gray in most of the body, with stains of oxide on the back and flanks, while the belly is white with large dark spots. The tail is darker and approximately half of the length of the body. There are six dark stripes on each side of the head, which extend on the cheeks and forehead. [ 2 ] ​

Distribution and habitat [ To edit ]

These cats have a relatively restricted distribution. They are mainly presented in wet and dry deciduous forests, as well as thickets and grasslands, but is absent in the perennial forest. [ 3 ] They prefer dense vegetation and rocky areas. [ 4 ] ​ [ 5 ] ​

Ecology and behavior [ To edit ]

It is nocturnal and partly arborícola, they spend the day sleeping in dense or shelters, such as hollow trunks. They feed mainly with rodents and birds, but can also hunt lizards, frogs or insects. They hunt mainly on the ground with rapid movements to catch their prey. Like other cats, they mark their territory with urine. [ 2 ] ​

Reproduction [ To edit ]

The reproductive cycle lasts five days, and the mating is usually brief. Since the cat is vulnerable during this period, its brevity can be an adaptation to help avoid larger predators. The mother prepares a cave in an isolated place, and gives birth to one or two young after a pregnancy of 65 to 70 days. At birth, puppies weigh only between 60 and 77 g and are marked with rows of black dots. The cat reaches sexual maturity around 68 weeks, at which time the distinctive adult fur pattern of rusty spots has been developed. These cats often live twelve years in captivity, but their life expectancy in nature is unknown. [ 2 ] ​

Subespecies [ To edit ]

References [ To edit ]

  1. ↑ a b Mukherjee, S., Duckworth, J.W., Silva, A., Appel, A. & Kittle, A. (2016). ‘ Prionailurus rusty » . Red list of threatened species of the UICN 2016.1 (in English) . ISSN  2307-8235 . Retrieved on July 24, 2016 .
  2. ↑ a b c Sunquist, Mel; Sunquist, Fiona (2002). Wild cats of the world . Chicago: University of Chicago Press. pp.  237-240 . ISBN 0-226-77999-8 .
  3. ↑ Nowell, K., Jackson, P. (1996). Rusty-spotted Cat Prionailurus rubiginosus In: Wild Cats: status survey and conservation action plan. IUCN/SSC Cat Specialist Group, Gland, Switzerland
  4. ↑ Kittle, A., Watson, A. (2004). Rusty-spotted cat in Sri Lanka: observations of an arid zone population. Cat News 40: 17–19
  5. ↑ Patel, K. (2006). Observations of rusty-spotted cat in eastern Gujurat. Cat News 45: 27–28

external links [ To edit ]