Burmese ferret-badger
Species of carnivore
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Burmese ferret-badger (Melogale personata), also known as the large-toothed ferret-badger, is a mustelid native to Southeast Asia.[1]
| Burmese ferret-badger | |
|---|---|
| |
| Mounted specimen at the Natural History Museum of Genoa | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Infraclass: | Placentalia |
| Order: | Carnivora |
| Family: | Mustelidae |
| Genus: | Melogale |
| Species: | M. personata |
| Binomial name | |
| Melogale personata | |
 | |
| Burmese ferret-badger range | |
Description
The Burmese ferret-badger has a head and body length of 35–40 cm (14–16 in), a tail length of 15–21 cm (5.9–8.3 in) and a body weight of 1.5–3 kg (3.3–6.6 lb). The fur ranges from fawn brown to dark brown, with a white dorsal stripe. The face is marked with black and white patches, which are unique to each individual. The rear part of the tail is whitish.[2] It has 18 teeth in the upper jaw and 20 in the lower jaw.[3]
The Burmese ferret-badger is very similar in appearance to the Chinese ferret-badger (Melogale moschata) and can only be reliably distinguished by dentition, specifically the larger size up the upper fourth premolar.[4] While some sources have suggested that the species can be distinguished by dorsal and facial markings, this does not appear to be reliable in all populations.[1]
Distribution and habitat
The Burmese ferret badger has been recorded in north-eastern India, Nepal, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Bangladesh, and Yunnan province in southwestern China. It inhabits evergreen forests, and is more commonly reported in disturbed habitat than in old-growth forests.[1] Many reported sightings have been reported near residential or agricultural areas.[4][5][6][7]
The exact distribution of the species is uncertain. The difficulty in determining the species range is compounded by its strong resemblance to the Chinese ferret-badger, with which it overlaps in some areas and from which it cannot reliably be distinguished without examining its dentition.[8]
Behaviour and ecology
Little is known about the behaviour or ecology of the Burmese ferret-badger. Many of the published descriptions are of deceased individuals or records by camera traps.[1]
Taxonomy
Melogale personata was described by Isidore Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire in 1831 as the type species of the genus Melogale.[3] According to Sainte-Hilaire the species name, personata, was chosen in reference to the animal's striking facial coloration.[3] The holotype specimen is housed in the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle.[9]
Three subspecies are recognised:[2]
- M. p. personata, northeastern India and Bangladesh to southern Myanmar and Thailand
- M. p. nipalensis, Nepal (previously described as a distinct species, M. nepalensis)[6]
- M. p. pierrei, Cambodia, southern China, Laos and Vietnam.
As a potential zoonotic disease vector
A tick collected from a road-killed Burmese ferret-badger was positive for a strain of Rickettsia japonica, a bacteria which causes spotted fever in humans, implicating M. personata as a potential reservoir for the pathogen.[10] The Burmese ferret-badger has also been suggested as a potential reservoir for SARS coronavirus.[11]
Threats and conservation status
While there is no evidence to suggest that the Burmese ferret-badger is specifically targeted by hunters, it has been caught in traps targeting other species.[1][7]
The Burmese ferret badger is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.[1]