15.

Somalian Slender Mongoose

Galerella ochracea

French: Mangouste d'Abyssinie / German: Somalia-Schlankichneumon / Spanish: Mangosta somali

Taxonomy. Herpestes ochraceus Gray, 1848.

“ Abyssinia ”, exact locality unknown.

The Somalian Slender Mongoose has been classified as a subspecies of the Common Slender Mongoose (G. sanguinea), and only recently has been recognized as a distinct species. Monotypic.

Distribution. Ethiopia, Somalia, and NE Kenya.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 25.4-29 cm (males), tail 22-27. 3 cm (males), hindfoot 5.5-6 cm (males), ear 2.5-2. 8 cm (males); weight similar to that of the Common Slender Mongoose. A small mongoose, with a long slender body and long tail (85-90% of body length). Variable hair color, from dark brown to pale gray, sometimes reddish. No black tail tip (in contrast with the Common Slender Mongoose). Skull length 53-61 mm (males larger than females); smaller than most Slender Mongooses. Auditory bullae relatively large. Dental formuala: 13/3, C1/1,P 4/3, M 2/2 = 38.

Habitat. Appears to select dry areas. Found up to 600 m in Ethiopia.

Food and Feeding. Nothing known.

Activity patterns. Apparently diurnal.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Nothing known.

Breeding. Nothing known.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern in The IUCN Red List. Assumed to be fairly common, but this is a very poorly known species and is in need of further studies.

Bibliography. Azzaroli & Simonetta (1966), Taylor (In press c), Taylor & Goldman (1993), Yalden, Largen & Kock (1980), Yalden, Largen, Kock & Hillman (1996).