Philantomba hecki

238.

Malawi Blue Duiker

Philantomba hecki

French: Céphalophe de Heck / German: Malawi-Blauducker / Spanish: Duiker azul de Malaui

Taxonomy. Cephalophus hecki Matschie, 1897,

Mozambique.

Formerly included as a subspecies of P. monticola. Monotypic.

Distribution. NE Zambia (E of the Luangwa valley), Malawi, and N Mozambique.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 55-65 cm, tail 8 cm, shoulder height 30-37 cm; weight 4-7 kg (4.5-2 kg) in males and 5-3 kg (4.3-6. 2 kg) in females. The overall color is reddish; the rufous-gray or brown dorsum blends into pale rufous flanks. The rump is medium to dark brown (not black), and is especially dark at the sides of the tail. There is a sharp demarcation between the dark rump and the pale red haunches. The legs have a reddish tone, and the pasterns may be brown or colored as the legs. The underparts vary from extensively white to very pale reddish-gray with white patches in the axillary and inguinal regions and along the midline. The forehead is dark brown, and rufous superciliary streaks clearly demarcate the edges ofthis dark patch. The outsides of the ears are dark brown, and each ear has a rufous patch at the base. A pair of short, straight horns is present in both sexes; average horn length is 4: 27 cm in males and 2.8 cm in females. Dental formulais10/3, C0/1,P 3/3, M 3/3 (x2) = 32.

Habitat. Found in forests and thickets. The most commonly used forests in northern Malawi are dominated by Podocarpus milanjianus, Kiggelaria africana, Diospyros whyteana, and Olinia africana. Preferred habitats (highest population densities) are correlated with a balance between high canopy and dense undergrowth. Ground cover provides essential protection from predators such as the crowned hawk-eagle (Stephanoaetus coronatus), which frequently preys upon the Malawi Blue Duiker.

Food and Feeding. A selective forager that feeds on fallen fruit and leaves. The Malawi Blue Duiker generally feeds from the forest floor, but it will occasionally browse directly from plants. Wild individuals have been recorded feeding on the fruits of Adenia stolzii, Chrysophyllum gorungosanum, and Garcinia kingaensis.

Breeding. There is no information available for this species.

Activity patterns. There is no information available for this species.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. There is no information available for this species.

Status and Conservation. CITES Appendix II (under P. monticola). Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List (combined with the nine blue duiker species within the P. monticola complex). The distribution of the Malawi Blue Duiker has been considerably fragmented as a result of habitat destruction; numbers have been reduced by overhunting. Malawi Blue Duikers are present in several forest reserves and Nyika National Park.

Bibliography. Dowsett-Lemaire (1988), East (1999), Grubb & Groves (2001), IUCN/SSC Antelope Specialist Group (2008as), Lydekker (1914), Wilson (2001).