Crossarchus alexandri F. G. Cuvier 1825

25.

Alexander’s Cusimanse

Crossarchus alexandri

French: Mangouste d'Alexander / German: Kongo-Kusimanse / Spanish: Cusimansé del Congo

Taxonomy. Crossarchus alexandri Thomas & Wroughton, 1907,

Ubangi, Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire).

Two subspecies were recognized by Goldman in 1984, who proposed minor as restricted to eastern DR Congo and Uganda. However, subsequent research has discounted the subspecies status of this population and returned this species to monotypic status.

Distribution. DR Congo and Uganda.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 35-44 cm, tail 22.5-31. 7 cm, hindfoot 7.5-9. 1 cm, ear 1.9-2. 8 cm; weight 1-2 kg. Largest member of the genus Crossarchus. Dark thick shaggy fur. Crest from head to tail (6-8 cm long between neck whorls). Conspicuous whorls of hair present on neck. Dorsal guard hairs 40-50 mm, gradually lengthening from nape to rump. Crest and whorl hair length similar to surrounding guard hairs. Snout-like nose is longest of the cusimanses (rostrum 34-36% of condylobasal length). Face has short fur. Five digits on foreand hindfeet. Well-developed claws on forefeet. Ectotympanic bullae inflated less than entotympanic bullae. Alexander's Cusimanse is sympatric with the subspecies nigricolor of the Angolan Cusimanse in the DR Congo, but is larger (head-body more than 36-4 cm, condylobasal more than 74 mm, post-dental palate length subequal to width). Condylobasal 74-81-1 mm. Rostrum 25-7-31-9 mm. Zygomatic breadth 35-4-43-4 mm. Dental formula: 13/3, C 1/1, P3/3,M2/2=236.

Habitat. Lowland and montane rainforest, damp valley bottoms, and seasonally flooded swamp forest. Said to utilize cultivated and inhabited land (in contrast to Angolan Cusimanse). Relict population believed to live on Mount Elgon (1500-2900 m).

Food and Feeding. Believed to feed on invertebrates and vertebrates of the forest floor and in rotting logs, feeding mainly on earthworms, slugs, snails, and beetles, with some fruit.

Activity patterns. Believed to be diurnal, although reports of at least some nocturnal activity at Kivu (DR Congo).

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Social. Up to 20 animals in a group. Groups believed to rove, with no fixed dens. Contact calls with grunts and twitters whilst foraging. Will climb trees.

Breeding. Nothing known.

Status and Conservation. Not CITES listed. Classified as Least Concern in The IUCN Red List. Not endangered, with the exception of a relict population on Mount Elgon (possibly threatened by hunting). Heavily hunted for bushmeat in the DR Congo. Very little is known about this species and scientific studies, particularly on ecology and behavior, are needed.

Bibliography. Coetzee (1977), Colyn & Van Rompaey (1990, 1994a), Colyn et al. (1987), Ewer (1973), Goldman (1984, 1987), Kingdon (1997), Van Rompaey & Colyn (1992, In press b), Wozencraft (2005).