Narrow-striped Mongoose
Encyclopedia
The Narrow-striped Mongoose (Mungotictis decemlineata), also locally called boky-boky in Malagasy, is a member of the family
Eupleridae
, subfamily Galidiinae
. It inhabits the dry deciduous forests
of western and southwestern Madagascar. To date, it has been found between the Tsiribihina and Mangoky rivers.
species such as the Gray Mouse Lemur
.
The Narrow-striped Mongoose is diurnal
and lives in matriarchal
family groups that practice cooperative rearing of young. Usually, the young of the alpha female will get the most care, and often the lower ranking females' young is neglected to the point of abandonment. The Narrow-striped Mongoose creates small nests in trees and brush, and has been known to share trees with Lepilemur species, with which it seemed there was little or no interaction.
and under higher human pressure than the eastern rainforests. The main cause of decimation of dry deciduous forest in Madagascar is tavy (slash-and-burn agriculture
) by subsistence farmers
, but other causes include logging for wild honey and lumber.
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
Eupleridae
Eupleridae
The family Eupleridae is a group of carnivorans endemic to Madagascar and comprising 10 known species in seven genera. Probably the best known species is the Fossa , in the subfamily Euplerinae...
, subfamily Galidiinae
Galidiinae
Galidiinae is a subfamily of carnivorans restricted to Madagascar which includes six species classified into four genera. Together with the three other species of indigenous Malagasy carnivorans, including the fossa, they are currently classified in the family Eupleridae within the suborder...
. It inhabits the dry deciduous forests
Madagascar dry deciduous forests
The Madagascar dry deciduous forests represent a tropical dry forest ecoregion generally situated in the western part of Madagascar. The area has high numbers of endemic plant and animal species but has suffered large-scale clearance for agriculture...
of western and southwestern Madagascar. To date, it has been found between the Tsiribihina and Mangoky rivers.
Diet, behavior, and habitat
From the few studies done, the Narrow-striped Mongoose is believed to be primarily insectivorous, but has been known to eat bird eggs and a variety of small animals including rodents, birds, snakes, and even small lemurLemur
Lemurs are a clade of strepsirrhine primates endemic to the island of Madagascar. They are named after the lemures of Roman mythology due to the ghostly vocalizations, reflective eyes, and the nocturnal habits of some species...
species such as the Gray Mouse Lemur
Gray Mouse Lemur
The gray mouse lemur , or lesser mouse lemur, is a small lemur, a type of strepsirrhine primate, found only on the island of Madagascar. Weighing , it is the largest of the mouse lemurs , a group which include the smallest primates in the world...
.
The Narrow-striped Mongoose is diurnal
Diurnal animal
Diurnality is a plant or animal behavior characterized by activity during the day and sleeping at night.-In animals:Animals that are not diurnal might be nocturnal or crepuscular . Many animal species are diurnal, including many mammals, insects, reptiles and birds...
and lives in matriarchal
Matriarchy
A matriarchy is a society in which females, especially mothers, have the central roles of political leadership and moral authority. It is also sometimes called a gynocratic or gynocentric society....
family groups that practice cooperative rearing of young. Usually, the young of the alpha female will get the most care, and often the lower ranking females' young is neglected to the point of abandonment. The Narrow-striped Mongoose creates small nests in trees and brush, and has been known to share trees with Lepilemur species, with which it seemed there was little or no interaction.
Conservation status
The Narrow-striped Mongoose is currently classified as Vulnerable by IUCN primarily because of habitat loss. The western dry forests are both highly fragmentedHabitat fragmentation
Habitat fragmentation as the name implies, describes the emergence of discontinuities in an organism's preferred environment , causing population fragmentation...
and under higher human pressure than the eastern rainforests. The main cause of decimation of dry deciduous forest in Madagascar is tavy (slash-and-burn agriculture
Slash and burn
Slash-and-burn is an agricultural technique which involves cutting and burning of forests or woodlands to create fields. It is subsistence agriculture that typically uses little technology or other tools. It is typically part of shifting cultivation agriculture, and of transhumance livestock...
) by subsistence farmers
Subsistence agriculture
Subsistence agriculture is self-sufficiency farming in which the farmers focus on growing enough food to feed their families. The typical subsistence farm has a range of crops and animals needed by the family to eat and clothe themselves during the year. Planting decisions are made with an eye...
, but other causes include logging for wild honey and lumber.