Crossarchus platycephalus, F. G. Cuvier, 1825

Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2009, Herpestidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 1 Carnivores, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 262-328 : 325

28.

Flat-headed Cusimanse

Crossarchus platycephalus

French: Mangouste a téte plate / German: Kamerun-Kusimanse / Spanish: Cusimansé de Camerudn

Other common names: Cameroon Cusimanse

Taxonomy. Crossarchus platycephalus Goldman, 1984 ,

Eseka, Cameroon.

Some uncertainty regarding differentiation from C. obscurus. Differentiation based mainly upon skull morphology (broader skull in C. platycephalus). Monotypic.

Distribution. Benin and Nigeria to Cameroon, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, PR Congo, and probably Gabon.

Descriptive notes. Head-body estimated 30-36 cm,tail 15.6-21 cm, hindfoot 6.1-7. 6 cm, ear 2.2-6 cm; weight 0.5-1. 5 kg. Dark shaggy brown to black fur. Dorsal guard hairs 10-15 mm at nape, gradually elongating towards rump (30-35 mm). Long, snout-like nose. Short, rounded ears. Well-developed claws on forefeet. Short legs and relatively short tail. Flatter (broader) skull than the Common Cusimanse and nuchal hair crest on midline between ears and neck (30-40 mm long hair). No obvious sexual dimorphism. Condylobasal 65-2-75-6 mm. Rostrum 22:8-26-8 mm. Zygomatic breadth 34-8—-41-7 mm. Dental formula: 13/3, C1/1,P 3/3, M 2/2 = 36.

Habitat. Tropical rainforest and associated riparian forest.

Food and Feeding. Feeds on invertebrates and vertebrates of the forest floor and in rotting logs.

Activity patterns. Believed to be diurnal.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Social. Groups appear to rove with no fixed dens.

Breeding. Two females collected in Cameroon had three and five embryos.

Status and Conservation. Not CITES listed. Classified as Least Concern in The [UCN Red List. Apparently widespread, but patchily distributed. Hunted as bushmeat. Almost nothing is known ofits ecology and field studies are needed.

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

Figures

On following pages: 25. Alexander's Cusimanse (Crossarchus alexandri); 26. Angolan Cusimanse (Crossarchus ansorgel); 27. Common Cusimanse (Crossarchus obscurus); 28. Flat-headed Cusimanse (Crossarchus platycephalus); 29. Ethiopian Dwarf Mongoose (Helogale hirtula); 30. Common Dwarf Mongoose (Helogale parvula); 31. Pousargues’s Mongoose (Dologale dybowskii): 32. Liberian Mongoose (Liberiictis kuhni); 33. Gambian Mongoose (Mungos gambianus); 34. Banded Mongoose (Mungos mungo).

Distribution. Benin and Nigeria to Cameroon , Central African Republic , Equatorial Guinea , PR Congo , and probably Gabon .