crotalus lepidus is a venomous pit viper species found in the southwestern united states and northern central mexico .

four subspecies are currently recognized , including the nominate subspecies described here .

crotalus lepidus

comparison of venom composition and biological activities of the subspecies crotalus lepidus lepidus , crotalus lepidus klauberi and crotalus lepidus morulus from mexico .
crotalus lepidus lepidus ( kennicott 1861 ) caudisona lepida kennicott 1861 : 206 crotalus lepidus lepidus — gloyd 1936 crotalus lepidus — cope 1883 crotalus semicornutus taylor 1944 crotalus lepidus lepidus — klauber 1952 : 45 crotalus lepidus castaneu crotalus lepidus — stebbins 1985 : 227 crotalus lepidus lepidus — conant & collins 1991 : 237 crotalus lepidus lepidus — liner 1994 crotalus lepidus — mcdiarmid , campbell & touré 1999 : 287 crotalus lepidus lepidus — tennant & bartlett 2000 : 535 uropsophus lepidus — hoser 2009 crotalus lepidus — wallach et al . 2014 : 191 crotalus lepidus klauberi gloyd 1936 crotalus lepidus klauberi gloyd 1936 crotalus lepidus klauberi — klauber 1952 : 53 crotalus lepidus kaluberi [ sic ] — van devender & lowe 1977 crotalus lepidus klauberi — stebbins 1985 : 228 crotalus lepidus klauberi — tanner 1985 : 663 crotalus lepidus klauberi — conant & collins 1991 : 237 crotalus lepidus klauberi — liner 1994 crotalus lepidus klauberi — dixon 2000 crotalus lepidus klauberi — tennant & bartlett 2000 : 538 crotalus lepidus klauberi — bryson 2007 crotalus lepidus klauberi — love 2011 crotalus lepidus klauberi — monzel 2012 crotalus lepidus klauberi — werning 2012 crotalus lepidus klauberi — weima 2013 crotalus lepidus maculosus tanner , dixon & harris 1972 crotalus lepidus maculosus tanner , dixon & harris 1972 crotalus lepidus maculosus — liner 1994 crotalus lepidus maculossus — welch 1994 : 47 ( in error ) crotalus lepidus maculosus — beaman & hayes 2008
comparison of venom composition and biological activities of the subspecies crotalus lepidus lepidus , crotalus lepidus klauberi and crotalus lepidu . . . - pubmed - ncbi
crotalus lepidus morulus klauber 1952 : 52 crotalus lepidus morulus — liner 1994 crotalus lepidus morulus — bryson 2007 crotalus morulus — bryson et al . 2014 crotalus morulus — terán - juárez et al 2016
these are relatively small rattlesnakes . crotalus oreganus was included in crotalus viridis until recently ( see crotalus viridis account ) .
comparison of venom composition and biological activities of the subspecies crotalus lepidus lepidus , c . l . klauberi and c . l . morulus from mexico .
venom phenotypes of the rock rattlesnake ( crotalus lepidus ) and the ridge - nosed rattlesnake ( crotalus willardi ) from méxico and the united states .
beaupre , s . 1993 . an ecological study of oxygen - consumption in the mottled rock rattlesnake , crotalus - lepidus - lepidus , and the black - tailed rattlesnake , crotalus - molossus - molossus .
venom phenotypes of the rock rattlesnake ( crotalus lepidus ) and the ridge - nosed rattlesnake ( crotalus willardi ) from méxico and the united states . - pubmed - ncbi
liner , e . a . , and a . h . chaney . 1986 . crotalus lepidus lepidus ( mottled rock rattlesnake ) . reproduction . herpetological review 17 ( 4 ) : 89 .
a characteristic distinguishing it quite well ( apart from the livery ) from the crotalus lepidus lepidus is the absence of the typical dark line going , in this last one , from the buccal rima to the eye .
we characterized the venom of three subspecies of c . lepidus complex from mexico .
strimple , pete 1993 . report on the feeding and growth of a juvenile mottled rock rattlesnake , crotalus lepidus lepidus , during three years in captivity . litteratura serpentium 13 ( 3 ) : 89 - 94 - get paper here
velde , hans v . d . 1995 . breeding results : crotalus lepidus klauberi . litteratura serpentium 15 ( 5 ) : 134 - get paper here
goldberg , stephen r . 2000 . reproduction in the rock rattlesnake , crotalus lepidus ( serpentes : viperidae ) . herpetological natural history 7 ( 1 ) : 83 - 86
on these background colours stand out some well spaced bands , of dark colour , black or brown , and , among them , are often spread small dark spots which , however , are never so thick and close as is the case of the subspecies crotalus lepidus lepidus .
goldberg , s . 1999 . reproduction in the blacktail rattlesnake , crotalus molossus .
portrait of a southern pacific rattlesnake ( crotalus viridis helleri ) on white background .
the greatest recorded length for a c . l . lepidus specimen is 775 mm ( boundy , 1995 )
mata - silva , vicente , jerry d . johnson and arturo rocha . 2011 . crotalus lepidus ( rock rattlesnake ) feeding behavior . herpetological review 42 ( 3 ) : 439 - get paper here
desantis , dominic l . , vicente mata - silva and jerry d . johnson . 2015 . crotalus lepidus ( rock rattlesnake ) diet / scavenging . herpetological review 46 ( 2 ) : 268 - 269
gloyd , howard k . 1936 . the subspecies of crotalus lepidus . occasional papers of the museum of zoology , university of michigan ( 337 ) : 1 - 5 + 1 plate - get paper here
mata silva , vicente ,
ecology of the rock rattlesnake , crotalus lepidus , in the northern chihuahuan desert
( 2011 ) . etd collection for university of texas , el paso . aai3489984 . urltoken
beaupre , s . j . 1995 . comparative ecology of the mottled rock rattlesnake , crotalus lepidus , in big ben national park . herpetologica 51 ( 1 ) : 45 - 56 . [ links ]
banda - leal , javier , david lazcano , manuel nevárez - de los reyes and alejandro huereca - delgado . 2015 . crotalus lepidus ( rock rattlesnake ) diet . herpetological review 46 ( 1 ) : 102
1 , 434 crotalus stock photos , vectors , and illustrations are available royalty - free .
beaupre , s . j . 1996 . field metabolic rate , water flux , and energy budgets of mottled rock rattlesnakes , crotalus lepidus , from two populations . copeia 1996 ( 2 ) : 319 - 329 .
51 - swinford , g . w . 1994 . project summary 1991 - 1994 , a continued study of the mottled race of the rock rattlesnake , crotalus lepidus lepidus , in southeastern new mexico currently listed state endangered . share with wildlife , new mexico department of game and fish . contract # 93 - 516 . 6 - 2 . view document
western diamondback bites camera ! ! ! red crotalus atrox a . k . a . blood diamond
tanner , wilmer w . , james r . dixon and herbert s . harris 1972 . a new subspecies of crotalus lepidus from western mexico . great basin naturalist 32 ( 1 ) : 16 - 24 - get paper here
for information on c . lepidus klauberi , which is also found in new mexico , texas , and arizona , see 030174 .
jacob , j . s . , and j . s . altenbach . 1977 . sexual dimorphism in crotalus lepidus klauberi gloyd ( reptilia , serpentes , viperidae ) . journal of herpetology 11 ( 1 ) : 81 - 84 .
johnson , t . b . , and g . s . mills . 1982 . a preliminary report on the status of crotalus lepidus , c . pricei , and c . willardi in southeastern arizona . arizona natural heritage program , phoenix .
mccrystal , h . k . , c . r . schwalbe , and d . f . retes . 1996 . selected aspects of the ecology of the arizona ridge - nosed rattlesnake ( crotalus willardi willardi ) and the banded rock rattlesnake ( crotalus lepidus klauberi ) in arizona . report to the arizona game and fish department , heritage grant iipam 192034 .
the rock rattlesnakes , labelled with the scientific name of crotalus lepidus - kennicott , 1861 , are small viperids ( viperidae ) , afferent to the well known subfamily of the crotalides ( crotalinae ) having an elegant look , as suggested by the latin scientific name , “lepidus” , which , besides being a proper name of the old rome , means something like “graceful” , “elegant” , or “coy” .
carbajal - marquez , rubén alonso and gustavo e . quintero - diaz . 2015 . diet of crotalus lepidus ( serpentes : viperidae ) in mesa montoro , aguascalientes , méxico . revista mexicana de herpetología 1 ( 1 ) : 18–21 - get paper here
( crotalus viridis viridis , ) . paper presented at meeting of the animal behavior society , tucson , az .
christman , b . l . , a . barkalow , r . d . jennings , g . l . hamilton and j . bain 2016 . crotalus lepidus kaluberi ( banded rock rattlesnake ) diet / mortality . herpetological review 47 ( 3 ) : 477 .
the treatments represent the phenotypic extremes of crotalus l . lepidus found in eastern and western regions of west texas ( refer to figure 1a ) . the treatments are ( from left to right ) eastern unblotched , eastern blotched , western unblotched , and western blotched .
natureserve explorer , 2004 .
crotalus molossus
( on - line ) . accessed july 06 , 2004 at urltoken .
great basin rattlesnakes ( crotalus viridis lutosis ) are the only venomous reptiles in most of the great basin desert . night scene
rattlesnake of the reeds . rattlesnakes are a group of venomous snakes of the genera crotalus and sistrurus of the subfamily crotalinae .
tanner , wilmer w . ; dixon , james r . ; and harris , herbert s . jr . ( 1972 )
a new subspecies of crotalus lepidus from western mexico ,
great basin naturalist : vol . 32 : no . 1 , article 2 . available at : urltoken
the northwestern neotropical rattlesnake is characterised by its large size , pronounced vertebral ridge , and a highly potentent venom . crotalus culminatus .
an examination of additional specimens of crotalus lepidus from western durango and the adjacent parts of sinaloa and nayarit have demonstrated the validity of klauber ' s ( 1956 ) suggestion that a new subspecies may occur . the new subspecies ( c . l . maculosus ) is described and compared to other subspecies .
mata - silva , vicente , jerry d . johnson , arturo rocha , and steven dilks 2014 . rainwater - harvesting by the rock rattlesnake , crotalus lepidus , in the chihuahuan desert of western texas . southwestern naturalist jun 2014 , vol . 59 , no . 2 : 303 - 304 . - get paper here
panamint rattlesnake ( crotalus mitchellii stephensi ) under a pinyon pine tree in basin and range national monument , lincoln county , nevada , usa .
geographical distribution of crotalus durissus with stomach contents from central region of brazil covering forest formations of amazon and atlantic forest , caatinga and cerrado .
food composition in individual males , females , newborns and juveniles of crotalus durissus from central region of brazil ( n = 30 snakes ) .
winchell , s . 2007 . klapperschlangen ! die gattung crotalus . reptilia ( münster ) 12 ( 66 ) : 18 - 25 - get paper here
molecular model of snake venom toxin convulxin found in a tropical rattlesnake crotalus durissus terrificus , 3d illustration . this toxin causes blood clot formation after snake bite
echeverrigaray , s . , grazziotin , g . , grazziotin , f . & agostini , g . 2000 . random amplified polymorphisms between two south american subspecies of rattlesnakes ( crotalus durissus collilineatus e crotalus durissus terrificus ) . braz . arch . biol . techn . 313 - 317 . [ links ]
holycross , a . t . , c . w . painter , d . b . prival , d . e . swann , m . t . schroff , t . edwards , and c . r . schwalbe . diet of crotalus lepidus klauberi ( banded rock rattlesnake ) . journal of herpetology 36 ( 4 ) : 589 - 597 .
lepidus : usa ( se new mexico , sw texas ) , ne mexico ( chihuahua [ hr 31 : 113 ] , coahuila ) ; type locality : presidio del norte and eagle pass , texas .
a further odd and interesting characteristic is the longevity of these small viperids : often bigger animals do have a longer life than the small ones , but it is not always the case , and the crotalus lepidus may live up to 25 and more years , third in ranking , among the crotalides , after crotalus atrox and agkistrodon contortrix ( 30 and 29 years respectively ) … . maybe thanks to its retired and monastic life , as a hermit of the mountains , little prone to the stress and lover of its own privacy .
models were placed in the eastern region on limestone rocks and western region on volcanic rocks ( refer to figure 1a ) during the course of the predation study . the upper graph ( a ) is showing the proportion of attacks on models that mimicked the coloration of crotalus l . lepidus from the eastern region . the lower graph ( b ) is showing the proportion of attacks on models that mimicked the coloration of c . l . lepidus from the western region . the x - axis indicates the type of damage the models sustained as either avian attacks or non - predator disturbances .
the western diamondback rattlesnake or texas diamond - back ( crotalus atrox ) is a venomous rattlesnake species found in southwestern united states , mexico . likely responsible for snakebite fatalities
food item , ameiva ameiva , recorded in the stomach of a female crotalus durissus . specimen deposited in the coleção herpetológica da universidade de brasília ( chunb 49673 ) .
to cite this page : desai , m . 2004 .
crotalus molossus
( on - line ) , animal diversity web . accessed july 09 , 2018 at urltoken
clark , r . w . 2002 . diet of the timber rattlesnake crotalus horridus . j . herpetol . 36 ( 3 ) : 494 - 499 . [ links ]
prival , d . b . , and j . p . porter . 2016 . rock rattlesnake crotalus lepidus ( kennicott 1861 ) . pages 433 - 459 in g . w . schuett , m . j . feldner , c . f . smith , and r . s . reiserer ( eds ) . 2016 . rattlesnakes of arizona , volume 1 . eco herpetological publishing , rodeo , nm .
prival , d . b . 2008 . morphology , reproduction , and habitat use of a northern population of banded rock rattlesnakes , crotalus lepidus klauberi . pages 431 - 440 in w . k . hayes , k . r . beaman , m . d . cardwell , and s . p . bush ( editors ) , the biology of rattlesnakes . loma linda university press , loma linda , california .
i was interested to here your description of color variants to c . l . klauberi . i have seen specimens at the arizona sonora desert museum and also have been on trips to the chiricahuas and huachucas where we collected them on talus slopes . all of these specimens were green . at the museum and in the snakes of arizona by fowlie , crotalus lepidus klauberi is referred to as the green rock rattlesnake .
such small litters mean that although c . l . lepidus breeds every year , it still has a low reproductive rate . most young are born in mid - to late summer , 8 to 10 after mating ( tennant , 1984 )
holycross , a . t . , painter , c . w . , prival , d . v . , shawnn , d . e . , schroff , m . j . , edwards , t . & schwalbe , c . r . 2002 . diet of crotalus lepidus klauberi ( banded rock rattlesnake ) . j . herpetol . 36 ( 4 ) : 589 - 597 . urltoken ; 2 [ links ]
crotalus molossus is a venomous pit viper species found in the southwestern united states and mexico . common names : black - tailed rattlesnake , green rattler , northern black - tailed rattlesnake .
borja , miguel ; david lazcano , gerardo martínez - romero , jesús morlett , elda sánchez , ana c . cepeda - nieto , yolanda garza - garcía , and alejandro zugasti - cruz 2013 . intra - specific variation in the protein composition and proteolytic activity of venom of crotalus lepidus morulus from the northeast of mexico . copeia dec 2013 , vol . 2013 , no . 4 : 707 - 716 . - get paper here
big curve creepy viperidae crotalus asp serpentine on white backdrop . outline black ink hand drawn zoo pictogram emblem logo sketchy in art retro doodle style pen on paper space for text . closeup view
hoser , r . 2009 . a reclassification of the rattlesnakes ; species formerly exclusively referred to the genera crotalus and sistrurus . australasian j . herpetol . 3 : 1 - 21 - get paper here
late pleistocene and holocene snakes from the great basin and the colorado plateau include the genus , crotalus , and the species , c . viridis ( mead and bell , 1994 ) * 34 * .
macarthney , j . m . 1989 . diet of the northern pacific rattlesnake , crotalus viridis oreganus , in british columbia . herpetologica 45 ( 3 ) : 299 - 304 . urltoken [ links ]
santos , s . m . & germano , v . j . 1996 . crotalus durissus ( neotropical rattlesnake ) prey . herpetol . rev . 27 ( 3 ) : 143 . [ links ]
considering data to other viperids ( sawaya et al . 2008 ; marques et al . 2009 ; barbo et al . 2011 ) the frequency of individuals of crotalus durissus with prey in the stomach was low .
the specific name apparently comes from the latin word lapidis , meaning
stone ,
in reference to the snakes ' affinity for living in rocky terrain , or perhaps from the latin adjective lepidus , meaning
pleasant or charming
( lemos - espinal & dixon 2013 ) .
pifano , f . & rodriguez - acosta , a . 1996 . ecological niche and redescription of crotalus vegrandis ( serpentes : crotalidae ) in venezuela . brenesia 45 - 46 : 169 - 175 . [ links ]
ty - jour ti - a new subspecies of crotalus lepidus from western mexico t2 - the great basin naturalist . vl - 32 ur - urltoken pb - m . l . bean life science museum , brigham young university , cy - provo , utah : py - 1972 sp - 16 ep - 24 do - 10 . 5962 / bhl . part . 25765 sn - 0017 - 3614 au - tanner , w w au - dixon , j r au - harris , h s er -
hoyos , m . a . 2012 . a cascavel neotropical crotalus durissus : uma abordagem morfológica e da história natural em populações do brasil . tese de doutorado , universidade de são paulo , são paulo . [ links ]
wüster , w . & bérnils , r . s . 2011 . on the generic classification of the rattlesnakes , with special reference to the neotropical crotalus durissus complex ( squamata : viperidae ) . zoologia 28 ( 4 ) : 417–419
the head of the lepidus is triangular and distinct from the neck , also if less evidently than what happens in other crotalides , the eye has elliptic and vertical pupil , and , in fact , this serpent is of mainly crepuscular and nocturnal habits , even if it may be met during the day .
tozetti , a . m . , & martins , m . 2008 . habitat use by the south - american rattlesnake ( crotalus durissus ) in southeastern brazil . journal of natural history 42 : 1435 - 1444 . urltoken [ links ]
collection sites with voucher numbers of studied specimens of crotalus durissus and stomach contents from central region of brazil . chunb , coleção herpetológica da universidade de brasília ; ibsp , instituto butantan ; mzusp , museu de zoologia da universidade de são paulo .
diller , l . v . & wallace , r . l . 1996 . comparative ecology of two snake species ( crotalus viridis and pituophis melanoleucus ) in southwestern idaho . herpetologica 52 ( 3 ) : 343 - 360 . urltoken [ links ]
sant ' anna , s . & abe a . s . 2007 . diet of the rattlesnake crotalus durissus in southeastern brazil ( serpentes , viperidae ) . stud . neotrop . fauna e . 42 ( 3 ) : 169 - 174 . urltoken [ links ]
beaupre , s . j . , duvall , d . & o ' leile , j . 1998 . ontogenetic variation in growth and sexual size dimorphism in a central arizona population of the western diamondback rattlesnake ( crotalus atrox ) . copeia 1 : 40 - 47 . [ links ]
bryson jr , robert w . ; robert w . murphy , amy lathrop and david lazcano - villareal 2011 . evolutionary drivers of phylogeographical diversity in the highlands of mexico : a case study of the crotalus triseriatus species group of montane rattlesnakes . journal of biogeography 38 : 697–710 - get paper here
salomão , m . g . , almeida - santos , s . m . & puorto , g . 1995 . activity pattern of crotalus durissus ( viperidae , crotalinae ) : feeding , reproduction and snakebite . stud . neotrop . fauna e . 30 ( 2 ) : 101 - 106 [ links ]
prairie rattlesnakes ( crotalus viridis ) exhibited a sustained high rate of tongue flicking after a predatory strike whether or not rodent odors were present in the poststrike environment . for the lizard specialist , c . pricei , strike - induced chemosensory searching was maintained at a high level only when chemical cues were available following the strike .
campbell , j . a . , e . d . brodie , jr . , d . g . barker , and a . h . price . 1989 . an apparent natural hybrid rattlesnake and crotalus willardi ( viperidae ) from the peloncillo mountains of southwestern new mexico . herpetologica 45 ( 3 ) : 344 - 349 .
northern populations of black - tailed rattlesnakes recently have been recognized as actually consisting of two species , crotalus molossus and c . ornatus ( anderson and greenbaum 2012 ) . populations west of southwestern new mexico are recognized as c . molossus , but relatively little change in the boundary would put c . ornatus into the california wash area .
the herpetologist james bear , tragically passed away in 2008 due to the bite of a crotalus horridus , reported the following variants : in the chiricahua zone , a marbled or mottled livery with silver and black shades , a black predominance on the franklin mountains , whilst other specimens show light blue , or lavender , or pink or green colours .
the south - american rattlesnake crotalus durissus , is restricted to south america ( campbell & lamar 2004 ) and has a discontinuous distribution ( wüster et al . 2005 ) from colombia to argentina ( vanzolini et al . 1980 ) . some populations exhibit considerable ecological variation , with closeby populations differing greatly from each other ( campbell & lamar , 2004 ) .
a free - ranging specimen of crotalus durissus unicolor on aruba island was observed after striking rodent prey ( calomys hummelincki ) and after no - strike presentations . strike - induced chemosensory searching and trail following were seen after strikes . when a chemical trail was not present following a strike , the snake searched extensively near its refuge , but never emerged from it .
prival , d . b . , goode , m . j . , swann , d . e . , schwalbe , c . r . & schroff , m . j . 2002 . natural history of a northern population of twin - spotted rattlesnakes , crotalus pricei . j . herpetol . 36 ( 4 ) : 598 - 607 . urltoken ; 2 [ links ]
the venom , besides the cytotoxins , which cause skin and muscular necrosis , has an haemotoxic action , with possible seemingly paradoxical and opposite phenomena of haemorrhages and thrombosis , but it has also neurotoxins which , even if not so much strong as in other species of rattlesnakes ( crotalus durissus o cascavel ) and of many elapids , may worsen the symptoms and cause breathing and cardiac problems .
wüster , w . , ferguson , j . e . , quijada - mascareñas , j . a . , pook , c . e . & salomão , m . d . 2005 . tracing an invasion : landbridges , refugia , and the phylogeography of the neotropical rattlesnake ( serpentes : viperidae : crotalus durissus ) . mol . ecol . 14 ( 4 ) : 1095 - 1108 . urltoken [ links ]
bryson , robert w . ; jr . , charles w . linkem , michael e . dorcas , amy lathrop , jason m . jones , javier alvarado - díaz , christoph i . grünwald & robert w . murphy 2014 . multilocus species delimitation in the crotalus triseriatus species group ( serpentes : viperidae : crotalinae ) , with the description of two new species . zootaxa 3826 ( 3 ) : 475–496 - get paper here
quijada - mascareñas , j . a . , ferguson , j . e . , pook , c . e . , salomão , m . g . , thorpe , r . s . & wüster , w . 2007 . phylogeographic patterns of trans - amazonian vicariants and amazonian biogeography : the neotropical rattlesnake ( crotalus durissus complex ) as an example . j . biogeogr . 34 : 1296 - 1312 . urltoken [ links ]
each of 10 prairie rattlesnakes ( crotalus viridis ) was exposed to three types of trails after striking rodent prey ( mus musculus ) . one trail was made with mouse urine , another was made with tap water , and the third consisted of materials from mouse integument . the snakes exhibited trailing behavior only when integumentary trails were available . it was concluded that prairie rattlesnakes do not utilize urinary cues ; instead they attend to materials associated with rodent skin and fur .
the copperhead and cottonmouth occur only east of our region . however , the region hosts a large number of species of rattlesnake , all of which are placed in the genus crotalus except for the massasauga ( sistrurus catenatus ) . although crotalid vertebrae are distinctive from those of other snakes of our region , few if any species are identifiable with certainty on the basis of vertebrae . although there are differences in adult size among the species , this seldom is conclusive in identification .
all food items were removed from the stomach and identified to the lowest possible taxonomic level . each of the contents was deposited in a glass container with the same identification number as the specimen ( voucher number ) . the intestinal content was determined while taking into account the type of food residue . in addition , available literature records of prey were included in this study , which analyzed the food composition for crotalus durissus from southeastern brazil ( santos & germano 1996 ; sant ' anna & abe 2007 ) .
2013 : rattlesnakes , primarily of the genus crotalus , are harvested in rattlesnake round - ups for the meat and skin trade * 54 * . 2013 : although the effect of snake harvest on some local populations should be taken seriously , the numbers are not nearly as staggering as the number of snakes lost to road mortality * 54 * . 2016 : as the climate changes this species’ range is predicted to decrease by 4 % by 2039 and 8 % by 2099 from its current range * 53 * .
mammal specialization may be related to several life history strategies ( martins et al . 2002 ) . in some species of pitvipers , it could be associated with the increased venom toxicity in juveniles ; this may be a consequence of the need to immobilize larger prey such as a mammal ( andrade & abe 1999 ) . furthermore , the adoption of a juvenile diet based on mammals is more profitable energetically than an ecthothermic diet ( martins et al . 2002 ) . in crotalus durissus populations , the low frequency of ectothermic prey could explain such eventual facts .
we placed 40 models in each of the twelve sites to test the prediction that selective predation maintains the color polymorphism in snakes . we had 10 replicates of each combination of color and blotching per site ( = 480 total models ) . models were left in place for a period of 14 d . we secured individual models to rocks with adhesive backed velcro® at approximately 10 m intervals within typical c . l . lepidus habitat . where possible , models were placed along a single linear transect ( all following the edge of a cliff ) ; and multiple transects were used to accommodate all 40 models when a single linear transect was not possible ( multiple transects stacked above the cliff edge ) . models were randomly placed on rocks with the lowest amount of overhead obstruction ( vegetation , large rock formations , etc . ) as possible .
patrones de alimentación fueron investigados en la composición de la dieta de 452 ejemplares de crotalus durissus de brasil central . treinta y tres ítems fueron registrados , correspondientes a cuatro categorías : roedores ( 75 . 76 % ) , marsupiales ( 6 . 6 % ) , mamíferos no identificados ( 9 . 09 % ) y reptiles ( 9 . 09 % ) . los adultos de ambos sexos e individuos jóvenes se alimentaron básicamente de mamíferos , en específico de roedores , esta es la presa más activa y abundante durante todo el año , principalmente en las áreas de cerrado . además fue observado que en c . durissus existe una tendencia a que la dieta de las hembras sea más diversa , factor que podría estar relacionado a las diferencias sexuales que implican diferentes estrategias de alimentación en la biología de esta serpiente cascabel .
html public
- / / w3c / / dtd xhtml 1 . 0 strict / / en
urltoken
thank you for taking the time to provide feedback on the iucn red list of threatened species website , we are grateful for your input .
home » resources » categories and criteria » 2001 iucn red list categories and criteria version 3 . 1
see below for the rules and requirements outlined in the iucn red list categories and criteria . version 3 . 1 ( second edition ) . for translations of this document into other languages , click here .
the iucn red list categories and criteria are intended to be an easily and widely understood system for classifying species at high risk of global extinction . the general aim of the system is to provide an explicit , objective framework for the classification of the broadest range of species according to their extinction risk . however , while the red list may focus attention on those taxa at the highest risk , it is not the sole means of setting priorities for conservation measures for their protection .
extensive consultation and testing in the development of the system strongly suggest that it is robust across most organisms . however , it should be noted that although the system places species into the threatened categories with a high degree of consistency , the criteria do not take into account the life histories of every species . hence , in certain individual cases , the risk of extinction may be under - or over - estimated .
before 1994 the more subjective threatened species categories used in iucn red data books and red lists had been in place , with some modification , for almost 30 years . although the need to revise the categories had long been recognized ( fitter and fitter 1987 ) , the current phase of development only began in 1989 following a request from the iucn species survival commission ( ssc ) steering committee to develop a more objective approach . the iucn council adopted the new red list system in 1994 .
to give people using threatened species lists a better understanding of how individual species were classified .
since their adoption by iucn council in 1994 , the iucn red list categories have become widely recognized internationally , and they are now used in a range of publications and listings produced by iucn , as well as by numerous governmental and non - governmental organizations . such broad and extensive use revealed the need for a number of improvements , and ssc was mandated by the 1996 world conservation congress ( wcc res . 1 . 4 ) to conduct a review of the system ( iucn 1996 ) . this document presents the revisions accepted by the iucn council .
the proposals presented in this document result from a continuing process of drafting , consultation and validation . the production of a large number of draft proposals has led to some confusion , especially as each draft has been used for classifying some set of species for conservation purposes . to clarify matters , and to open the way for modifications as and when they become necessary , a system for version numbering has been adopted as follows :
version 1 . 0 : mace and lande ( 1991 ) the first paper discussing a new basis for the categories , and presenting numerical criteria especially relevant for large vertebrates .
version 2 . 0 : mace et al . ( 1992 ) a major revision of version 1 . 0 , including numerical criteria appropriate to all organisms and introducing the non - threatened categories .
version 2 . 1 : iucn ( 1993 ) following an extensive consultation process within ssc , a number of changes were made to the details of the criteria , and fuller explanation of basic principles was included . a more explicit structure clarified the significance of the non - threatened categories .
version 2 . 2 : mace and stuart ( 1994 ) following further comments received and additional validation exercises , some minor changes to the criteria were made . in addition , the susceptible category present in versions 2 . 0 and 2 . 1 was subsumed into the vulnerable category . a precautionary application of the system was emphasised .
version 2 . 3 : iucn ( 1994 ) iucn council adopted this version , which incorporated changes as a result of comments from iucn members , in december 1994 . the initial version of this document was published without the necessary bibliographic details , such as date of publication and isbn number , but these were included in the subsequent reprints in 1998 and 1999 . this version was used for the 1996 iucn red list of threatened animals ( baillie and groombridge 1996 ) , the world list of threatened trees ( oldfield et al 1998 ) and the 2000 iucn red list of threatened species ( hilton - taylor 2000 ) .
version 3 . 0 : iucn / ssc criteria review working group ( 1999 ) following comments received , a series of workshops were convened to look at the iucn red list criteria following which , changes were proposed affecting the criteria , the definitions of some key terms and the handling of uncertainty .
version 3 . 1 : iucn ( 2001 ) the iucn council adopted this latest version , which incorporated changes as a result of comments from the iucn and ssc memberships and from a final meeting of the criteria review working group , in february 2000 .
all new assessments from january 2001 should use the latest adopted version and cite the year of publication and version number .
in the rest of this document , the proposed system is outlined in several sections . section ii , the preamble , presents basic information about the context and structure of the system , and the procedures that are to be followed in applying the criteria to species . section iii provides definitions of key terms used . section iv presents the categories , while section v details the quantitative criteria used for classification within the threatened categories . annex i provides guidance on how to deal with uncertainty when applying the criteria ; annex ii suggests a standard format for citing the red list categories and criteria ; and annex iii outlines the documentation requirements for taxa to be included on iucn ' s global red lists . it is important for the effective functioning of the system that all sections are read and understood to ensure that the definitions and rules are followed .
the information in this section is intended to direct and facilitate the use and interpretation of the categories ( critically endangered , endangered , etc . ) , criteria ( a to e ) , and subcriteria ( 1 , 2 , etc . ; a , b , etc . ; i , ii , etc . ) .
extinction is a chance process . thus , a listing in a higher extinction risk category implies a higher expectation of extinction , and over the time - frames specified more taxa listed in a higher category are expected to go extinct than those in a lower one ( without effective conservation action ) . however , the persistence of some taxa in high - risk categories does not necessarily mean their initial assessment was inaccurate .
all taxa listed as critically endangered qualify for vulnerable and endangered , and all listed as endangered qualify for vulnerable . together these categories are described as ' threatened ' . the threatened categories form a part of the overall scheme . it will be possible to place all taxa into one of the categories ( see figure 1 ) .
for listing as critically endangered , endangered or vulnerable there is a range of quantitative criteria ; meeting any one of these criteria qualifies a taxon for listing at that level of threat . each taxon should be evaluated against all the criteria . even though some criteria will be inappropriate for certain taxa ( some taxa will never qualify under these however close to extinction they come ) , there should be criteria appropriate for assessing threat levels for any taxon . the relevant factor is whether any one criterion is met , not whether all are appropriate or all are met . because it will never be clear in advance which criteria are appropriate for a particular taxon , each taxon should be evaluated against all the criteria , and all criteria met at the highest threat category must be listed .
the different criteria ( a - e ) are derived from a wide review aimed at detecting risk factors across the broad range of organisms and the diverse life histories they exhibit . the quantitative values presented in the various criteria associated with threatened categories were developed through wide consultation , and they are set at what are generally judged to be appropriate levels , even if no formal justification for these values exists . the levels for different criteria within categories were set independently but against a common standard . broad consistency between them was sought .
the criteria for the threatened categories are to be applied to a taxon whatever the level of conservation action affecting it . it is important to emphasise here that a taxon may require conservation action even if it is not listed as threatened . conservation actions which may benefit the taxon are included as part of the documentation requirements ( see annex 3 ) .
taxa at risk from threats posed by future events of low probability but with severe consequences ( catastrophes ) should be identified by the criteria ( e . g . small distributions , few locations ) . some threats need to be identified particularly early , and appropriate actions taken , because their effects are irreversible or nearly so ( e . g . , pathogens , invasive organisms , hybridization ) .
the data used to evaluate taxa against the criteria are often estimated with considerable uncertainty . such uncertainty can arise from any one or all of the following three factors : natural variation , vagueness in the terms and definitions used , and measurement error . the way in which this uncertainty is handled can have a strong influence on the results of an evaluation . details of methods recommended for handling uncertainty are included in annex 1 , and assessors are encouraged to read and follow these principles .
in general , when uncertainty leads to wide variation in the results of assessments , the range of possible outcomes should be specified . a single category must be chosen and the basis for the decision should be documented ; it should be both precautionary and credible .
when data are very uncertain , the category of ' data deficient ' may be assigned . however , in this case the assessor must provide documentation showing that this category has been assigned because data are inadequate to determine a threat category . it is important to recognize that taxa that are poorly known can often be assigned a threat category on the basis of background information concerning the deterioration of their habitat and / or other causal factors ; therefore the liberal use of ' data deficient ' is discouraged .
listing in the categories of not evaluated and data deficient indicates that no assessment of extinction risk has been made , though for different reasons . until such time as an assessment is made , taxa listed in these categories should not be treated as if they were non - threatened . it may be appropriate ( especially for data deficient forms ) to give them the same degree of attention as threatened taxa , at least until their status can be assessed .
all assessments should be documented . threatened classifications should state the criteria and subcriteria that were met . no assessment can be accepted for the iucn red list as valid unless at least one criterion is given . if more than one criterion or subcriterion is met , then each should be listed . if a re - evaluation indicates that the documented criterion is no longer met , this should not result in automatic reassignment to a lower category of threat ( downlisting ) . instead , the taxon should be re - evaluated against all the criteria to clarify its status . the factors responsible for qualifying the taxon against the criteria , especially where inference and projection are used , should be documented ( see annexes 2 and 3 ) . the documentation requirements for other categories are also specified in annex 3 .
the category of threat is not necessarily sufficient to determine priorities for conservation action . the category of threat simply provides an assessment of the extinction risk under current circumstances , whereas a system for assessing priorities for action will include numerous other factors concerning conservation action such as costs , logistics , chances of success , and other biological characteristics of the subject .
re - evaluation of taxa against the criteria should be carried out at appropriate intervals . this is especially important for taxa listed under near threatened , data deficient and for threatened taxa whose status is known or suspected to be deteriorating .
a taxon may be moved from a category of higher threat to a category of lower threat if none of the criteria of the higher category has been met for five years or more .
if the original classification is found to have been erroneous , the taxon may be transferred to the appropriate category or removed from the threatened categories altogether , without delay ( but see point 10 above ) .
the term ' population ' is used in a specific sense in the red list criteria that is different to its common biological usage . population is here defined as the total number of individuals of the taxon . for functional reasons , primarily owing to differences between life forms , population size is measured as numbers of mature individuals only . in the case of taxa obligately dependent on other taxa for all or part of their life cycles , biologically appropriate values for the host taxon should be used .
subpopulations are defined as geographically or otherwise distinct groups in the population between which there is little demographic or genetic exchange ( typically one successful migrant individual or gamete per year or less ) .
the number of mature individuals is the number of individuals known , estimated or inferred to be capable of reproduction . when estimating this quantity , the following points should be borne in mind :
mature individuals that will never produce new recruits should not be counted ( e . g . densities are too low for fertilization ) .
in the case of populations with biased adult or breeding sex ratios , it is appropriate to use lower estimates for the number of mature individuals , which take this into account .
where the population size fluctuates , use a lower estimate . in most cases this will be much less than the mean .
reproducing units within a clone should be counted as individuals , except where such units are unable to survive alone ( e . g . corals ) .
in the case of taxa that naturally lose all or a subset of mature individuals at some point in their life cycle , the estimate should be made at the appropriate time , when mature individuals are available for breeding .
re - introduced individuals must have produced viable offspring before they are counted as mature individuals .
generation length is the average age of parents of the current cohort ( i . e . newborn individuals in the population ) . generation length therefore reflects the turnover rate of breeding individuals in a population . generation length is greater than the age at first breeding and less than the age of the oldest breeding individual , except in taxa that breed only once . where generation length varies under threat , the more natural , i . e . pre - disturbance , generation length should be used .
a reduction is a decline in the number of mature individuals of at least the amount ( % ) stated under the criterion over the time period ( years ) specified , although the decline need not be continuing . a reduction should not be interpreted as part of a fluctuation unless there is good evidence for this . the downward phase of a fluctuation will not normally count as a reduction .
a continuing decline is a recent , current or projected future decline ( which may be smooth , irregular or sporadic ) which is liable to continue unless remedial measures are taken . fluctuations will not normally count as continuing declines , but an observed decline should not be considered as a fluctuation unless there is evidence for this .
extreme fluctuations can be said to occur in a number of taxa when population size or distribution area varies widely , rapidly and frequently , typically with a variation greater than one order of magnitude ( i . e . a tenfold increase or decrease ) .
the phrase ' severely fragmented ' refers to the situation in which increased extinction risk to the taxon results from the fact that most of its individuals are found in small and relatively isolated subpopulations ( in certain circumstances this may be inferred from habitat information ) . these small subpopulations may go extinct , with a reduced probability of recolonization .
extent of occurrence is defined as the area contained within the shortest continuous imaginary boundary which can be drawn to encompass all the known , inferred or projected sites of present occurrence of a taxon , excluding cases of vagrancy ( see figure 2 ) . this measure may exclude discontinuities or disjunctions within the overall distributions of taxa ( e . g . large areas of obviously unsuitable habitat ) ( but see ' area of occupancy ' , point 10 below ) . extent of occurrence can often be measured by a minimum convex polygon ( the smallest polygon in which no internal angle exceeds 180 degrees and which contains all the sites of occurrence ) .
figure 2 . two examples of the distinction between extent of occurrence and area of occupancy . ( a ) is the spatial distribution of known , inferred or projected sites of present occurrence . ( b ) shows one possible boundary to the extent of occurrence , which is the measured area within this boundary . ( c ) shows one measure of area of occupancy which can be achieved by the sum of the occupied grid squares .
the term ' location ' defines a geographically or ecologically distinct area in which a single threatening event can rapidly affect all individuals of the taxon present . the size of the location depends on the area covered by the threatening event and may include part of one or many subpopulations . where a taxon is affected by more than one threatening event , location should be defined by considering the most serious plausible threat .
a quantitative analysis is defined here as any form of analysis which estimates the extinction probability of a taxon based on known life history , habitat requirements , threats and any specified management options . population viability analysis ( pva ) is one such technique . quantitative analyses should make full use of all relevant available data . in a situation in which there is limited information , such data as are available can be used to provide an estimate of extinction risk ( for instance , estimating the impact of stochastic events on habitat ) . in presenting the results of quantitative analyses , the assumptions ( which must be appropriate and defensible ) , the data used and the uncertainty in the data or quantitative model must be documented .
extinct ( ex ) a taxon is extinct when there is no reasonable doubt that the last individual has died . a taxon is presumed extinct when exhaustive surveys in known and / or expected habitat , at appropriate times ( diurnal , seasonal , annual ) , throughout its historic range have failed to record an individual . surveys should be over a time frame appropriate to the taxon ' s life cycle and life form .
extinct in the wild ( ew ) a taxon is extinct in the wild when it is known only to survive in cultivation , in captivity or as a naturalized population ( or populations ) well outside the past range . a taxon is presumed extinct in the wild when exhaustive surveys in known and / or expected habitat , at appropriate times ( diurnal , seasonal , annual ) , throughout its historic range have failed to record an individual . surveys should be over a time frame appropriate to the taxon ' s life cycle and life form .
critically endangered ( cr ) a taxon is critically endangered when the best available evidence indicates that it meets any of the criteria a to e for critically endangered ( see section v ) , and it is therefore considered to be facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild .
endangered ( en ) a taxon is endangered when the best available evidence indicates that it meets any of the criteria a to e for endangered ( see section v ) , and it is therefore considered to be facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild .
vulnerable ( vu ) a taxon is vulnerable when the best available evidence indicates that it meets any of the criteria a to e for vulnerable ( see section v ) , and it is therefore considered to be facing a high risk of extinction in the wild .
near threatened ( nt ) a taxon is near threatened when it has been evaluated against the criteria but does not qualify for critically endangered , endangered or vulnerable now , but is close to qualifying for or is likely to qualify for a threatened category in the near future .
least concern ( lc ) a taxon is least concern when it has been evaluated against the criteria and does not qualify for critically endangered , endangered , vulnerable or near threatened . widespread and abundant taxa are included in this category .
not evaluated ( ne ) a taxon is not evaluated when it is has not yet been evaluated against the criteria .
note : as in previous iucn categories , the abbreviation of each category ( in parenthesis ) follows the english denominations when translated into other languages ( see annex 2 ) .
( e ) the effects of introduced taxa , hybridization , pathogens , pollutants , competitors or parasites .
e . quantitative analysis showing the probability of extinction in the wild is at least 50 % within 10 years or three generations , whichever is the longer ( up to a maximum of 100 years ) .


felis chaus furax is a subspecies of the jungle cat .

in 1898 , the british zoologist william edward de winton examined the collection of jungle cat skins in the natural history museum and revised taxonomic assessments of the jungle cat group .

a single skin collected near jericho in 1864 prompted him to describe the new subspecies felis chaus furax as this skin was smaller than other egyptian jungle cat skins .

felis chaus furax

ogurlu , i . , e . gundogdu , i . yildirim . 2010 . population status of jungle cat ( felis chaus ) in egirdir lake , turkey .
to cite this page : fitzgerald , a . 2011 .
felis chaus
( on - line ) , animal diversity web . accessed july 09 , 2018 at urltoken
mukherjee , s . , c . groves . 2007 . geographic variation in jungle cat ( felis chaus schreber , 1777 ) ( mammalia , carnivora , felidae ) body size : is competition responsible ? .
duckworth , j . , c . poole , r . tizard , j . walston , r . timmins . 2005 . the jungle cat felis chaus in indochina : a threatened population of a widespread and adaptable species .
duckworth , j . , r . steinmetz , j . sanderson , s . mukherjee . 2008 .
iucn red list of threatened species
( on - line ) . felis chaus . accessed march 15 , 2010 at urltoken .
baker , m . , k . nassar , l . rifai , m . qarqaz , w . al - melhim , z . amr . 2003 . on the current status and distribution of the jungle cat , felis chaus , in jordan ( mammalia : carnivora ) .
mukherjee , s . , s . goyal , a . johnsingh , m . leite pitman . 2004 . the importance of rodents in the diet of juncle cat ( felis chaus ) , caracal ( caracal caracal ) and golden jackal ( canis aureus ) in sariska tiger reserve , rajasthan , india .
peters , g . , l . baum , m . peters , b . tonkin - leyhausen . 2008 . spectral characteristics of intense mew calls in cat species of the genus felis ( mammalia : carnivora : felidae ) .
scientific name : felis chaus common name : jungle cat , reed cat , swamp cat adult species ' characteristics : height at the shoulder : 14 - 15 inches ( 35 - 38 cm ) body length : ( body to nose ) : 20 - 30 inches ( 50 - 75 cm ) length of tail : 6 - 10 inches ( 15 - 25 cm ) weight : 9 - 35 lbs ( 4 - 16 kg ) diet : rodents , birds , hares , reptiles , amphibians , insects and small mammals . gestation period : 63 - 76 days age of maturity : 18 months breeding season : in central asia mating occurs during february and march . it has been suggested that they may breed twice a year . litter size : 1 - 6 average lifespan : 14 years predators : man
html public
- / / w3c / / dtd xhtml 1 . 0 transitional / / en
urltoken
mammal species of the world : a taxonomic and geographic reference ( book , 2005 ) [ worldcat . org ]
your web browser is not enabled for javascript . some features of worldcat will not be available .
your list has reached the maximum number of items . please create a new list with a new name ; move some items to a new or existing list ; or delete some items .
note : citations are based on reference standards . however , formatting rules can vary widely between applications and fields of interest or study . the specific requirements or preferences of your reviewing publisher , classroom teacher , institution or organization should be applied .
the e - mail address ( es ) field is required . please enter recipient e - mail address ( es ) .
the e - mail address ( es ) you entered is ( are ) not in a valid format . please re - enter recipient e - mail address ( es ) .
i thought you might be interested in this item at urltoken title : mammal species of the world : a taxonomic and geographic reference author : don e wilson ; deeann m reeder publisher : baltimore : johns hopkins university press , ©2005 . isbn / issn : 0801882214 9780801882210 0801882389 9780801882388 0801882397 9780801882395 oclc : 57557352
wilson and reeder ' s mammal species of the world is the classic reference book on the taxonomic classification and distribution of the more than 5400 species of mammals that exist today . the third edition includes detailed information on nomenclature and , for the first time , common names . each concise entry covers type locality , distribution , synonyms , and major reference sources . the systematic arrangement of
information indicates evolutionary relationships at both the ordinal and the family level . this indispensable reference work belongs in public and academic libraries throughout the world and on the shelf of every biologist who works with mammals .
- - publisher ' s website .
please choose whether or not you want other users to be able to see on your profile that this library is a favorite of yours .
this indispensable reference work belongs in public and academic libraries throughout the world and on the shelf of every biologist who works with mammals .
a uniquely valuable compendium of taxonomic and distributional data on the world ' s living and historically extinct mammalian species . contributors and editors alike deserve the thanks of all
add tags for
mammal species of the world : a taxonomic and geographic reference
.
you may have already requested this item . please select ok if you would like to proceed with this request anyway .
wilson and reeder ' s mammal species of the world is the classic reference book on the taxonomic classification and distribution of the more than 5400 species of mammals that exist today . the third edition includes detailed information on nomenclature and , for the first time , common names . each concise entry covers type locality , distribution , synonyms , and major reference sources . the systematic arrangement of information indicates evolutionary relationships at both the ordinal and the family level . this indispensable reference work belongs in public and academic libraries throughout the world and on the shelf of every biologist who works with mammals .
- - publisher ' s website .
worldcat is the world ' s largest library catalog , helping you find library materials online . learn more ››
don ' t have an account ? you can easily create a free account .
html public
- / / w3c / / dtd html 4 . 01 transitional / / en
urltoken
mammal species of the world : a taxonomic and geographic reference , 3rd ed . , vols . 1 & 2
disclaimer : itis taxonomy is based on the latest scientific consensus available , and is provided as a general reference source for interested parties . however , it is not a legal authority for statutory or regulatory purposes . while every effort has been made to provide the most reliable and up - to - date information available , ultimate legal requirements with respect to species are contained in provisions of treaties to which the united states is a party , wildlife statutes , regulations , and any applicable notices that have been published in the federal register . for further information on u . s . legal requirements with respect to protected taxa , please contact the u . s . fish and wildlife service .
eol content is automatically assembled from many different content providers . as a result , from time to time you may find pages on eol that are confusing .
to request an improvement , please leave a comment on the page . thank you !
scientists aim to describe a single ' tree of life ' that reflects the evolutionary relationships of living things . however , evolutionary relationships are a matter of ongoing discovery , and there are different opinions about how living things should be grouped and named . eol reflects these differences by supporting several different scientific ' classifications ' . some species have been named more than once . such duplicates are listed under synonyms . eol also provides support for common names which may vary across regions as well as languages .
jungle cats have a wide ranging distribution that extends from egypt , israel , jordan , northern saudi arabia , syria , iraq , iran , to the shores of the caspian sea and the volga river delta , east through turkmenistan , uzbekistan , tadzhikistan , kazakhstan and to western xingjian , afghanistan , pakistan , nepal , india , sri lanka , myanmar , laos , thailand , cambodia , vietnam , and southwestern china .
jungle cats prefer habitats near water with dense vegetative cover but can be found in a variety of habitats including deserts ( where they are found near oases or along riverbeds ) , grasslands , shrubby woodlands and dry deciduous forests , as well as cleared areas in moist forests . they are commonly found in tall grass , thick brush , riverside swamps , and reed beds . they also adapt well to cultivated land and can be found in many different types of agriculture and forest plantations . jungle cats are known to occur at elevations of up to 2500 m , but are more common in lowlands .
(
international society for endangered cats
, 2001 ; nowell and jackson , 1996 ; ogurlu , et al . , 2010 ; sunquist and sunquist , 2002 )
jungle cats range in size from 70 to 120 cm long and 35 to 38 cm tall . they weigh from 4 to 16 kg . adult males are larger and heavier than adult females . throughout their range , significant variation in mass occurs . for example , in west israel , they weigh 43 % more than those in east india . this is likely due to increased competition between different cat species in the east . jungle cats have long , slim faces with white lines above and below their bright yellow eyes with a dark spot just below each eye near the nose . they have long rounded ears , with a distinctive tuft of hair at the tips . jungle cats have relatively short tails , about 1 / 3 of their total body length , which have several dark rings along its length and a black tip . their coat color varies from a reddish or sandy brown to tawny grey . black jungle cats are regularly seen in southeastern pakistan and india . kittens may be striped and spotted , however , these markings typically fade with age and are only retained on the fore and hindlimbs . the muzzle , throat , and belly of the jungle cat are a pale cream color , and their winter coat is darker and denser than their summer coat .
jungle cat mating season is marked by the shrieks and fighting of male cats . vocalization rates of males and females increases prior to copulation . intense mew calls are used by both genders to attract potential mates . they also scent mark territorial boundaries , which may help them find and locate potential mates . male and female jungle cats may have multiple different mates throughout their lives .
( mukherjee , 2008 ; peters , et al . , 2008 ; sunquist and sunquist , 2002 )
jungle cats breed twice a year and produce litters of 3 to 6 kittens . breeding season varies regionally and gestation lasts between 63 and 66 days . kittens are quite large at birth ( 136 g ) and gain weight at a rate of about 22 g per day . kittens nurse until they are about 90 days old , but begin to eat solid food around day 49 . they are not completely weaned until 15 weeks old . jungle cats are independent by 8 to 9 months of age and reach sexual maturity at 11 to 18 months of age .
jungle cats live in families consisting of mother , father , and offspring while cubs are being reared . paternal investment is limited to territorial defense while mothers provide cubs with food via nursing . young jungle cats develop predatory skills rapidly and are able to stalk , kill , and eat their own prey by 6 months old . at 8 to 9 months old , although only half the size of a mature adult , they are independent .
in captivity , jungle cats live an average of 15 years , but have been known to live up to 20 years . lifespan in the wild ranges from 12 to 14 years .
( mukherjee , 2008 ; ogurlu , et al . , 2010 ; weigl , 2005 )
except for breeding season , jungle cats live solitary lives . they are most active at night , but are not strictly nocturnal . they are more often seen at dusk and travel approximately 5 to 6 km per night . they typically rest in dense cover during the day but often sunbathe on cold winter days . unlike most cat species , jungle cats have an affinity for water and are proficient swimmers that will dive into water to catch fish with their mouths .
( mukherjee , 2008 ; sunquist and sunquist , 2002 ; taber , et al . , 1967 )
jungle cats have home ranges of 45 to 180 km ^ 2 , which they likely maintain via indirect means such as scent marking .
( ogurlu , et al . , 2010 ; sunquist and sunquist , 2002 )
jungle cats are solitary animals outside of mating season , however , family groups ( male , female , and cubs ) are not uncommon . vocal communication consists of meowing , chirping , purring , gurgling , growling , hissing , and barking . these noises have not been significantly studied , therefore , their meanings are not well understood . jungle cats also communicate via scent marking and cheek rubbing . like most felids , they use urine to scent mark their territory , which may help individuals avoid unwanted confrontation . when cats cheek rub , they leave saliva , which serves as a scent marker for other cats . they also cheek rub against scent markings to
pick up
scents , and males often cheek rub females that are in estrus .
( mellen , 1993 ; mukherjee and groves , 2007 ; nowell and jackson , 1996 ; peters , et al . , 2008 ; sunquist and sunquist , 2002 )
jungle cats primarily prey on animals that weigh less than 1 kg and commonly consume rodents , lizards , snakes , frogs , birds , hare , fish , insects , livestock , and even fruit during the winter . rodents are its primary prey item , however , which provides up to 70 % of its daily energy intake . although they specialize on small prey , jungle cats have been known to kill wild pigs (
( baker , et al . , 2003 ; duckworth , et al . , 2008 ; mukherjee , et al . , 2004 ; mukherjee , 2008 )
as cubs , jungle cat have markings that help camouflage them from potential predators . although they may sometimes fall prey to large snakes (
) . they are often treated as pests and hunted or poisoned by farmers for attacking poultry . india formerly exported large numbers of jungle cat skins before they came under legal protection in 1976 , however , illegal trade continues to this day .
( baker , et al . , 2003 ; sunquist and sunquist , 2002 )
little is known of the ecological role that jungle cats play in their ecosystem . however , they primarily prey upon small rodents , which often carry parasites , and are known to eat a variety of other small prey items . in the wild , jungle cats are hosts for mites (
( hoogstraal and trapido , 1963 ; hoogstraal , et al . , 1963 ; ogurlu , et al . , 2010 ; silva , et al . , 2001 ; sunquist and sunquist , 2002 )
jungle cats feed primarily on rodents , which provide up to 70 % of the cats daily energy intake . they are often spotted hunting near villages and farms where rodent populations tend to be higher and are sometimes viewed as pests themselves .
jungle cats can negatively impact poultry farm owners . as a result , jungle cats are often hunted and poisoned by farmers for attacking poultry .
( mukherjee , 2008 ; ogurlu , et al . , 2010 ; sunquist and sunquist , 2002 )
habitat destruction and persecution by humans are the main threats to jungle cats . as the human population increases , more land is cultivated and jungle cats ' natural habitat is converted to farmland . although they are very adaptable , these altered environments do not support the same density of cats . in addition , farmers often hunt and poison jungle cats for attacking and killing poultry and are also poached for their fur . although laws have been implemented to protect them , illegal trade still continues in many countries . for example , over the last decade more than 3 , 000 jungle cat skins have been seized across the globe . currently , jungle cats are considered as a species of
least concern
by the iucn , however , population numbers are currently declining .
amber fitzgerald ( author ) , radford university , karen powers ( editor ) , radford university , tanya dewey ( editor ) , university of michigan - ann arbor .
living in the northern part of the old world . in otherwords , europe and asia and northern africa .
young are born in a relatively underdeveloped state ; they are unable to feed or care for themselves or locomote independently for a period of time after birth / hatching . in birds , naked and helpless after hatching .
having body symmetry such that the animal can be divided in one plane into two mirror - image halves . animals with bilateral symmetry have dorsal and ventral sides , as well as anterior and posterior ends . synapomorphy of the bilateria .
having markings , coloration , shapes , or other features that cause an animal to be camouflaged in its natural environment ; being difficult to see or otherwise detect .
in deserts low ( less than 30 cm per year ) and unpredictable rainfall results in landscapes dominated by plants and animals adapted to aridity . vegetation is typically sparse , though spectacular blooms may occur following rain . deserts can be cold or warm and daily temperates typically fluctuate . in dune areas vegetation is also sparse and conditions are dry . this is because sand does not hold water well so little is available to plants . in dunes near seas and oceans this is compounded by the influence of salt in the air and soil . salt limits the ability of plants to take up water through their roots .
animals that use metabolically generated heat to regulate body temperature independently of ambient temperature . endothermy is a synapomorphy of the mammalia , although it may have arisen in a ( now extinct ) synapsid ancestor ; the fossil record does not distinguish these possibilities . convergent in birds .
forest biomes are dominated by trees , otherwise forest biomes can vary widely in amount of precipitation and seasonality .
the area of shoreline influenced mainly by the tides , between the highest and lowest reaches of the tide . an aquatic habitat .
offspring are produced in more than one group ( litters , clutches , etc . ) and across multiple seasons ( or other periods hospitable to reproduction ) . iteroparous animals must , by definition , survive over multiple seasons ( or periodic condition changes ) .
this terrestrial biome includes summits of high mountains , either without vegetation or covered by low , tundra - like vegetation .
the area in which the animal is naturally found , the region in which it is endemic .
found in the oriental region of the world . in other words , india and southeast asia .
the kind of polygamy in which a female pairs with several males , each of which also pairs with several different females .
rainforests , both temperate and tropical , are dominated by trees often forming a closed canopy with little light reaching the ground . epiphytes and climbing plants are also abundant . precipitation is typically not limiting , but may be somewhat seasonal .
referring to something living or located adjacent to a waterbody ( usually , but not always , a river or stream ) .
that region of the earth between 23 . 5 degrees north and 60 degrees north ( between the tropic of cancer and the arctic circle ) and between 23 . 5 degrees south and 60 degrees south ( between the tropic of capricorn and the antarctic circle ) .
the region of the earth that surrounds the equator , from 23 . 5 degrees north to 23 . 5 degrees south .
a terrestrial biome . savannas are grasslands with scattered individual trees that do not form a closed canopy . extensive savannas are found in parts of subtropical and tropical africa and south america , and in australia .
a grassland with scattered trees or scattered clumps of trees , a type of community intermediate between grassland and forest . see also tropical savanna and grassland biome .
a terrestrial biome found in temperate latitudes ( > 23 . 5° n or s latitude ) . vegetation is made up mostly of grasses , the height and species diversity of which depend largely on the amount of moisture available . fire and grazing are important in the long - term maintenance of grasslands .
reproduction in which fertilization and development take place within the female body and the developing embryo derives nourishment from the female .
international society for endangered cats ( isec ) canada . 2001 .
international society for endangered cats
( on - line ) . accessed february 19 , 2010 at urltoken .
byers , a . 1996 . historical and contemporary human disturbance in the upper barun valley , makalu - barun .
chandrasekar - rao , a . , m . sunquist . 1996 . ecology of small mammals in tropical forest habitats of southern india .
christiansen , p . , s . wroe . 2007 . bite forces and evolutionary adaptations to feeding ecology in carnivores .
dayan , t . , d . simberloff , e . tchernov , y . yom - tov . 1990 . feline canines : community - wide character displacement among the small cats of israel .
hoogstraal , h . , h . trapido . 1963 . haemaphysalis silvafelis sp . n . , a parasite of the jungle cat in southern india ( ixodoidea , ixodidae ) .
hoogstraal , h . , h . trapido , m . rebello . 1963 . haemaphysalis paraturturis sp . n . , a carnivore parasite of the h . turturis group in india ( ixodoidea , ixodidae ) .
mellen , j . 1993 . a comparative analysis of scent - marking , social and reproductive behavior in 20 species of .
rabinowitz , a . , s . walker . 1991 . the carnivore community in a dry tropical forest mosaic in huai kha khaeng wildlife .
silva , j . , s . ogassawara , m . marvulo , j . ferreira - neto , j . dubey . 2001 . toxoplasma gondii antibodies in exotic wild felids from brazilian zoos .
taber , r . , a . sheri , m . ahmad . 1967 . mammals of the lyallpur region , west pakistan .
disclaimer : the animal diversity web is an educational resource written largely by and for college students . adw doesn ' t cover all species in the world , nor does it include all the latest scientific information about organisms we describe . though we edit our accounts for accuracy , we cannot guarantee all information in those accounts . while adw staff and contributors provide references to books and websites that we believe are reputable , we cannot necessarily endorse the contents of references beyond our control .
this material is based upon work supported by the national science foundation grants drl 0089283 , drl 0628151 , due 0633095 , drl 0918590 , and due 1122742 . additional support has come from the marisla foundation , um college of literature , science , and the arts , museum of zoology , and information and technology services .
by creating an account , i agree to shutterstock ' s website terms , privacy policy , and licensing terms .
© 2003 - 2018 shutterstock , inc . all rights reserved . made in nyc .
small ( s ) has the shortest download time and is suitable for digital use .
large ( l ) is suitable for large prints as well as digital use . it is the original image provided by the contributor .
you can redownload your image for free at any time , in any size .
editorial content , such as news and celebrity images , are not cleared for commercial use . learn more on our support center .
sign up to browse over million images , video clips , and music tracks . plus , get free weekly content and more .
( we only support jpg and png images under 5mb and no larger than 4000px on either side at this time . )