Genetta bourloni Gaubert 2003
Creators: name: Don E. Wilson
name: Russell A. Mittermeier
Publisher: name: Lynx Edicions
Year: 2009
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Chordata
Mammalia
Carnivora
Viverridae
Genetta
Genetta bourloni

description: 11.
Bourlon’s Genet
Genetta bourloni
French: Genette de Bourlon / German: Bourlon-Genette / Spanish: Gineta guineana
Taxonomy. Genetta bourloni Gaubert, 2003,
Sérédou, Cercle de Macenta, Guinea.
On the basis of morphological characters and molecular studies, some individuals of the large-spotted genet complex (which were previously attributed to the Pardine Genet G. pardina) have now been identified as representing G. bourlona.
Monotypic.
Distribution. Guinea, Ivory Coast, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. A specimen collected from Oda in Ghana in 1946 has been attributed to this species, but its true origin is in question.
Descriptive notes. Head-body 49-5 cm, tail 41 cm; weight 1.5-2 kg. Similar to Pardine Genet, but differs by the more grayish coloration, the very dark spots that partly coalesce on the rump, and almost half of the tail is dark. The coat color is pale yellowishgray; the underparts are whitish-yellow to gray. The pelage is relatively short and rough. The face has a well-marked mask, suband supra-ocular white spots, and a thin dark line on the muzzle. The nuchalstripes are well defined. The mid-dorsal line is dark and wide, and begins after the shoulder; there is no dorsal erectile crest. The dorsal spots are completely dark, elongated, and partly fused on the rump. The tail has five to seven pale rings; almost half of the tail is dark. The foreand hindlimbs are dark and well spotted. The upper parts of the forefeet are spotted, whereas the hindfeet are unspotted. The under parts of the feet are dark. The skull has a very large posterior extension of the frontal bones, which almost completely overlaps the dorsal region of the interorbital constriction. The posterior chamber of the auditory bullae is inflated, with a broken curve line on the external side. The ratio between the inter-orbital constriction and frontal width = 1-00 + 0-2. Dental formula: 13/3, C1/1,P 4/4, M 2/2 = 40.
Habitat. Rainforest.
Food and Feeding. Nothing known.
Activity patterns. Nothing known.
Movements, Home range and Social organization. Nothing known.
Breeding. Nothing known.
Status and Conservation. Classified as Near Threatened on The IUCN Red List. Described in 2003 and known only from 29 museum specimens. Habitat loss is likely to be a major threat, particularly if this species is restricted to rainforest as suspected; forest loss in the Upper Guinea forests has been quite severe. Hunting is also a likely threat, as skins have been seen in bushmeat markets. Fieldwork is needed to better understand its habitat requirements, population status, and ecology.
Bibliography. Crawford-Cabral (1981), Gaubert (2003a, In press c), Gaubert, Fernandes et al. (2004), Gaubert, Taylor & Veron (2005), Wozencraft (2005).
description: Published as part of Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2009, Viverridae, pp. 174-232 in Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 1 Carnivores, Barcelona :Lynx Edicions on page 183, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.5714564