Genetta felina
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 felina

description: 13.
Feline Genet
Genetta felina
French: Genette féline / German: Stdliche Kleinfleckgenette / Spanish: Gineta felina
Other common names: South African Small-spotted Genet
Taxonomy. Viverra felina Thunberg, 1811,
South Africa.
Has been considered a subspecies of the Common Genet (G. genetta). Monotypic.
Distribution. Namibia and South Africa.
One possible specimen in Angola and one in Zambia require confirmation.
Descriptive notes. Head—body 47.5-56. 5 cm (males), 43-55 cm (females), tail 41-49. 4 cm (males), 41-47 cm (females), hindfoot 7:3.9-5 cm (males), 7.8-8 cm (females), ear 4.5-6 cm (males), 4.5-2 cm (females); weight 1-5 to 2-4 kg (males), 1-4 to 2 kg (females). A medium-sized genet with long guard hairs. The coat coloris whitish-gray; the ventral pelage varies from whitish or pale yellowish-gray to gray. The nuchal stripes are well defined. The mid-dorsal line is black and continuous; there is a dorsal erectile crest. The face has a dark mask and a pair of supraand sub-ocular white spots. The tail has eight to ten pale rings alternating with dark rings. The pattern of rings is confused at the beginning of the tail and the width of the pale rings relative to the dark rings in the middle is 200%; the tip of the tail is pale. The hindlimbs and forelimbs are the same color as the coat and are spotted. The hindfeet are covered by a dark “sock” and the posterior part of the forefeet is completely dark. There are two pairs of teats. The auditory bulla has a broken curve line on the external side. The posterior extension of the frontal bones overlaps about 50% of the dorsal region of the inter-orbital constriction. The ratio between the inter-orbital constriction and frontal width is 1 + 0-12. Dental formula: 13/3, C1/1,P 4/4, M 2/2 = 40.
Habitat. Woodland savannah, grassland, thickets, dry vlei areas, and the border of deserts. In South Africa, it occurs in areas with scrub, bush cover, or rocky outcrops.
Food and Feeding. In South Africa, the stomach contents of 25 genets contained rodents (Rhabdomys pumilio, Otomys sp., Desmodillus awricularis, Mus minutoides), insects (Orthoptera and Coleoptera), birds, arachnids, frogs, reptiles, shrews, and plants (grass, leaves, and grapes). Also reported to feed on carrion.
Activity patterns. Appears to be nocturnal: seen during a night survey in South Africa.
Movements, Home range and Social organization. Said to be solitary.
Breeding. In South Africa, pregnant females with two fetuses were recorded in September and October. Newborn weight is 70 g. A young female taken in mid-July weighed 500 g and one young animal collected in June weighed 715 g.
Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List: included in G. genetta. A poorly known species: field surveys, ecological studies, and assessments of any threats are needed.
Bibliography. Delibes & Gaubert (In press), Gaubert, Fernandes et al. (2004), Gaubert, Taylor & Veron (2005), Skinner & Chimimba (2005), Stuart (1981), 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 184, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.5714564