Sulawesi Palm Civet

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Sulawesi Palm Civet[1]
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Viverridae
Subfamily: Paradoxurinae
Genus: Macrogalidia
Schwartz, 1910
Species: M. musschenbroekii
Binomial name
Macrogalidia musschenbroekii
(Schlegel, 1877)

The Sulawesi Palm Civet (Macrogalidia musschenbroekii), also known as the Sulawesi Giant Civet, the Giant Civet and the Celebes Palm Civet, is a mammal that lives solely on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, particularly the North and Central regions.

The Sulawesi Palm Civet is a fairly large palm civet at 5 kg (11 lb) and 69 cm (27 in), plus a tail of 49 cm (19 in). It looks like a mongoose but with a smaller body. It is tan or tawny with lighter underside and some light spots. Its palm feet are very large and can be used to grasp which is helpful in climbing as the animal often climbs trees to predate upon the Sulawesi Hornbill and other smaller animals.

This animal, and all civets and palm civets, are sometimes called civet cats or genet cats, but, although they are in the same half of the Carnivora order as cats, they are not members of the cat family Felidae. It is the only member of the genus Macrogalidia.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Wozencraft, W. C. (16 November 2005). in Wilson, D. E., and Reeder, D. M. (eds): Mammal Species of the World, 3rd edition, Johns Hopkins University Press, 550. ISBN 0-801-88221-4. 
  2. ^ Mustelid Specialist Group (1996). Macrogalidia musschenbroekii. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 2007-01-21.

[edit] External links

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