Crossarchus

Crossarchus
Common Kusimanse (Crossarchus obscurus)
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Carnivora
Family:	Herpestidae
Subfamily:	Herpestinae
Genus:	Crossarchus Cuvier, 1825
Species
Crossarchus alexandri Crossarchus ansorgei Crossarchus obscurus Crossarchus platycephalus
Crossarchus areas

Crossarchus is a genus of mongoose, commonly referred to as the kusimanse, mangue, or dwarf mongoose.

Range and habitat

Members of this genus are found in the swamplands and forests of central and western Africa, in the countries of Ghana, Ivory Coast, Liberia, and Sierra Leone.

Diet

They feed on insects, larvae, small reptiles, crabs and berries. They use their claws and snouts for digging in leaf litter, under rotted trees and stones for the insects and larvae. They will also wade in to shallow streams looking for freshwater crabs.

Reproduction

Females are polyestrus and if not mated will come into heat nine times in a year. Litters range from 2-3 per year. The young can open their eyes in about twelve days, eating solid food in three weeks and have adult hair in five weeks.

Behavior

Crossarchus live in groups of 10 to 24. One to three families live in a group. The families are made up of the mating pair and the young. They are diurnal, and will wander throughout their territories constantly, never staying in one place too long. In their wanderings they will create temporary shelters for themselves.

Species

• Alexander's Kusimanse, Crossarchus alexandri
• Angolan Kusimanse, Crossarchus ansorgei
• Common Kusimanse, Crossarchus obscurus
• Flat-headed Kusimanse, Crossarchus platycephalus

References

1. ^ Caso, A., Lopez-Gonzalez, C., Payan, E., Eizirik, E., de Oliveira, T., Leite-Pitman, R., Kelly, M., Valderrama, C. & Lucherini, M. (2009). Crossarchus. In: IUCN 2008. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 23 September 2009. Database entry includes justification for why this species is least concern