About Arctogalidia trivirgata (Gray, 1832)
The small-toothed palm civet, scientifically named Arctogalidia trivirgata, is also commonly called the three-striped palm civet. It is a viverrid native to dense forests across Southeast Asia and the easternmost part of South Asia, specifically Northeast India. Its range extends from the Indian state of Assam through Indochina, the Malay Peninsula, and Singapore, and also includes Sumatra, Bangka, Java, Borneo, and many small nearby Indonesian islands. John Edward Gray published the first formal scientific description of this species in 1832, based on a zoological specimen from the Maluku Islands held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum van Natuurlijke Historie in Leiden, Netherlands. This species is the only member of the monotypic genus Arctogalidia. The genus name Arctogalidia translates to 'bear-weasel', derived from the ancient Greek roots arkto- meaning 'bear' and galidia meaning 'little weasel'. The specific epithet trivirgata means 'three-striped' in Latin. By the standards of its family, the small-toothed palm civet is mid-sized. It typically weighs 2.4 kg (5.3 lb), with a body length of 53 cm (21 in) plus a 58 cm (23 in) tail. It has short fur that is generally blackish grey, tawny, or buff; the head is a darker greyish tawny. It has black paws and three black longitudinal stripes running along its back. Its muzzle is brown, with a white streak that stretches from the nose up to the forehead. Only females possess a perineal scent gland, which is located near the vulva. The small-toothed palm civet is an omnivore with a varied diet, which generally includes insects, small mammals, nesting birds, fruits, frogs, and lizards. Like other palm civets, this species is solitary, arboreal, and nocturnal. Its gestation period lasts 45 days, and the average litter size is 3. Offspring are born in dens built in trees. Young civets open their eyes at 11 days old and are weaned at two months of age. This species can produce two litters per year, and has no fixed mating season. It can live up to 11 years. Like many forest-dwelling animals native to Southeast Asia, the small-toothed palm civet is primarily threatened by deforestation.
