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A northward extension of known range for Broad-striped Vontsira Galidictis fasciata

Abstract A. F. A. HAWKINS

Galidictis fasciata the species’s known range northwards about 100 km. A Broad-striped Vontsira was seen in 1996 in Marojejy National Park, north-eastern , extending Keywords

Fihitarana: endemic, mianavaratra Eupleridae, Madagascar,ny toerana Marojejy fantatra National fa hahitana Park ny Vontsira Fotsy Galidictis fasciata

Famintinana

Galidictis fasciata atsinanan’i Madagasikara. Io fandinihana io dia manitatra ny toerana fantatra fa misy ity biby ity mianavaratra eo amin’ny 100 kilometraNahitana Vontsira eo ho eo. Fotsy tamin’ny 1996 tao amin’ny valan-javaboary ny Marojejy ao amin’ny faritra avaratra

Galidictis fasciata bility of confusion with any other Malagasy species, native or otherwise, given the white tail, nocturnal behaviour ThreatenedThe nocturnal on Broad-stripedThe IUCN Red ListVontsira of Threatened Species (Eu- pleridae), endemic to Madagascar and categorised as Near Vontsira G. grandidieri is only known from dry forest in the far (IUCN and body striped black and pale-grey. The similar Grandidier’s ern2012), rainforest is known belt from as far Makira, as its southern at around limit 15°15'S, at Andohahe 49°35'E (Goodman 2012), south along the length of the island’s eteast al-. wardssouthwest about of 100Madagascar km, from (Goodman Makira to 2012).almost the northeastern - limit Thisof eastern extends rainforest. the known This distribution sighting isof withinthe species the known north- la (Goodman 1999) and (Ravoangy 2011). Goodman (2003) stated that the species had not, by ofthat its time, occurrence been definitely around therecorded forests further of the northAndapa than Basin. Mana In- Acknowledgementsaltitudinal range (0–1,500 m) of the species (Goodman 2012). nara-Nord, and that in particular there was no firm evidence I am grateful to Steve Goodman for the opportunity to participate in area’sMarojejy southeast National sector) Park, eastindicated of the that an animal Basin, with reports the fromMal agasylocal people name ‘vontsira(including fotsy’, the then a nocturnal forest guard carnivore of the with protected white amialisoathe 1996 surveyfor the Malagasyof Marojejy translation. National Park, to Steve Goodman and - Roger Safford for comments on an earlier draft, and to Fanja������������ Andri- References or whitish coloration, was ‘rare’ (Duckworth & Rakotondra- parany 1990). This note confirms this species’s presence in A wild- Marojejy National Park. Duckworth,life survey J. W. of & Marojejy Rakotondraparany, , F. 1990. Madagascar The mammals. International of Maro- At 04h15 on 13 October 1996, I was in ‘Camp 1’ jejy. Pp. 54–60 in Safford, R. J. & Duckworth, J. W. (eds) (14°26'12"S, 49°46'30"E: Goodman 2000) in primary low- land rainforest, at 450 m above sea level, about to start walk- Council for Preservation, Cambridge, U.K. (Study Report 40). ing to bird survey point-count sites in the southeast sector of Goodman,tional S.variation. M. (ed.) Fieldiana:1999. A floral Zoology and faunal inventory of the Parc Marojejy National Park (see Safford & Duckworth (1990) and Nationale d’Andohahela, Madagascar: with reference to eleva- Goodman (2000) for more details on the ecology and other , new series 94: 1–257. fauna and flora of Camp 1 and Marojejy as a whole). I saw a Goodman,al variation. S. M. (ed.) Fieldiana: 2000. ZoologyA floral and faunal inventory of the Parc small carnivore with bright red eye-shineGalidia elegans and a white, which tail I hadap- Goodman,Nationale S. M. de 2003. Marojejy, Galidictis Madagascar:, Broad–striped with reference Mongoose, to elevation vontsira- pear about 10 m from me in the light of my head-torch. It was , new series 97: 1–286. The butsmaller of similar than Ring-tailed overall form. Vontsira A closer but brief view when the natural history of Madagascar. Chicago University Press, Chica animalalready halted seen onshowed many that occasions the body in wasMarojejy widely and and elsewhere, longitudi go,fotsy. IL, Pp. U.S.A. 1354–1357 in Goodman, S. M. & Benstead, J. P. (eds) nally striped black on a pale greyish background, with a white Goodman, S. 2012. Les carnivora de Madagascar. Association Vahatra,- tail about half the length of the body, held upwards. The ani- Antananarivo, Madagascar. mal ran quickly away after perhaps 30 seconds in view, the tail IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.1. held horizontally. - IUCN 2012. . Downloaded on 18 September 2012. This record was omitted from the account of the 1996 Ravoahangy, A., Ravelos, B. A., Raminoarisoa, V. M. & Safford, R. J. 2011. study (Goodman 2000) through my mistake. There is no possi- Notes on the carnivores of Tsitongambarika Forest, Madagascar,

73 Small Carnivore Conservation, Vol. 47: 73–74, December 2012 Hawkins

Eupleres Conservation International, 2011 Crystal Drive, goudotii. Small Carnivore Conservation Arlington, VA 22202, U.S.A. including the behaviour of a juvenile EasternA wildlife Falanouc survey of Maro- Current address: 4855 Reservoir Road, Washington DC jejy Nature Reserve, Madagascar. International 45: 2–4. Council for Bird 20007, U.S.A. Safford, R. J. & Duckworth, J. W. (eds) 1990. Email: [email protected]

Preservation, Cambridge, U.K. (Study Report 40).

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