Slender Mongoose – Galerella sanguinea

Galerella sanguineaRüppell, 1835

Accepted name, Mammal Species of the World 2005

This engimatic group, reviewed by Taylor (1975) and Watson (1990), is represented by several allopatric populations (a situation similar to the Genetta genetta complex where they are recognized as conspecific). Watson and Dippenaar (1987), in their revision, argued for the separation of nigratus (placed here in flavescens), and swalius (considered here as conspecific), and considered swinnyi Roberts (1913), as incertae sedis (included here), although their study did not include representative samples from NE and W Africa. It is believed that swinnyi has been extirpated from the type locality (Watson, in litt.). Taylor (1989) suggested that the allopatric ochraceus from Somalia warrants full specific status (followed here). Certainly, these studies suggest that a thorough revision, inclusive of all of the African forms of sanguinea is badly needed. Taylor and Goldman (1993) present convincing evidence to suggest that swal... [truncated]

• Wilson, D and Reeder, D. (eds.) 2005. Mammal Species of the World. A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference. 3rd ed. -- 2142 pp. Johns Hopkins University Press.