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Encyclopedia > African Golden Cat
African Golden Cat[1]
Image:Profelis aurata.jpeg
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Felidae
Subfamily: Felinae
Genus: Profelis
Species: P. aurata
Binomial name
Profelis aurata

The African Golden Cat (Profelis aurata) is a medium-sized wild cat distributed over the rainforests of West and Central Africa. It is about 80 cm (31.5 inches) long, plus 30 cm (about a foot) tail. The African Golden Cat has turned out to be a close relative of both the Caracal and the Serval, and these species may even be part of the same genus ([1]). The conservation status of a species is an indicator of the likelihood of that species continuing to survive either in the present day or the future. ... Image File history File links Status_iucn3. ... This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it. ... The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (also known as the IUCN Red List and Red Data List), created in 1963, is the worlds most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of plant and animal species and can be found here. ... For other uses, see Scientific classification (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Animal (disambiguation). ... Typical Classes See below Chordates (phylum Chordata) are a group of animals that includes the vertebrates, together with several closely related invertebrates. ... Subclasses & Infraclasses Subclass †Allotheria* Subclass Prototheria Subclass Theria Infraclass †Trituberculata Infraclass Metatheria Infraclass Eutheria Mammals (class Mammalia) are warm-blooded, vertebrate animals characterized by the presence of sweat glands, including those that produce milk, and by the presence of: hair, three middle ear bones used in hearing, and a neocortex... Families 17, See classification The diverse order Carnivora (IPA: or ; from Latin carō (stem carn-) flesh, + vorāre to devour) includes over 260 species of placental mammals. ... “Feline” redirects here. ... Genera Caracal Catopuma Felis Herpailurus Leopardus Leptailurus Lynx Oncifelis Oreailurus Otocolobus Prionailurus Profelis Puma Felinae is a subfamily of the Felidae, the family which contains all true cats. ... Binomial name Profelis aurata Temminck, 1827 The African Golden Cat (Profelis aurata) is a medium-sized wild cat distributed over the rainforests of West and Central Africa. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... “Feline” redirects here. ... The Daintree Rainforest in Queensland, Australia. ...  Western Africa (UN subregion)  Maghreb[1] West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. ... Binomial name Caracal caracal (Schreber, 1776) Type species Caracal melanotis Gray, 1843 (= Felis caracal Schreber, 1776) by monotypy Caracal range map Synonyms Felis caracal The Caracal (Caracal caracal), also called Persian Lynx or African Lynx, is a fiercely territorial medium-sized cat. ... Binomial name (Schreber, 1776) Serval range The Serval (Leptailurus serval) is a medium-sized African wild cat. ...

Contents

Physical attributes

The color of the fur is variable. Typically, the African Golden Cat is cinnamon or reddish brown, but there are also black or grey color variants. The fur is sometimes spotted, while other individuals have plain fur.


The body length usually varies in the range 61-100 cm (24-40 inches), the tail length varies in the range 16-46 cm (6.5-18 inches), and the shoulder height is about 38-55 cm (about 1-2 feet). Male specimens weight in the range 11-14 kg (24-31 lbs) while the only one female specimen that was weighted had a weight of 6.2 kg (13.7 lbs).


The African Golden Cat lives about 15 years in captivity.


Behavior

The African Golden Cat is able to climb, but it primarily hunts on the ground. The prey includes rodents, birds and monkeys. It also hunts Duiker and even Great Forest Hog. Due to its hidden living there is not much known about this cat. Suborders Sciuromorpha Castorimorpha Myomorpha Anomaluromorpha Hystricomorpha Rodentia is an order of mammals also known as rodents, characterised by two continuously-growing incisors in the upper and lower jaws which must be kept short by gnawing. ... For other uses, see Bird (disambiguation). ... Approximate worldwide distribution of monkeys. ... Genera Cephalophus Sylvicapra A duiker is any of about 19 small to medium-sized antelope species native to sub-Saharan Africa. ...


Subspecies

  • Caracal aurata aurata
  • Caracal aurata cottoni

The African Golden Cat is similar to the Asian Golden Cat, but studies indicate that the reason is convergent evolution. Binomial name Catopuma temminckii (Vigors & Horsfield, 1827) The Asian Golden Cat (Catopuma temminckii, previously been placed in genera Profelis and Felis), also called the Asiatic Golden Cat and Temmincks Golden Cat, is a medium-sized wild cat (length 90 cm, plus 50 cm tail) weighing from 12 to 16...


References

Wikispecies has information related to:
Profelis aurata
  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, 544. ISBN 0-801-88221-4. 
  2. ^ Cat Specialist Group (2002). Profelis aurata. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 11 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is vulnerable

  Results from FactBites:
 
The African Golden Cat (2482 words)
African golden cats are known to prey on poultry, rodents and small to medium sized forest ungulates as well as hyraxes, monkeys and birds.
The little that is known of the golden cats biology and reproduction is gained from captive bred animals - the litter size is small, usually consisting of 1-2 young and are born after a gestation period of approximately 75 days.
Golden cats apparently adapt well to logged areas, as destruction of the canopy favors the dense secondary undergrowth with which they are often associated (Kingdon 1977, Anstey 1991, S. Lahm in litt.
African Golded Cat (724 words)
Although its name implies a golden coloured coat the golden cat is polymorphic - its base coat coloration varies extensively depending on its location -ranging from a golden/reddish brown to slate/silver grey.
Most reports suggest that golden cat is a solitary and crepuscular hunter but sightings of a golden cat stalking the mainly diurnal fl-fronted duika in South West Uganda suggest that the cat may well be active during daylight hours in parts of its range.
Small monkeys are also known to be taken by the cat which may suggest that although thought of as mainly terrestrial, the golden cat is also active in the lower branches of the forest canopy and can climb well.
  More results at FactBites »


 

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