Sex-driven differences in Egyptian mongoose's (Herpestes ichneumon) diet in its northwestern European range

Luis M. Rosalino*, Maria Joao Ferreira Dos Santos, Iris Pereira, Margarida Santos-Reis

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

Sexual dimorphism in carnivores can result from, or induce, variations in diet and foraging behaviour between individuals of different sexes. Sex-driven behavioural changes in feeding habits may also result in a reduction in intraspecific competition for resources, avoiding dietary overlap by concentrating on different prey sizes/types. We therefore evaluated the variation in feeding habits of both males and females of an invasive and range expanding southern European carnivore, the Egyptian mongoose (Herpestes ichneumon), through gut content analysis of road or predator-control killed animals. The analysis of 59 gut samples, collected in Portugal, revealed that northwestern populations of mongooses prey mostly upon mammals [especially lagomorphs, percentage of biomass (PB) = 44%], reptiles (PB = 28%) and arthropods (PB = 2% but percentage of occurrence = 35%). However, females seem to focus mainly on reptiles (PB = 51%) and mammals (PB = 38%), whilst males consume mostly mammals (PB = 75%). The results suggest that this variation maybe a result of sexual dimorphism (since some variation is documented in a few Egyptian mongoose's skull measures, namely condylobasal length and canine diameter), with males shifting their diets to prey from which they can obtain more energy. Females seem to be focused on predating lighter animals, probably females or juveniles, a fact that has important game management implications.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)293-299
Number of pages7
JournalEuropean Journal of Wildlife Research
Volume55
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jun 2009

Funding

We are grateful for the financial support given by Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia and Fundo Social Europeu (III Quadro Comunitario de Apoio) (PRAXIS/PCNA/C/BIA/105/96; SFRH/BPD/14435/2003; and SFRH/BPD/35842/2007). Special thanks are due to Catarina Ginja who actively participated in the establishment of the CBA carnivore tissue databank (FEDER/POCI 2010-POCI/2000/BSE/40788) as well as in many mongoose necropsies. Mr. Fontinhas, Clara Grilo, Francisco Petrucci-Fonseca and other volunteers must also be acknowledge for their help in finding, collecting or necropsing mongooses corpses. We further thank to Teresa Sales-Luis for helpful comments on an earlier draft. All experiments/data collection are in comply with the current Portuguese laws.

Keywords

  • Feeding habits
  • Management implications
  • Portugal
  • STOATS MUSTELA-ERMINEA
  • BADGER MELES-MELES
  • FOX VULPES-VULPES
  • SOUTHWESTERN SPAIN
  • FORAGING BEHAVIOR
  • DIMORPHISM
  • CARNIVORE
  • HABITS
  • OTTERS
  • SIZE

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