Golden Wet-Zone Palm Civets (Paradoxurus aureus): Non-Ringtails Endemic to Sri Lanka

Part of the challenge and excitement inherent in the scientific method centers upon examining and re-examining specimens, interpreting and re-interpreting data, and mastering and re-mastering technology. Binomial (“two-name”) and trinomial (“three-name”) description and verification of species and subspecies depend upon the accuracy of data, the currency of equipment, and the experience of taxonomists. Scientific advances and technological breakthroughs in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries particularly goad wildlife-loving amateurs and professionals to analyze the new and re-analyze the old. New-fangled machines and old-fashioned observations in fact join to debate the possibilities of:

• Misidentification of gold-morphed Asian palm civets (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus) as Sri Lanka-endemic golden palm civets (P. zeylonensis);
• Recognition of Sri Lanka-endemic golden wet-zone palm civets (P. aureus).

The formal presentation of golden palm civets acknowledges:

• Cataloguing in 1777 by Peter Simon Pallas (September 22, 1741 – September 8, 1811), botany and zoology professor and natural history expeditionist to Russian Empress Catherine II (May 2, 1729 – November 17, 1796) and to Russian Emperor Paul I;
• Publishing in 1778 by Johann Christian Daniel von Schreber (January 17, 1739 – December 10, 1810) for Die Säugethiere in Abbildungen nach der Natur mit Beschreibungen.

It designates a spirit-preserved specimen in Russian Crown Prince Paul’s (October 1, 1754 – March 23, 1801) nature cabinet. It details:

• Black rump and tail fur;
• Bristle-bearing warts;
• Brown-grey, marten-like upper-fur;
• 5 rows of white whiskers bristling backward to flattened, soft-haired ears;
• Light under-fur;
• Long, thick-based tail.

Scientists accept that civets endemic (native exclusively) to Sri Lanka exist. But Australian National University anthro-archaeologist Colin P. Groves considers the Pallas description possibly befitting of gold-morphed Asian palm civets. He instead defends the applicability of the description and appropriateness of the nomenclature offered in 1822 by Georges-Frédéric Cuvier (June 28, 1773 – July 24, 1838), as:

• Histoire naturelle des mammifères co-compiler with Étienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire (April 15, 1772 – June 19, 1844);
• Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle menagerie head keeper and comparative physiology chair;
• Ringtail panda (Ailurus fulgens) taxonomist.

The Cuvier description does not echo the Pallas identification. The Pallas presentation fits with the known physique of the Asian palm civet. The Cuvier taxonomy meshes with Channa Rajapaksha’s specimens.

Channa Rajapaksha appears as the likeliest of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries' unlikeliest discoverers and explorers. He belongs on the list of modern-day professionals who expertly advance and juggle avocations and vocations. As a St. Sebastian's College graduate, he channels math concentrations into Commercial Bank's e-career paths.

 As an expert wildlife photographer, he can claim responsibility for getting Sri Lanka's Dehiwela Zoo restocked and palm civet taxonomies restructured. The dual achievements diligently come about through:

• Devoting weekends to observing, photographing, and tomahawk-trapping national parks;

• Following recommendations from zookeeper Dhammika Malsinghe and zoological Drs. Wolfgang Dittus and Devka Weerakoon;

• Sharing specimens with ANU Anthro-archaeology Department Professor Colin P. Groves and Wildlife Heritage Trust's Kelum Manemandra-arachchi.   

The bio-geographies and morphologies of the Rajapaksha specimens advance:

• Conferring species status to the Cuvier specimen, Paradoxurus aureus, as 1 of 3+ endemic palm civets;

• Directing scientific attention to the Pallas specimen, P. zeylonensis, as an Asian palm civet (P. hermaphroditus) morph or another Sri Lanka-endemic mammal;

• Encouraging stricter scrutiny of Asian palm civet morphology.

The bio-geographies of the Cuvier museum specimen and the Rajapaksha tomahawk-trapped male belong to the central wet-zoned foothills and highlands. The Rajapaksha live-trapping comes from Kalupahana in the Dumbara (Knuckles) mountain range. Distributional ranges therefore encompass:

• Close-canopied vegetation;

• Forested slopes and wooded hills;

• 98.43 inches (2,500 millimeters) in total annual accumulated rainfall;

• 62.6°F (17°C) in mean temperatures. 

Golden wet-zone palm civets deploy features typical of the genus Paradoxurus (“paradox”) and the species aureus (“golden”):

• 4 fleet limbs;

• Super-sensory whiskers;

• 12 incisors, 4 canines, 16 premolars, 8 molars;

• 20 curved claws.

They display:

• Dark-adapted, large eyes with vertical pupils;

• Dense, glossy fur softening elongated bodies and tails;

• Gold to red brown spotless, stripe-less upper-sides;

• Prominent, rounded, terminally hairless ears.

They express:

• Backward-curving coronoid processes on mandibles (jaws);

• Broad zygomatic (cheekbone) arches;

• High, rounded brain-cases;

• Large skulls;

• Parallel-sided, square, wide occipital crests;

• Wide muzzles.

They realize:

• Head-and-body lengths of 19.69 – 22.83 inches (50 – 58 centimeters);

• Tail lengths of 16.54 – 20.87 inches (42 – 53 centimeters). 

Endemic distributional ranges are more likely than unlikely for Sri Lanka's fauna and flora. Mammalogists historically attribute 1 endemic and 2 native civet species to Sri Lanka. But the evidence of a banker and the insights of 2 experts combine to scramble and weight statistics in favor of endemism. The recognition of 2 natives -- Asian palm and small Indian civets -- and of 3 endemics -- golden dry-zone, golden wet-zone, Sri Lankan brown palm civets -- apparently conveys more accurately the historical and the present statuses of Sri Lanka's elusive, reclusive civets. Keeping scientific research advances at highly accurate informational levels demands:

• Exact provenances;

• Excellent specimens;

• Expert training.

It likewise necessitates:

• Government protection;

• Wildlife activism. 

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Paradoxurus zeylonensis: a real species or a mistaken identity?
Sinharaja Forest Reserve, southern Sri Lanka: Kalyanvarma, CC BY SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Paradoxurus_zeylonensis.jpg

Peter Simon Pallas by Ambroise Tardieu
stipple engraving by Ambroise Tardieu (March 2, 1788-January 17, 1841), after himself: Public Domain, via Wellcome Collection @ https://wellcomecollection.org/works/zyyfvgft

Asian Common Palm Civet walking: Praveenp, CC BY SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Asian_Palm_Civet_Walking.jpg

Paradoxurus aureus in 1822: Up until the 21st century, zoologists were unaware of differences qualifying Paradoxurus aureus for splitting into three endemic Sri Lankan species.
Frédéric Cuvier, "Du genre Paradoxure et de deux espèces nouvelles qui s'y rapportent."
Mémoires du Muséum d'histoire naturelle, tome neuvième (1822), Plate 4, between pp. 41-42: Not in copyright, via Biodiversity Heritage Library @ https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/34824450

Channa Rajapaksha
"Chasing Civets," The Sunday Times, January 18, 2009: "Reproduction of articles permitted when used without any alterations to contents and a link to the source page.," @ https://www.sundaytimes.lk/090118/Plus/sundaytimesplus_01.html

Paradoxurus aureus
illustration by Joseph Smit (July 18, 1836 – November 4, 1929); W.T. Blanford, "A Monograph of the Genus Paradoxurus, F. Cuv."
Proceedings of the Scientific Meetings of the Zoological Society of London for the Year 1885 (Nov. 3), Plate L, between pp. 780-781: Public Domain, via Biodiversity Heritage Library @ https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/28697822

right front paw of Paradoxurus aureus
Frédéric Cuvier, "Du genre Paradoxure et de deux espèces nouvelles qui s'y rapportent."
Mémoires du Muséum d'histoire naturelle, tome neuvième (1822), Plate 4, between pp. 41-42: Not in copyright, via Biodiversity Heritage Library @ https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/34824450

left hind paw of Paradoxurus aureus
Frédéric Cuvier, "Du genre Paradoxure et de deux espèces nouvelles qui s'y rapportent."
Mémoires du Muséum d'histoire naturelle, tome neuvième (1822), Plate 4, between pp. 41-42: Not in copyright, via Biodiversity Heritage Library @ https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/34824450

Maskeliya view of Adam's Peak
Central Province, Sri Lanka: Astronomyinertia, CC BY SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sri_Paada1.JPG

Golden Wet-Zone Palm Civet landscapes: Horton Plains National Park
southern plateau of central highlands, Central Province, Sri Lanka: Faslan at en.wikipedia, CC BY SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Srilankamountainforest.jpg

Golden Wet-Zone Palm Civet landscapes: village of Teldeniya
Central Province, Sri Lanka: Hasindu2008, CC BY SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Victoria_reservoir_sri_lanka_sunken_city_of_Teldeniya_(2).JPG

Ambewela Farms, Nuwara Eliya District, Central Province, Sri Lanka: Rehman Abubakr, CC BY SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:AmbewelaFarms-April2009.jpg

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