Pardine Genets (Genetta pardina): Ringtails of Central Africa West of the Ghanaian Volta River

Scientists accept Paris-born French zoologist Isidore Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire (December 16, 1805 – November 10, 1861) as the first official presenter of pardine genets to experts and non-specialists outside Africa. Isidore's taxonomic identification dates to 1832. It deals with a specimen from Senegal's interior. It evidences Isidore's career as:

• Assistant naturalist to his father, Étienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire (April 15, 1772 – June 19, 1844), 1824;

• Birds lecturer, 1829;

• General animal and human structural abnormality publisher, 1832 – 1837;

• Faculty of sciences organizer at Bordeaux, 1838, and inspector at Paris, 1840;

• National natural history museum successor professor to father at Paris, 1841;

• Paris university inspector-general, 1844;

• Sciences faculty zoology professor at Paris, 1850.

Common, trivial, and vernacular names are the popular identifications by non-specialists for wildlife. Binomial (two-name), Latin, scientific, and taxonomic designations belong to experts. The two descriptions do not have to overlap. But for pardine genets, the repetition does occur since:

• Genetta pardina represents the current scientific classification;

• Pardine genet serves as the enduring common name, along with West African large-spotted genet.

By way of the French term genette, genet and genetta preserve the original Arabic word jarnait for an amiable, beautiful, clever, domesticable, energetic, fleet wild animal beloved by:

• Egypt's pharaohs;

• North Africa's Muslims;

• Spain's Moors.

The terms pardina and pardine trace back to the ancient Greek word πάρδος (pardos) for “panther.”

Genetic advances and technological breakthroughs cause scientists to reconsider, revamp, and update taxonomic identifications. Particularly as a result of Muséum national d'histoire naturelle scientist Philippe Gaubert's investigations, specialists consider the possibility of 14 – 17 genet species. It is easy to identify the fish-eating aquatic genet (Genetta piscivora), whose body and tail respectively are unspotted and unstriped. But it may be difficult for the uninitiated to differentiate between the dotted bodies and ringed tails of 13 – 16 non-aquatic genet species even though each one is identifiable by:

• Body coloring;

• Color and distribution of head-and-body lines, marks, patches, and spots;

• Number and pattern of tail rings.

That some species have overlapping bio-geographies initially will complicate quick identification.  

Bourlon's (G. bourloni), common small-spotted (Genetta genetta), Johnston's (G. johnstoni), king (G. poensis), pardine, and Thierry's (G. thierryi) genets are sympatric (same-ranging). Dr. João Crawford-Cabral -- Centro de Zoologia do Instituto de Investigação Científica Tropical retired director and genet super-taxonomist -- calls the Volta River the pardine genet's easternmost expansion. Pardine genets inhabit:

• Burkina Faso;

• Gambia;

• Ghana;

• Guinea;

• Guinea-Bissau;

• Ivory Coast;

• Liberia;

• Mali;

• Mauritania;

• Senegal;

• Sierra Leone.

They prefer:

• Dense rainforests, like all but common genets;

• Dry woodland savannahs, like common genets;

• Forest-savannah mosaics.

They resist:

• Johnston's and Thierry's genets' moist mixed savannahs and woodlands;

• Thierry's genets' brush-grass and Guinean savannahs. 

Pardine genets are called remarkable in the 1832 description. They communicate:

• Black-dotted fore-limbs and large-spotted rear-limbs;

• Black-striped neck downward from each alert, big, grey ear;

• Black-tinged, red-brown oblong and quadrangular rear- and shoulder-located rings;

• Dark-haired soles;

• Long-haired, mid-dorsal line darkening shoulders to tail base;

• Tawny-grey corporeal ground-color;

• 2 black-ringed rows per upper-side;

• 2 red-streaked black-spotted rows per lower-side.

The dark-tipped, plush tail has 6 – 7 each of narrow white and wide black rings. A “dirty” stripe runs longitudinally from tail base to tip. The tawny red head showcases:

• Big, dark-adapted, rounded, white-ringed eyes;

• Black-based, white-tipped whiskers;

• Large lower-chin stripe;

• Red-brown muzzle;

• White-patched chin, mouth, and throat. 

Excepting domesticated pardine genets' renowned affectionate loyalty, the 1832 description admits to ignoring life cycles and natural histories. Unfamiliarity continues to this day. Scientists describe as mysterious pardine genets, whose grey-furred, 2.53-ounce (71.5-gram) offspring emerge temporarily blind and deaf. But they know that physical and sexual maturity involves:

• Dentition: 6 incisors, 2 canines, 8 premolars, and 4 molars per lower and upper jaws;

• Ear lengths: 1.54 – 1.85 inches (39 – 47 millimeters);

• Head-and-body lengths: 16.14 – 21.77 inches (410 – 553 millimeters);

• Paw lengths: 3.46 – 3.94 inches (88 – 100 millimeters);

• Tail lengths: 15.35 – 19.29 inches (390 - 490millimeters):

• Tail-hair lengths: 0.79 – 1.18 inches (20 – 30 millimeters);

• Weights: 6.83 pounds (3.1 kilograms). 

Bushlands, forest plantations, gallery forests, moist woodlands, primary- and secondary-growth rainforests, and suburban areas accommodate pardine genet lifestyles. Pardine genets can be found on protected areas within their monthly bio-geographical configurations of:

• 5.76 inches (1,081.23 millimeters) in evapo-transpiration;

• 42.57 inches (1,081.23 millimeters) in precipitation;

• 79.23°F (26.24°C) in temperature.

They defend themselves against environmental stresses with:

• Handstand-released, territory-marking stink-bombs;

• Quick getaways;

• Sharp teeth;

• Super-acute hearing, seeing, smelling, tasting, and touching;

• Super-fast ascents, descents, jumps, leaps, and runs;

• 20 curved, retractable, super-strong claw;

• Two-footed boxing.

It is not enough against:

• Fire-, spear-, and trap-wielding over-hunters and poaches;

• Globally-warmed climate change;

• Habitat-fragmenting agro-industrialism.

They need governmental protection, scientific research, and viewer support. 

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

ca. 1840 stipple portrait of Isidore Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire: Universitätsbibliothek Leipzig (ubleipzig), Public Domain, via Flickr @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/ubleipzig/16846092868/

Distribution data from IUCN Red List: Chermundy/IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, species assessors and the authors of the spatial data, CC BY SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pardine_Genet_area.png

Fontaine Cuvier (Cuvier Fountain): intersection of rue Linné and 20 rue Cuvier, facing Jardin des plantes de Paris, 5e: Citron, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cuvierfountain.JPG

illustration by Donald Reginald Rosevear (November 28, 1900-January 17, 1986); D.R. Rosevear, The Carnivores of West Africa (1974), Plate 3 Senegal, Hausa and Crested Genets
Donovan Reginald Rosevear 1900-1986; British Museum (Natural History) Department of Zoology [Mammals] Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History): CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Genetta-thierry-rose.jpg

Lake Volta from Santa Barbara Church, town of Akosombo, Asuogyaman District, Eastern Region, southern Ghana: Sandister Tei ([email protected]), CC-BY-SA-3.0, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Volta_lake_from_the_Saint_Barbara_Church.JPG

Magasin de Zoologie, deuxième année (1832), Classe I, Plate 8: Oudet, sculpt; Finot, imprimeur: Public Domain, via Biodiversity Heritage Library @ https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/37083900

Genetta pardina: Giovanni Boschi, Atlante Zoologico Popolare (1863-1879)

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Dindéfelo (Pulaar: "next to the mountain") Community Nature Reserve, Niokolo-Koba National Park, southeastern Senegal: Dorothy Voorhees, CC BY SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:DindefeloView.jpg

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