Herpestes auropunctatus (Hodgson 1836)

Herpestes auropunctatus is prey of:
Buteo jamaicensis
Diptera
Secernentia nematodes

Based on studies in:
Puerto Rico, El Verde (Rainforest)

This list may not be complete but is based on published studies.

Simberloff et al. (2000) examined size variation in the maximum diameter of the upper canine tooth (the prey-killing structure) and skull length of the "Small Indian Mongoose" ("Herpestes javanicus") in the western part of its range, where it is sympatric with one or both of two slightly larger congeners (H. edwardsii and H. smithii), versus the eastern part of its range, where these congeners are absent. According to Simberloff et al. (Simberloff et al. 2000 and references therein), the Small Indian Mongoose was introduced more than a century ago to the West Indies, the Hawaiian Islands, Mauritius, the Fijian Islands, and Okinawa. All of these introductions, with the possible exception of Mauritius, involved small numbers of individuals from the region of Calcutta and Bangladesh, where this mongoose is sympatric with both congeners in question. According to Simberloff et al., in the eastern (allopatric) part of its native range, males of the Small Indian Mongoose are much larger in both measured traits than in the western (sympatric) regions, approaching the size of the smaller of its absent two congeners, H. edwardsii. Females from the allopatric part of the range are also larger than those of the source region, but the species is more sexually dimorphic in the region of allopatry. On all islands to which it has been introduced, in 100 to 200 generations the Small Indian Mongoose has increased in male size and in sexual dimorphism, although changes in female size have been slight and inconsistent. In general, sizes of island individuals are approximately intermediate in size between those in the region of origin (where they are smaller and sympatric with similar-sized congeners) and those in the region of allopatry, where they are larger. Simberloff et al. argue that the "Small Indian Mongoose" shows morphological variation that is at least consistent with ecological release from competition with its congeners (however, they do not claim that they have conclusively demonstrated ecological character release--morphological change resulting from the lifting of competitively induced selection--and carefully discuss what additional data are required). They note that, in contrast to the pattern seen with the Small Indian Mongoose, neither of the two congeneric mongooses in question show morphological variation consistent with ecological release from competition with "H. javanicus" in the southern part of their ranges, where the latter species is absent.

Simberloff et al. (2000) accepted the then prevailing view that H. auropunctatus is conspecific with H. javanicus and thus interpreted size variation between these forms as likely reflecting interspecific competition (or its absence) with H. edwardsii and H. smithii. As noted above, these authors reported that a size difference occurs in both sexes (although more pronounced in males), and observed greater sexual dimorphism in the eastern population, where competition with other similar sized mongooses (H. edwardsii and H. smithii) did not occur. However, based on phylogenetic analyses by Veron et al. (2006) and Patou et al. (2009), the eastern population is a different taxon (recognized as H. auropunctatus) than the one that occurs in sympatry with H. edwardsii and H. smithii (which, they note, do not show the same morphological variation in the parts of their range where H. auropunctatus is absent). Thus, it appears necessary to reconsider the conclusions by Simberloff et al. (2000) regarding the character displacement and release in the Small Indian/Javan mongoose, at least in their native range. Nevertheless, character release does seem to occur in introduced populations of the Small Indian Mongoose, as shown by Simberloff et al. (2000), but Veron et al. (2006) note that such studies would benefit from clarification of the systematic situation.

Breeding data come mainly from captive animals. Ovulation is induced by copulation. Estrus lasts 3 to 4 days (full cycle around 3 weeks). Mean litter size is 2 (range 1 to 5), with 2 to 3 litters per year. Both sexes are polygamous and may copulate several times a day in the absence of estrus and more frequently during estrus. Birth weight is around 21 g. The eyes of newborns are closed, opening 17 and 20 days. By 22 weeks, all the permanent teeth are in place. Two thirds of adult body mass is attained by 4 moths and sexual maturity is reached at 1 year. The first excursion out of the den occurs at around 4 weeks and the young follow the mother on hunting trips at 6 weeks. Spermatogenesis in the male begins at around 400 g; the baculum ("penis bone") reaches adult size and mass at 5 months or when the male's weight reaches around 500 g. (Gilchrist et al. 2009 and references therein)

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