Yellow-throated marten
Temporal range: Pliocene – Recent
Martes flavigula indochinensis in Kaeng Krachan National Park
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Mustelidae
Genus: Martes
Species:
M. flavigula
Binomial name
Martes flavigula
Boddaert, 1785
Subspecies

M. f. flavigula (Boddaert, 1785)
M. f. chrysospila (Pocock, 1936), Taiwan
M. f. robinsoni, Java

Yellow-throated marten range
Synonyms

Charronia flavigula (Boddaert)

The yellow-throated marten (Martes flavigula) is a marten species native to the Himalayas, Southeast and East Asia. Its coat is bright yellow-golden, and its head and back are distinctly darker, blending together black, white, golden-yellow and brown. It is the largest marten in the Old World, with its tail making up more than half its body length.

It is an omnivore, whose sources of food range from fruit and nectar to invertebrates, rodents, lagomorphs, reptiles and birds, and to small primates and ungulates. It is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List due to its wide distribution, stable population, occurrence in a number of protected areas and an apparent lack of threats.

Characteristics

Illustration of a skull in Blanford's Fauna of British India

The yellow-throated marten is a large, robust, muscular and flexible species with an elongated thorax, a small pointed head, a long neck and a very long tail which is about 2/3 as long as its body. The tail is not as bushy as that of other martens, and thus seems longer than it actually is. The limbs are relatively short and strong, with broad feet.[2] The ears are large and broad, but short with rounded tips. The soles of the feet are covered with coarse, flexible hairs, though the digital and foot pads are naked and the paws are weakly furred.[3] The skull is similar to that of the beech marten, but is much larger. The baculum is S-shaped, with four blunt processes occurring on the tip. It is larger than other Old World martens; males measure 500–719 mm (19.7–28.3 in) in body length, while females measure 500–620 mm (20–24 in). Males weigh 2.5–5.7 kg (5.5–12.6 lb), while females weigh 1.6–3.8 kg (3.5–8.4 lb).[4] The anal glands sport two unusual protuberances, which can be used to secrete a strong smelling liquid for defensive purposes.[5]

The yellow-throated marten has relatively short fur. The winter fur differs from that of other martens by its relative shortness, its harshness and its luster. It is also not as dense, fluffy and compact as that of other martens. The hairs on the tail are short and of equal length over the whole tail. The summer fur is shorter, sparser, less compact and lustrous. The color of the pelage is unique among martens, being bright and variegated. The top of the head is blackish brown with shiny brown highlights, while the cheeks are somewhat more reddish, with a mixture of white hair tips. The back of the ears are black, while the inner portions are covered with yellowish gray. The fur is a shiny brownish-yellow color with a golden tone from the occiput along the surface of the back. The colour becomes browner on the hind quarters. The flanks and belly are bright yellowish in tone. The chest and lower part of the throat are a brighter, orange-golden color than the back and belly. The chin and lower lips are pure white. The front paws and lower forelimbs are pure black, while the upper parts of the limbs are the same color as the front of the back. The tail is of a shiny pure black color, though the tip has a light, violet wash. The base of the tail is grayish brown.[3] The contrasting marks of the head and throat are likely recognition marks.[5]

It is similar in appearance to the smaller beech marten, but noticeably different from other related species by its sleek, more muscular body and the structure of its baculum. It is probably among the most ancient, basal marten species possibly originating during the Pliocene.[6]

The yellow-throated marten’s fur often faintly smells of the “musty” aroma characteristic to the family, which is derived from a pungent liquid secreted from anal glands, with which the marten marks its territory and for emergency self-defense. The bulk of which are infamously energetic, fearless, somewhat aggressive, highly observant mammals—the yellow-throated marten has few natural predators. Its actively arboreal lifestyle helps it maintain a strong and powerful build.[7] This marten species shows little fear of humans, dogs, and other animals, but may be easily tamed if patience is exercised from a young age.[5]

Distribution and habitat

Yellow-throated marten in Jim Corbett Tiger Reserve
Photographed in Tungnath
An individual in Pangolakha Wildlife Sanctuary

The yellow-throated marten occurs in Afghanistan and Pakistan, in the Himalayas of India, Nepal and Bhutan, continental southern China and Taiwan, the Korean Peninsula and eastern Russia. In the south, its range extends to Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, the Malay Peninsula, Laos, Cambodia and Viet Nam.[1]

In Pakistan, it was recorded in Musk Deer National Park.[8] In Nepal's Kanchenjunga Conservation Area, it has been recorded up to an elevation of 4,510 m (14,800 ft) in alpine meadow.[9]

In northeastern India, it has been reported in northern West Bengal, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Assam. In Indonesia it occurs in Borneo, Sumatra, and Java.[10]

Behaviour and ecology

The yellow-throated marten holds extensive, but not permanent, home ranges. It actively patrols its territory, having been known to cover 10–20 km (6.2–12.4 mi) in a single day and night. It primarily hunts on the ground, but can climb trees proficiently, being capable of making jumps up to 8–9 m (26–30 ft) between branches. After March snowfalls, the yellow-throated marten restricts its activities to treetops.[11]

Diet

The yellow-throated marten is a diurnal hunter, which usually hunts in pairs, but may also hunt in packs of three or more. It preys on rats, mice, hares, snakes, lizards, eggs and ground nesting birds such as pheasants and francolins. It is reported to kill cats and poultry. It has been known to feed on human corpses, and was once thought to be able to attack an unarmed man in groups of 3 to 4.[12] The yellow-throated marten preys on small ungulates and smaller marten species, such as sables.[13] In the Himalayas and Burma, it is reported to frequently kill muntjac fawns,[12] while in Ussuriland the base of its diet consists of musk deer, particularly in winter. The young of larger ungulate species are also taken, but within a weight range of 10–12 kg (22–26 lb). In winter, the yellow-throated marten hunts musk deer by driving them onto ice. Two or three yellow-throated martens can consume a musk deer carcass in 2 to 3 days. Other ungulate species preyed upon by the yellow-throated marten include young wapiti, spotted deer, roe deer and goral.[13] Wild boar piglets are also taken on occasion.[7] In areas where it is sympatric with the tiger, the yellow-throated marten have been reported to trail them and feed on their kills.[7] In China, it preys on giant panda cubs.[14]

It supplements its diet with nectar and fruit, and is therefore considered to be an important seed disperser.[15]

Reproduction

Estrus occurs twice a year, from mid-February to late March and from late June to early August. During these periods, the males fight each other for access to females. Litters typically consist of two or three kits and rarely four.[7]

Predators

The yellow-throated marten has few predators, but occasionally may fall foul of much larger carnivores; remains of sporadic individuals have turned up in the scat or stomachs of Siberian tigers (Panthera tigris) and Asian black bears (Ursus thibetanus).[16][17] There is a report that a mountain hawk-eagle (Nisaetus nipalensis) kills an adult yellow-throated marten.[18]

Conservation

The yellow-throated marten is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List due to its wide distribution and occurrence in protected areas across its range; the global population is stable, and threats are apparently lacking.[1]

Taxonomy

The first written description of the yellow-throated marten in the Western World is given by Thomas Pennant in his History of Quadrupeds (1781), in which he named it "White-cheeked Weasel". Pieter Boddaert featured it in his Elenchus Animalium with the name Mustela flavigula. For a long period after the Elenchus' publication, the existence of the yellow-throated marten was considered doubtful by many zoologists, until a skin was presented to the Museum of the East India Company in 1824 by Thomas Hardwicke.[19]

As of 2005, nine subspecies are recognized.[20]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Chutipong, W.; Duckworth, J.W.; Timmins, R.J.; Choudhury, A.; Abramov, A.V.; Roberton, S.; Long, B.; Rahman, H.; Hearn, A.; Dinets, V.; Willcox, D.H.A. (2016). "Martes flavigula". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T41649A45212973. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T41649A45212973.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. ↑ Heptner & Sludskii 2002, pp. 905–906
  3. 1 2 Heptner & Sludskii 2002, pp. 906–907
  4. ↑ Heptner & Sludskii 2002, pp. 907–908
  5. 1 2 3 Pocock 1941, pp. 337
  6. ↑ Heptner & Sludskii 2002, pp. 910
  7. 1 2 3 4 Heptner & Sludskii 2002, pp. 919
  8. ↑ Ahmad, S.; Hameed, S.; Ali, H.; Khan, T.U.; Mehmood, T. & Nawaz, M.A. (2016). "Carnivores' diversity and conflicts with humans in Musk Deer National Park, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan". European Journal of Wildlife Research. 62: 565–576. doi:10.1007/s10344-016-1029-6.
  9. ↑ Appel, A.; Khatiwada, A. P. (2014). "Yellow-throated Martens Martes flavigula in the Kanchenjunga Conservation Area, Nepal". Small Carnivore Conservation. 50: 14–19.
  10. ↑ Proulx, G.; Aubry, K.; Birks, J.; Buskirk, S.; Fortin, C.; Frost, H.; Krohn, W.; Mayo, L.; Monakhov, V.; Payer, D.; Saeki, M. (2005). "World Distribution and Status of the Genus Martes in 2000" (PDF). In Harrison, D. J.; Fuller, A. K.; Proulx, G. (eds.). Martens and Fishers (Martes) in Human-altered Environments. New York: Springer-Verlag. pp. 21–76. doi:10.1007/b99487. ISBN 978-0-387-22580-7.
  11. ↑ Heptner & Sludskii 2002, pp. 917–918
  12. 1 2 Pocock 1941, pp. 336
  13. 1 2 Heptner & Sludskii 2002, pp. 915–916
  14. ↑ Servheen, C.; Herrero, S.; Peyton, B.; Pelletier, K.; Kana, M.; Moll, J. (1999). Bears: status survey and conservation action plan. IUCN/SSC action plans for the conservation of biological diversity. Vol. 44. ISBN 2-8317-0462-6.
  15. ↑ Zhou, You-Bing; Slade, Eleanor; Newman, Chris; Wang, Xiao-Ming; Zhang, Shu-Yi (2008). "Frugivory and seed dispersal by the yellow-throated marten, Martes flavigula, in a subtropical forest of China" (PDF). Journal of Tropical Ecology. 24 (2): 219–223. doi:10.1017/S0266467408004793. JSTOR 25172915. S2CID 55387571.
  16. ↑ Kerley, L. L.; Mukhacheva, A. S.; Matyukhina, D. S.; Salmanova, E.; Salkina, G. P.; Miquelle, D. G. (2015). "A comparison of food habits and prey preference of Amur tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) at three sites in the Russian Far East". Integrative Zoology. 10 (4): 354–364. doi:10.1111/1749-4877.12135. PMID 25939758.
  17. ↑ Hwang, Mei-Hsiu; Garshelis, D. L.; Wang, Y. (2002). "Diets of Asiatic black bears in Taiwan, with methodological and geographical comparisons". Ursus. 13: 111–125. JSTOR 3873193. Archived from the original on 2023-04-21. Retrieved 2023-04-21.
  18. ↑ Fam, S. D., & Nijman, V. (2011). Spizaetus hawk-eagles as predators of arboreal colobines. Primates, 52(2), 105-110.
  19. ↑ Horsfield, T. (1851). A catalogue of the Mammalia in the Museum of the East-India Company. London: J. & H. Cox. Archived from the original on 2023-04-08. Retrieved 2017-08-30.
  20. ↑ Wozencraft, W. C. (2005). "Order Carnivora". In Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M. (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.
  21. ↑ Pocock 1941, pp. 331–337
  22. ↑ Heptner & Sludskii 2002, pp. 914
  23. ↑ Pocock 1941, pp. 338
  24. ↑ Pocock 1941, pp. 339

Bibliography

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