IDENTIFICATION OF DORSAL GUARD HAIRS OF NINE INDIAN SPECIES OF THE FAMILY VIVERRIDAE • (CARNIVORA: MAMMALIA)

Study of hair structure of a number of mammalian species had been worked out (Hausman 1920, Brunner and Coman 1974, Moore et at. 1974, Koppiker and Sabnis 1976, 1977, Keller 1981, Debrot et al. 1982, Teerink 1991, Wallis 1993, Venkatraman et al. 1994, De and Chakraborty 1995, 200~, Chakraborty et al. 1996, 1999, De et at. 1998, Chakraborty and De 2001, 2002, Toth, A. M. 2002) but knowledge on trichotaxonomy of many species is still wanting. Study of hairs of the species belonging to the family Viverridae have almost not been worked out except cuticular structure of Arctogalidia fusca by Hausman 1920.


INTRODUCTION
Study of hair structure of a number of mammalian species had been worked out (Hausman 1920, Brunner and Coman 1974, Moore et at. 1974, Koppiker and Sabnis 1976, 1977, Keller 1981, Debrot et al. 1982, Teerink 1991, Wallis 1993, Venkatraman et al. 1994, De and Chakraborty 1995, 200~, Chakraborty et al. 1996, 1999, De et at. 1998, Chakraborty and De 2001, 2002, Toth, A. M. 2002 but knowledge on trichotaxonomy of many species is still wanting. Study of hairs of the species belonging to the family Viverridae have almost not been worked out except cuticular structure of Arctogalidia fusca by Hausman 1920. Nine species of Viverrids have been identified from the Indian region (Alfred et al. 2002) and commercial exploitation and habitat destruction accelerate their enlistment as Schedule I and II in the list of Wildlife (Protection) Act., 1972 as well as appendices of CITES (Table 2). Of the nine species Paradoxurus hennaphroditus (Pallas) and Viverricula indica (Desmarest) are distributed almost thr9ughout the country in suitable habitat, but the former is not reported from desert part of Rajasthan and Gujarat. Paradoxurus jerdoni Blanford and Viverra civettina Blyth are endemic to southern India. The other species Arctictis binturong (Raffles), Arctogalidia trivirgata (Gray), Prionodon paraicolor Hodgson, Viverra zibetha Linnaeus and Paguma larvata (Hamilton-Smith) are mostly denigens of north eastern Himalayan region and the distributional range of Pagunla. Larvata is extended through Uttar Pradesh up to Himachal Pradesh and also in Andaman Islands.
Of the nine species Prionodon pardicolor, Arctictis binturong and Viverra civettina are placed under Schedule I of YVildlife (Protection) Act., 1972 and the status is given as 'Endangered' *Zoological Survey of India, M-Block, New Alipore, Kolkata-700 053 All the other species are placed under Schedule II (Table 2). Though' ocock (1939) provided identification keys to the different species of the Indian carnivores yet it is not sufficient for identification of pieces of skins or products for which the animals are poached. In the present paper an attempt has been made to reveal the structure of dorsal guard hairs of the above mentioned specIes.

MATERIAL AND METHODS
Five tufts of guard hairs were collected from the mid-dorsal region of three dry preserved specimens of each species present in the National Zoological collection of the Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata. Samples were processed for study according to the method of Chakraborty et al. (1996). The surface structure, medullary configuration and cross sectional details of dorsal guard hairs were studied microscopically followed after Brunner and Coman (1974), Teerink (1991) and ~hakraborty et al. (1996). Diameter and length of hair were measured with dial callipers, measuring scale (mm) respectively. Medullary index was calculated as k = ml h where m = width of medulla and h = width of hair. It is also to be noted that, in case of 'Transitional' scale pattern, 'PD' and 'SS' were measured only at shield region.
Nomenclature of colour is followed after Ridgway (1886) and structural nomenclature of cuticular as well as medullary configuration is followed after Brunner and Coman (1974), Moore et al. (1974) and Teerink (1991). Classification was followed after Alfred et al. (2002).

OBSERVATION
Findings have been summarised in Table 1 and 2 and Plates I-IX.

RESULT AND DISCUSSION
From the observations it could be said that hair profiles of the Indian Viverrids is 'Spatulate' and 'Shielded' except in A. binturong which is 'Rod' like. At the same time the basic coat colour of the body possess different shades of 'Brown' where as the same in A. binturong is 'Black' Average hair length varies greatly among the species of the family Viverridae being (18 ± 6.82) mm as minimum in P. pardicolor and (76 ± 8.2) mm as maximum in A. trivirgata. Similarly average diameter varies from (52 ± S.08) J..l as minimum in A. trivirgata to (120 ± 10.65 J.l as maximum in V. indica (Table 1). From the study, it is clear that in all the species, range of hair length and diameter vary greatly not only in between the species of the family Viverridae but among the same species also. So, these two characters may not be treated exclusively as family or species characters but it may be considered along with other characters at the time of identification.
The average scale count per millimeter of hair length was noted (205 ± 12.86) as minimum in P. pardicolor as well as (400 ± 17.6) and (400 ± 10.7) as maximum in V. indica and P. jerdoni respectively. Though the average scale. count among the species varies greatly yet it hardly exceed 240 (212-267) in five species, only the same in A. trivirgata and P. hermaphroditus is 331 ± 18.72 and 325 ± 16.47 respectively (Table 1).
Among the nine species 'S'cale Pattern' is 'Irregular wave' in P. Larvata, A. binturong, A. trivirgata, V. civettina, P. jerdoni and P. hermaphroditus and in other three species it is 'Transitional' In shield region, it is 'Regular Petal', 'Narrow Diamond Petal' and 'Regular mosaic' in V. indica, P. pardicoLor and V. zibetha respectively as well as in basal region, the same is 'Irregular wave' in P. Larvata and 'Regular wave' in P. pardicolor and V. zibetha (Table 1, Plates I-IX). Hausman (1920) noted 'Intermediate-ovate' type cuticular scale in Arctogalidiafusca but 'nothing was mentioned about scale.pattern. Thus, it may be opined that, the above mentioned characters may be one of the key character for identifying Viverrid hairs.
The scale margin is 'Crenate' in P. Larvata, A. binturong, A. trivirgata, V. civettina, P. jerdoni and P. hermaphroditus where as scale margin distance is 'Close' only in P. Larvata and P. hermaphroditus and 'Intermediate' in other four species. It is also noted that the scale margin is 'Dentate' at shield region and 'Crenate' and 'Smooth' at basal in V. indica and P. pardicoLor respectively. Where as in V. zibetha scale margin is 'Smooth' throughout but scale margin distance is same as P. pardicolor (Table 1).
The mean 'SS' were observed maximum in V. civettina as (80.75 ± 9.21) ~ and minimum in P. pardicoLor as (18.5 ± 2.52) ~ (Table 2). It was noted that 'SS' varied greatly not onJy in between the different genera but also in between the species of th~ same genus. Likely, the maximum 'SS' observed in V. civettina while the same in the other species V. zibetha, it is only (37 ± 2.04) ~. The same is true in P: jerdoni and P. hermaphroditus, where mean 'SS' measured (45.25 ± 4.8) Jl and (35.5 ± 3.1) ~ respectively. It is obvious that, owing to the scale pattern and arrangement, 'PD' differs greatly from species to species. It was measured maximum as (62.5 ± 5.21) Jl in P. pardicolor and minimum as (8.75 ± 2) Jl in P. hermaphroditus ( Table 2). The proximodistal measurements vary so greatly, probably becalL,se mostly of 'Transitional' scale pattern. But in those species where the scale pattern is 'Irregular wave', the average 'PD' ranges from (8.75 ± 2) ~ to (16.5 ± 3.46) Jl only (Table 2).
Except A. binturong, the medullary configuration in all the species is 'Unbroken vacuolated' and transeverse section is 'Ovate' or 'Circular' But in A. binturong the medullary configuration is 'Simple' and transeverse section is 'Reniform' ( Table 2, Plates I-IX). It is also noted that, medullary index is > 0.80 in P. Larvata and V. zibetha whereas the same is < 0.80 in the rest of the Indian species of the family Viverridae except A. binturong which is > 0.90 (Table 2). In A. binturong the cortex is so thin that it makes a different identifying character for the species. Usually the medullary index is always species specific but while the same overl~ps, Jike in P. pardicolor and P. jerdoni, then the other characters become of great support for the identification of the species.
From the study it is clear that the identification of species from the hair sample of the family Viverridae could not be possible with one or two characters but obviously it could be done with a group of characters. Again, from the hair profile, colour, medullary configuration, transeverse section and medullary index of A. binturong, it seems quite different from the other species of the family Viverridae. Pocock (1939)