Lutrogale perspicillata Gray 1865

38. Smooth-coated Otter Lutrogale perspicillata French: Loutre indienne / German: Indischer Fischotter / Spanish: Nutria lisa Taxonomy. Lutra perspicillata Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1826, Sumatra. Three subspecies are recognized. Subspecies and Distribution. L. p. perspicillata Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1826 — SE Asia from India, S China, and Mainland SE Asia to Borneo, Sumatra, and E Java. L. p. maxwelli Hayman, 1957 — Iraq and possibly bordering Iran. L. p. sindica Pocock, 1940 — Afghanistan and Pakistan. Descriptive notes. Head-body 59-75 cm, tail 37-45 cm; weight 7-11 kg. A large otter, with a very smooth pelage, naked rhinarium, and fully clawed and webbed feet. The pelage ranges from reddish-brown to dark brown, with paler undersides. The upper lip, sides of face, throat, and upper chest are gray. The upper margin of the rhinarium is flat. The vibrissae are well-developed and the tail is flat dorso-ventrally. The large feet have webbing that extends to the secondjoint of each digit. There are two pairs of mammae. The skull is high and wide, with a broad rostrum. Dental formula: 13/3, C1/1,P4/3,M 1/2 = 36. Habitat. Smooth-coated Otters are found in inland and coastal wetlands, seasonally flooded swamps, mangroves, and along rivers and irrigation canals. They prefer waterways with banks that are rocky and well vegetated. Smooth-coated Otters are notrestricted to deep water and often forage in small, shallow rivers and seasonally flooded swamps during the monsoons (July-September) and early winter (October-February) in India and Nepal. They commonly inhabit rice fields adjacent to mangroves along coastal areas. In Malaysia, Smooth-coated Otters were found to be more abundant in mangroves. On Java, they are restricted to coastal wetlands. When occupying saltwater areas, Smooth-coated Otters require freshwater nearby. Food and Feeding. The diet is mainly fish, but may also include small mammals, invertebrates (insects, crabs, and crustaceans), frogs, snakes, and birds. Most fish consumed are 5-30 cm in length. In Rajasthan, India, spraints contained fish (96%), insects (7%), birds (5%), molluscs (3%), frogs (1%), and worms (1%). At Periyar Lake in Kerala, India, fish were found to be the major prey: 32% tilapia (Tilapia mossambica), 26% catfish (Heteropneustes fossilis), 16% curmuca barb (Gonoproktopetrus curmuca), 15% European carp (Cyprinus caprio), 3% Deccan mahsheer (Tor khudree), and 1% Periyar barb (Barbus micropogon); a higher intake of bottom-dwelling catfish was observed during periods of low water. Other food items were 4% frogs, 2% crabs, 0-7% birds, and 0-02% insects. In Nepal, spraints contained mainly fish; minor food items were frogs, crabs, shrimp, snakes, and insects. In Perak, Malaysia, Smooth-coated Otters eat mostly fish (82% of spraints, mainly Trichogaster pectoralis), followed by molluscs, mammals, and insects (Coleoptera). In Thailand, 70% of spraints contained fish, 13% amphibians, 11% crabs, 4% snakes, and 2% arthropods. Smooth-coated Otters forage in the less rocky areas of lake shallows. Most foraging activity occurs in water; they go on land to rest and defecate. Small fish are swallowed whole, but large fish are taken to shore. Activity patterns. Mainly diurnal, with a rest period around midday. Den /rest sites occur under tree roots, in openings created by piles of boulders, or in dense vegetation. Smooth-coated Otters often dig their own dens and they sometimes rest on bare sand and grassy areas along river banks. In Nepal, eight dens were in exposed tree roots and one was a tunnel in the sand. In India and Nepal, dens are found in swamps; these are sometimes used as natal den sites and nurseries. Spraint sites often smell of rotten fish. In Thailand, spraint sites occur on small rocks, sand banks, and large boulders, 1-3 m above water level. The mean number of spraints on each site was 2-2. Smooth-coated Otters often roll and rub on grassy areas, especially after defecation. Movements, Home range and Social organization. Smooth-coated Otters are excellent swimmers and are able to swim underwater for long distances. They are social and are often seen in groups of up to eleven individuals; groups typically consist of a mated pair with young from previouslitters. It is estimated that a group of Smooth-coated Otters requires 7-12 km ofriver to sustain their needs. Population density is 1-1-3 otters per km of water. Breeding. In India and Nepal, mating occurs in the winter (October—February). Gestation lasts 60-63 days. Littersize is one to five. The young are born blind; the eyes open after ten days. Weaning occurs after three to five months. Adult size is reached after one year and sexual maturity after two to three years. Status and Conservation. CITES Appendix II. Classified as Vulnerable in The IUCN Red Last. Although the Smooth-coated Otter may have been quite common in the past and populations stable,it is now likely this is changing rapidly and that this species will soon be in need of urgent help. Increasing human population acrossits range is putting the Smooth-coated Otter under pressure through habitat destruction and pollution. There is widespread conflict with aquaculturalists and fishermen, who kill them as pests and competitors. There is also deliberate trapping for fur in India, Nepal, and Bangladesh, mainly for export to China. Although legally protected throughoutits range, this is weakly enforced. Movements of Smooth-coated Otters are limited due to arid regions, leading to poor dispersal and population fragmentation. Several authorities have recommended that ex situ as well as in situ conservation efforts should be made. Field studies are needed to learn more about its natural history, ecology, and conservationstatus. Bibliography. Anoop & Hussain (2004, 2005), Biswas (1973), Corbet & Hill (1992), Francis (2008), Hussain (1996), Hwang & Lariviere (2005), Kruuk et al. (1994), Lekagul & McNeely (1991), Medway (1969), Shariff (1985), Tate (1947), Wozencraft (2005, 2008), Yadav (1967).Published as part of Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2009, Mustelidae, pp. 564-656 in Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 1 Carnivores, Barcelona :Lynx Edicions on pages 646-647, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.571404