Oriental Small-clawed Otter
1007641
223074645
2008-07-02T13:15:55Z
Benjamint444
2587854
/* Gallery */
{{Taxobox
| name = Oriental Small-clawed Otter
| status = NT
| status_system = iucn3.1
| status_ref = <ref name=iucn>{{IUCN2007|assessors=Hussain|year=2004|id=44166|title=Aonyx cinereus|downloaded=06 May 2008}} Database entry includes justification for why this species is near threatened</ref>
| trend = unknown
| image = Otter - melbourne zoo.jpg
| image_width = 299px
| regnum = [[Animal]]ia
| phylum = [[Chordata]]
| classis = [[Mammal]]ia
| ordo = [[Carnivora]]
| familia = [[Mustelidae]]
| subfamilia = [[Lutrinae]]
| genus = ''[[Aonyx]]''
| species = '''''A. cinerea'''''
| binomial = ''Aonyx cinerea''
| binomial_authority = [[Johann Karl Wilhelm Illiger|Illiger]], 1815
}}
The '''Oriental Small-clawed Otter''', ''Aonyx cinerea'' also known as '''Asian Small-clawed Otter''' is the smallest [[otter]] in the world.
The Oriental Small-clawed Otter is found in [[mangrove]] [[swamp]]s and freshwater wetlands of [[Bangladesh]], southern [[India]], [[China]], [[Taiwan]], [[Indochina]], [[Peninsular Malaysia]], [[Indonesia]] and the [[Philippines]],preferring to live near water.
The full grown otters measure approximately 0.9m from nose to tail tip, and can weigh up to 5kg.They feed on fish, frogs, crabs, crayfish and shellfish.
These otters are especially distinct for their forepaws, as the claws do not extend above the fleshy end pads of their toes and fingers. These attributes give them human-like proficiency and coordination to the point which they can use their paws to feed on [[mollusk]]s, [[crab]]s and other small aquatic [[animal]]s.
The Oriental Small-clawed Otter lives in extended family groups with only the alpha pair breeding and previous offspring helping to raise the young.
Due to ongoing habitat loss, pollution and hunting in some areas, the Oriental Small-clawed Otter is evaluated as Near Threatened on the [[IUCN Red List]] of Threatened Species.
This species was formerly thought to be the only member of the genus ''Amblonyx'', however it has recently been confirmed as ''[[Aonyx]]'' after mitochrondrial DNA analysis (Koepfli and Wayne, 1998). There also have been issues with the species name for the Oriental Small-clawed Otter and can be found as ''cinereus'' and ''cinerea''. However the current IUCN name is ''Aonyx cinereus'', while "Mammal Species of the World" lists it as ''cinerea''.
== Video ==
{{multi-video start}}
{{multi-video item|filename=Aonyx cinerea4.ogg|title=Aonyx cinereus #1|description=Video of playing oriental small-clawed otters at Disney's Animal Kingdom.|format=[[Theora]]}}
{{multi-video item|filename=Aonyx cinerea5.ogg|title=Aonyx cinereus #2|description=Video of swimming oriental small-clawed otters at Disney's Animal Kingdom.|format=[[Theora]]}}
{{multi-video end}}
== Gallery ==
<gallery>
image:Asian small-clawed otter444.jpg
Image:Amblonyx_cinereus.jpg|Group sleeping at the [[Smithsonian National Zoological Park|National Zoo]] in [[Washington, DC]]
Image:Aonyx-cinerea_2.jpg|Swimming asian small-clawed otter
Image:Otters at feeding time 2004 SMC.jpg|Adult and young Asian Small-clawed Otters at feeding time in [[Edinburgh Zoo]]
Image:Oriental Small-clawed Otters at Edinburgh Zoo.jpg|Adult and young Asian Small-clawed Otters feeding
Image:Zwergotter-Porträt.jpg
Image:Amblonyx cinereus Zoo.jpg|Otters at the [[National Zoo & Aquarium]], [[Canberra]]
Image:Two_Oriental_Small-Clawed_Otters.jpg|Two Oriental Small-Clawed Otters at the [[:en:National Zoo & Aquarium|National Zoo & Aquarium]], [[:en:Canberra|Canberra]]
</gallery>
== References ==
* Larivière, Serge. (2003) "[http://www.science.smith.edu/departments/Biology/VHAYSSEN/msi/default.html Amblonyx cinereus]". ''Mammalian Species'' (720): 1–5.
== External links ==
{{commons}}
* [http://www.redlist.org/search/details.php?species=44166 IUCN Red List]
* [http://www.wellingtonzoo.com/animals/animals/mammals/otter.html Oriental Small Clawed Otter Factsheet]
* [http://www.otternet.com/galleries/smalclaw/ Oriental Small Clawed Otter Gallery]
{{Mustelidae nav}}
{{carnivora-stub}}
[[Category:Aonyx]]
[[Category:Mammals of Asia]]
[[Category:Mammals of Bhutan]]
[[Category:Mammals of Indonesia]]
[[Category:Mammals of the Philippines]]
[[Category:Fauna of Singapore]]
[[Category:Fauna of Thailand]]
[[Category:Otters]]
[[br:Aoniks]]
[[cs:Vydra malá]]
[[da:Asiatisk dværgodder]]
[[de:Zwergotter]]
[[es:Aonyx cinerea]]
[[eo:Kurtunga lutro]]
[[fr:Loutre cendrée]]
[[hr:Orijentalna kratkonokta vidra]]
[[it:Aonyx cinerea]]
[[lt:Azijinė benagė ūdra]]
[[ms:Memerang Keeil]]
[[nl:Kleinklauwotter]]
[[ja:コツメカワウソ]]
[[ru:Восточная бескоготная выдра]]
[[sv:Asiatisk klolös utter]]
[[tl:Amblonyx cinerea]]
[[zh:亞洲小爪水獺]]