SALT'S DIK-DIK

'Salt's Dik-dik' (''Mandoqua saltiana'') is a small antelope found in semi-desert vegetation and arid thornbrush of East Africa.

Contents

Description

Size

Subspecies

Behavior

Habitat

Distribution

Reference

Description

Size

★ Length: 45 -67 cm

★ Tail Length:3-5 cm

★ Shoulder height: 30- 40.5 cm

★ Weight: 2-4 kg
A Salt's Dik-dik's hind legs are longer, and the neck and back are gray. The flanks are usually red. The nose is squared-off. Their spike-like horns are 7.3 - 9 cm (2 inches) long.

Subspecies

Many scientists treat Swayne's Dik-dik ''M. s. swaynei'', Erlanger's Dik-dik ''M. s. erlangeri'', and ''M. s. citernii'' as a full species: ''Mandoqua swaynei'', and Red-beliied Dik-dik ''M. s. phillipsi'' as ''Mandoqua phillipsi. The Silver Dik-dik ''M. piacentinii'' was once thought to be a subspecies of Salt's dik-dik.

★ 'Salt's Dik-dik' ''Mandoqua saltiana saltiana'': reddish gray, found in Djibouti, Eritrea, Northeast Ethiopia.

★ Red-bellied Dik-dik ''Mandoqua saltiana phillipsi'': reddish gray, flanks are russet orange, found in Somalia and Ethiopia, often classified as a full species.

★ Lawrence's Dik-dik ''Mandoqua saltiana lawrenci'': silver gray, flanks are russet, a clear line between colors, fount in Northeast Somalia.

★ Harar Dik-dik ''Mandoqua saltiana hararensis'': Gingery to reddish, found in North and Northeast Somalia.

★ Swayne's Dik-dik ''Mandoqua saltiana swaynei'': Reddish, gray throat and cheek, found in Somalia, often classified as a full species.

★ Erlanger's Dik-dik ''Mandoqua saltiana erlangeri'': Reddishh, found in Somalia and Ethiopia.

★ ''Mandoua saltiana citernii'': Reddish, found in Somalia and Ethiopia.

Behavior

Salt's Dik-dik are shy; they are active at night and dusk to avoid the midday heat. They are crepuscular. Dominant animals flare their crest. Often found in pairs and small groups. Salt's dik-dik mainly eat leaves and shoots of acasia trees. Not much is known about the species' reproduction behavior yet.

Habitat

Found in the evergreen and semi-deciduous bushlands and thickets in the Horn of Africa.

Distribution

Found in the Horn of Africa and Ethiopia.

Reference

★ [1]

★ Salt's dik-dik information