Cephalophus rufilatus
red-flanked duiker

Cephalophus rufilatus, or red-flanked duikers, are found throughout central, western Africa. While members of the genus Cephalophus are common throughout most African forests, red-flanked duikers are one of only a few duiker species which have distributions outside African equatorial rain forests. (Estes, 1991; Huffman, 2006; Kingdon, 1984)

Red-flanked duikers thrive along the transition zones of savanna-forests and along drainage lines. These habitats are characterized by tall grass (primarily elephant grass, Pennisetum purpureum) and shrubs, (Capparis, Acanthus arboreus and others) and provide ample grazing opportunities and suitable cover from predators. (Huffman, 2006; Kingdon, 1984)

Red-flanked duikers have an orange-red coat which is lighter on the ventral side. They have a dark grey-black stripe along their dorsal midline, which extends from the tail to the shoulders and continues across the face onto the muzzle. The lower legs are also dark grey-black in color and give the animal the appearance of wearing stockings. ("IUCN World Conservation Union", 2003; Estes, 1991; Huffman, 2006; Kingdon, 1984)

Full grown males possess short black horns which project straight back from the forehead. Though usually absent, horns may also be present in females. If present, they are shorter on average than in males. In males horn length varies from 6 to 9.5 cm and from 3 to 4 cm in females. (Estes, 1991; Huffman, 2006; Kingdon, 1984; Pfefferkorn, 2005)

Cephalophus species, in general, are unique in that they possess preorbital glands that differ in their anatomy from other African antelope. These glands are located beyond the eyes on the snout (unlike other antelope) and form visible bulges in the cheeks. Red-flanked duikers have the largest preorbital glands of all duiker species. (Estes, 1991; Huffman, 2006; Kingdon, 1984)

The average lifespan of red-flanked duikers in the wild is five years and is most likely limited by predation. Red-flanked duikers have lived to be over 15 years old in captivity. (Huffman, 2006; Pfefferkorn, 2005)

Red-flanked duikers are most active during the early morning and late evening, when they spend most of their time browsing for food. Red flanked duikers are relatively sedentary, occupying the same home range for a period of a few months before moving onto new territory. When actively feeding, red-flanked duikers are constantly alert and are easily provoked into escape behaviors. They drop their heads and dive into nearby vegetation when startled; a response that is characteristic for the genus Cephalophus. The common name duiker originates from the Afrikaans word DIKE-er meaning diving buck. (Estes, 1991; Huffman, 2006; Kingdon, 1984)

Red-flanked duikers, unlike other duiker species, do not engage in social play or reciprocal allogrooming. These two behaviors are common in other species of the genus Cephalophus. (Estes, 1991; Huffman, 2006; Kingdon, 1984)

Home Range

In the wild, red-flanked duiker occupy distinct home ranges, which rarely overlap. Within a particular home range, they live alone or in pairs. Greater congregations are occasionally spotted around water sources. Red-flanked duikers mark their browsing territory with odiferous secretions from their preorbital glands. These home ranges are small compared to other antelope and are occupied for a period of a few months before they are abandoned for new territory. (Estes, 1991; Hofmann and Roth, 2003; Huffman, 2006; Kingdon, 1984; Pfefferkorn, 2005)

Red-flanked duikers have acute senses of hearing and smell, which are superior to those of humans and can make observations of red-flanked duikers challenging. They emit a shrill bark to communicate with their young and when threatened. Red-flanked duikers are also sensitive to territorial scent marking by other members of the species. (Huffman, 2006; Kingdon, 1984)

Red-flanked duikers are herbivorous and have been described as browsers. They feed primarily within a meter of the ground and do not spend considerable time in any area. Their diet consists mainly of leaves and fruits, but also includes flowers and twigs. One study of the stomach contents of C. rufilatus indicated a preference for feeding on fruits in secondary forest patches of the moist savanna. (Hofmann and Roth, 2003; Huffman, 2006)

Red-flanked duikers feed on the following plant species: Phoenix reclinata, Nauclea latifolia, Ficus capensis, Iliostigma thonningii, Mucuna flagellipes, Spondias mombin, Pterocarpus erinaceous, Bridelia micrantha, Vitex domiana, Annoa senegalensis, Phyllanthus muellerianus, Cola milleni, Fiscus capensis, Blighia sapida, and Gmellina aborea. (Hofmann and Roth, 2003; Huffman, 2006)

Red-flanked duikers are preyed on by leopards (Panthera pardus), eagles (Harpyhaliaetus coronatus), pythons (Python reticulatus) and humans. Among all of their predators, humans take the greatest number. Red-flanked duikers rely heavily on early detection of threats and have highly sensitive hearing. They dive into dense undergrowth when threats are detected. (Estes, 1991; Huffman, 2006; Kingdon, 1984; Pfefferkorn, 2005)

Red-flanked duikers feed heavily on the fruit bearing species Phoenix reclinata, Nauclea latifolia, and Ficus capensis. It is likely that they are important seed dispersers of these plant species. (Dipeolu and Akinboade, 1984; Hofmann and Roth, 2003; Huffman, 2006; Kingdon, 1984)

Species in the genus Cephalophus are also hosts to several parasite species. The blood parasite Anaplasma marginale is commonly carried by red-flanked duikers. Ticks such as Boophilus decoloratus and Amblyomma variegatum, are also carried by members of the genus Cephalophus. Interestingly, one study of tick reproduction found that ticks extracted from red-flanked duikers produce more eggs than those extracted from cattle in the same region. (Dipeolu and Akinboade, 1984; Estes, 1991; Huffman, 2006; Kingdon, 1984)

There are no known adverse effects of red-flanked duikers on humans, though they may occasionally browse on farmland. (Huffman, 2006)

Red-flanked duikers are hunted for their meat, pelts and for sport. The predictability of their flight behavior (see Behavior section) has led them to be exploited by hunters who snare them in nets placed in shrubs and tall grass. (Estes, 1991; Huffman, 2006; Kingdon, 1984; Pfefferkorn, 2005)

Currently (April 2006) C. rufilatus is listed as lower risk by the IUCN. Hunting for bush meat and deforestation pose the greatest threat to wild populations of red-flanked duikers. To date, there have been no conservation projects aimed at protecting populations of this species in the wild. ("IUCN World Conservation Union", 2003; Pfefferkorn, 2005)

Because of their morphology, social behavior, and diet, duikers have been interpreted as models of primitive bovid ancestors, despite the fact that there is no fossil record supporting duiker ancestry. Key physical traits, however, may link duikers to neotragine antelopes. Research on duikers in captivity has also demonstrated that all duikers share similar behaviors in reproduction, locomotion and excretion, while additionally demonstrating differences from other bovids, perhaps related to differing life conditions. The presence of these specialized characteristics has been argued as further evidence that the genus Cephalophus does not represent an analog for primitive, bovid ancestors. (Dubost and Feer, 1988; Estes, 1991)