A. cinereus Skull Replica measures 3.9 inches. A. cinereus Skull Skull is museum quality polyurethane cast. 2-part skull (separate cranium & jaw).
The Asian small-clawed otter or A. cinereus, is also known as the Oriental Small-clawed Otter and the small-clawed otter, is an otter species native to South and Southeast Asia.
It has short claws that do not extend beyond the pads of its webbed digits. With a total body length of 28.6 to 37.6 inches, it is the smallest otter species in the world.
The A. cinereus or Asian small-clawed otter lives in riverine habitats, freshwater wetlands and mangrove swamps. It feeds on molluscs, crabs and other small aquatic animals. It lives in pairs, but was also observed in family groups with up to 12 individuals.
It is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, and is threatened by habitat loss, pollution, and in some areas also by hunting.
The Asian small-clawed otter groups with the African clawless otter (Aonyx capensis) and the smooth-coated otter (Lutrogale perspicillata) into a sister clade with the genus Lutra.
Hybridisation of Asian small-clawed otter females with smooth-coated otter males occurred in Singapore.
The resulting offspring and their descendants bred back into the smooth-coated otter population, but maintained the genes of their small-clawed otter ancestors. Today, a population of at least 60 hybrid otters are present in Singapore.
The A. cinereus or Asian small-clawed otter has deep brown fur with some rufous tinge on the back, but paler below. Its underfur is lighter near the base. The sides of the neck and head are brown, but its cheeks, upperlip, chin, throat and sides of the neck are whitish.
Its skull is short, and the naked rhinarium rounded above. The muzzle has long coarse vibrissae on either side.
Its eyes are located toward the front of the head. The small ears are oval-shaped with an inconspicuous tragus and antitragus. Its paws are narrow with short digits that are webbed to the last joint.
