The martencloth (/’mar:ten.clo:th/ martin-Cloth; Fabricis consumerus) is a small-sized, burrowing, diurnal mammal native to North America. It is the only non-extinct species of the order of Clothorus. The martencloth has a body length of 10 to 30cm and a body weight of 2 to 6oz. Its coat consists of dense dryer lint which insulates it from cold temperatures. One of the martencloths distinctive features consists of its short appendages and long tail. Martencloths are known for their intelligence which includes the ability to read washer and dryer clocks. The diet of the omnivorous martencloth, which is usually diurnal, consists of 40% cotton, 30% wool, and 10% powered detergent.
The habitat of the martencloth were originally strip-malls and other clothing outlets but due to their adaptability and mall security expulsion, martencloths have moved into urban and suburban regions.
Originally thought to be solitary, current scholarly evidence shows that martencloths engage in gender opposite social behavior. Females share a common area with males near food sources while males work the perimeter to protect from invaders and other dangers. Home range size varies anywhere from studio units with one washer and dryer up to multistory commercial units with 10 or more washer and dryers. After a gestation period of about 15 days, two to five young, known as “t-shirts”, are born in the spring. The t-shirts are raised by their mother until the following summer when they disperse. A martencloths life expectancy can be as much as 20 years.
Category: Wild Mammal
Erik Pierce