What is "ringtail"

Ringtail \Ring"tail`\, n.

1. (Zo["o]l.) A bird having a distinct band of color across the tail, as the hen harrier.

2. (Naut.) A light sail set abaft and beyong the leech of a boom-and-gaff sail; -- called also ringsail.

   Ringtail boom (Naut.), a spar which is rigged on a boom for setting a ringtail.

n. 1 A ring-tailed animal, notably: 2 # The capuchin monkey 3 # A raccoon 4 # The cacomistle, a small carnivorous mammal, ''Bassariscus astutus'', somewhat like a raccoon, native to the southwestern United States 5 (context nautical English) A ringsail.

1. n. raccoon-like omnivorous mammal of Mexico and the southwestern United States having a long bushy tail with black and white rings [syn: bassarisk, cacomistle, cacomixle, coon cat, raccoon fox, ring-tailed cat, civet cat, miner's cat, Bassariscus astutus]

2. North American raccoon [syn: common raccoon, common racoon, coon, Procyon lotor]

3. monkey of Central America and South America having a cowl of thick hair on the head [syn: capuchin, Cebus capucinus]

4. an immature golden eagle

Ringtail, ring tail, or ring-tail may refer to:

Ringtail, also known as tail necrosis, is an epidermal disease that may occur in rats, mice, hamsters and other rodents.

In affected individuals, the tail swells as a consequence of annular constrictions along its length (hence the name "ringtail") and subsequent dehydration; in the most severe cases, the process may end up in the tail becoming gangrenous and dropping off. Feet may also swell and redden.

Ringtail is traditionally attributed to low environmental humidity and high temperature, although a number of other possible causes have been suggested, from dietary deficiencies (low levels of fatty acids) to genetic predisposition. For lab and pet rodents, poor bedding (i.e., overly absorbent bedding) or repeated blood draws from tail veins have also been identified as possible causes of ringtail.