Bolivian squirrel
Bolivian squirrel | |
---|---|
Conservation status | |
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)[1] | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Rodentia |
Family: | Sciuridae |
Genus: | Sciurus |
Species: | S. ignitus |
Binomial name | |
Sciurus ignitus (J. E. Gray, 1867) | |
Subspecies[2] | |
See text | |
Bolivian squirrel's range |
The Bolivian squirrel (Sciurus ignitus) is a tree squirrel that is endemic to South America. Little is known of the species, which may represent a species complex.[1]
Description
Bolivian squirrels are moderately sized tree squirrels, with a head-body length of 14 to 22 cm (5.5 to 8.7 in), and a tail of similar length again. Adults weigh from 183 to 242 g (6.5 to 8.5 oz). The fur is mostly dark olive with black and yellow ticking and fading to pale grey or whitish on the chest and underparts. There are faint rings of buff-coloured fur around the eyes and distinct patches of buff fur on the backs of the ears. Females have three pairs of teats.[3]
Distribution and habitat
Bolivian squirrels live along the eastern edge of the Andes from Peru, through Bolivia and Brazil to extreme northern Argentina. Precise details of its habitat are not clear, although it has been found in both lowland and montane tropical forests from 200 to 2,700 m (660 to 8,860 ft) elevation.[3]
Five subspecies are recognised:
- S. i. ignitus - northern Bolivia
- S. i. argentinius - Argentina
- S. i. boliviensis - central and southern Bolivia
- S. i. cabrerai - known from a single partial specimen from Brazil
- S. i. irroratus - Peru, western Brazil
Behaviour and biology
Bolivian squirrels are diurnal and spend the day moving through the understory and subcanopy of the forest. They are omnivorous, feeding on a mixture of nuts, fruits, fungi, and insects. They are generally solitary, and construct round nests from leaves and twigs, hidden among foliage and vines about 6 to 10 m (20 to 33 ft) above the ground. Juveniles have been captured in June and July, and pregnant mothers in August, which may suggest that they breed during the dry season.[3]
References
- ^ a b Koprowski, J.; Roach, N. (2019). "Sciurus ignitus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2019: e.T20012A22247828. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-1.RLTS.T20012A22247828.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
- ^ Thorington, R.W. Jr.; Hoffmann, R.S. (2005). "Sciurus (Guerlinguetus) ignitus". In Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: a taxonomic and geographic reference (3rd ed.). The Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 754–818. ISBN 0-8018-8221-4. OCLC 26158608.
- ^ a b c Merrick, M.J.; Ketcham, S.L. & Koprowski, J.L. (December 2014). "Sciurus ignitus (Rodentia: Sciuridae)". Mammalian Species (915): 93–100. doi:10.1644/915.1.
4. Timm, R. M., J. L. Cartes, M. Ruiz-Díaz, R. Zárate, and R. H. Pine. (2015). Distribution and ecology of squirrels (Rodentia: Sciuridae) in Paraguay, with first country records for Sciurus ignitus. Southwestern Naturalist 60(1):121–127.
- v
- t
- e
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Mammalia
- Order: Rodentia
- Suborder: Sciuromorpha
(Dwarf squirrels)
- Central American dwarf squirrel (Microsciurus alfari)
- Amazon dwarf squirrel (Microsciurus flaviventer)
- Western dwarf squirrel (Microsciurus mimulus)
- Santander dwarf squirrel (Microsciurus santanderensis)
- Tufted ground squirrel (Rheithrosciurus macrotis)
- Subgenus Guerlinguetus
- Brazilian squirrel (Sciurus aestuans)
- South Yungas red squirrel (Sciurus argentinius)
- Yellow-throated squirrel (Sciurus gilvigularis)
- Red-tailed squirrel (Sciurus granatensis)
- Bolivian squirrel (Sciurus ignitus)
- Atlantic Forest squirrel (Sciurus ingrami)
- Andean squirrel (Sciurus pucheranii)
- Richmond's squirrel (Sciurus richmondi)
- Sanborn's squirrel (Sciurus sanborni)
- Guayaquil squirrel (Sciurus stramineus)
- Subgenus Hadrosciurus
- Fiery squirrel (Sciurus flammifer)
- Junín red squirrel (Sciurus pyrrhinus)
- Subgenus Hesperosciurus
- Western gray squirrel (Sciurus griseus)
- Subgenus Otosciurus
- Abert's squirrel (Sciurus aberti)
- Subgenus Sciurus
- Allen's squirrel (Sciurus alleni)
- Arizona gray squirrel (Sciurus arizonensis)
- Mexican gray squirrel (Sciurus aureogaster)
- Eastern gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis)
- Collie's squirrel (Sciurus colliaei)
- Deppe's squirrel (Sciurus deppei)
- Japanese squirrel (Sciurus lis)
- Calabrian black squirrel (Sciurus meridionalis)
- Mexican fox squirrel (Sciurus nayaritensis)
- Fox squirrel (Sciurus niger)
- Peters's squirrel (Sciurus oculatus)
- Variegated squirrel (Sciurus variegatoides)
- Red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris)
- Yucatan squirrel (Sciurus yucatanensis)
- Subgenus Tenes
- Caucasian squirrel (Sciurus anomalus)
- Subgenus Urosciurus
- Northern Amazon red squirrel (Sciurus igniventris)
- Southern Amazon red squirrel (Sciurus spadiceus)
- Bangs's mountain squirrel (Syntheosciurus brochus)
(Pine squirrels)
- Douglas squirrel (Tamiasciurus douglasii)
- Southwestern red squirrel (Tamiasciurus fremonti)
- American red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus)