Ground squirrel
| Ground squirrel | ||||||||||||
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| Osborn , 1910 |
The ground squirrels (Xerinae) are a subfamily of the squirrels (Sciuridae), which includes marmots and ground squirrels . It contains about 130 species, which are divided into more than 20 genera. Despite the name, not all ground squirrels live on the ground, especially within the Protoxerini tribe living in Africa there are a number of species, some of which are tree-dwellers.
distribution
The ground squirrels are mainly in the Holarctic in Eurasia as well as in North America and in Africa . The species of the Protoxerini tribe are found exclusively in Africa, while the species of Xerini and Marmotini live in Africa as well as in Eurasia and North America.
camouflage
Ground squirrels are known for their relatively sophisticated language. This serves primarily to warn each other of dangers such as predators. Some American ground squirrels also use snake scent to protect themselves from attacks by rattlesnakes : They gnaw on the skins that snakes shed when they molt, then lick their fur and can thus mask their own scent. This protects young animals and females in particular, who practice this behavior most extensively, from nocturnal attacks in the burrow.
Systematics
The togetherness of this subfamily was only recently recognized; the following system comes from Michael Carleton and G. Musser (2005), who redefined the classification based on morphological and molecular genetic studies:
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Subfamily ground squirrels (Xerinae)
- Tribus bristle squirrel (Xerini)
- Atlas squirrel ( Atlantoxerus )
- African ground squirrel ( Xerus )
- Ground Squirrel ( Spermophilopsis )
- Tribe Protoxerini
- African palm squirrel ( Epixerus )
- Redshank Squirrel ( Funisciurus )
- Sun squirrel ( Heliosciurus )
- African miniature squirrel ( Myosciurus )
- African bush squirrel ( Paraxerus )
- Oil palm squirrel ( Protoxerus )
- Tribus Ground Squirrel (Marmotini)
- Antelope pebble ( Ammospermophilus )
- Callospermophilus
- Prairie Dogs ( Cynomys )
- Ictidomys
- Marmots ( marmota )
- Notocitellus
- Otospermophilus
- Poliocitellus
- Chinese red squirrel ( Sciurotamias )
- Ground Squirrel ( Spermophilus )
- Chipmunk ( Tamias )
- Urocitellus
- Xerospermophilus
- Tribus bristle squirrel (Xerini)
Under the name Tamiini , the Chinese red squirrels and chipmunks are also viewed by some authors as separate tribes:
literature
- Michael D. Carleton, Guy G. Musser: Order Rodentia. In: Don E. Wilson , DeeAnn M. Reeder (Eds.): Mammal Species of the World. A taxonomic and geographic Reference. Volume 2. 3rd edition. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD 2005, ISBN 0-8018-8221-4 , pp. 745-1600.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ The standard language of the ground squirrels. On: Wissenschaft.de from November 15, 2005
- ^ A b Kristofer M. Helgen, F. Russell Cole, Lauren E. Helgen, Don E. Wilson: Generic revision in the Holarctic ground squirrel genus Spermophilus. In: Journal of Mammalogy. Volume 90, 2009, pp. 270-305.