Redstart squirrel
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Redstart squirrel ( Sciurus granatensis ) |
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| Humboldt , 1811 |
The red-tailed squirrel ( Sciurus granatensis ) is a species of squirrel from the genus of squirrels ( Sciurus ). The very variable species occurs in numerous subspecies in southern Central America as well as in the extreme north of South America and on some offshore island groups. Like other squirrels, the animals live in trees and feed primarily on the seeds and fruits of the trees.
features
The red-tailed squirrel reaches a head-trunk length of about 10.0 to 28.5 centimeters, plus a tail that is about 14.0 to 28.0 centimeters long. The weight is 212 to 520 grams. The animals are very variable in their color and come in over 30 subspecies. The color of the back is usually characterized by a dark red, the variations range from a grayish mottled black with a yellow tint to a dark cabbage black with yellow tones. The black color can also be present in the form of a clear center line, and melanism also occurs . The color of the abdomen is almost always lighter than the color of the back and can range from white to yellowish to orange-red. The tail is bright red to rust-brown on top, often interspersed with black hair and sometimes with a black tip. The underside is yellowish-brown to black, often interspersed with red washings.
distribution
The red-tailed squirrel occurs in southern Central America and in the far north of South America. The distribution area extends from Costa Rica via Panama to the north of Colombia , Venezuela and Ecuador . The species can also be found on the islands of Trinidad and Tobago as well as on the Venezuelan island of Isla Margarita . The animals come up to heights of 3000 meters.
Way of life
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The red tailed squirrel lives in very different forest areas or other tree populations and is also found in anthropogenic habitats such as parks or picnic areas. The animals are diurnal and feed mainly on the larger tree seeds, whose thick seed coat they gnaw through, and on fruits and opportunistically on other seeds, leaves, flowers, mushrooms, tree resin and animal food sources. They look for food in different tree layers and less often on the ground and collect and hoard food on the ground, in forks of branches or between lianas in the trees' foliage. They live as loners, but in the area of seasonal food sources they can meet to search for food together. The females are comparatively territorial and defend territories against other females, the territories have an average size of 0.64 hectares . The males' range of action is up to 1.5 hectares, with these territories overlapping with those of other males.
The animals build nests from leaves and twigs in the branches of the trees. The mating and breeding season of the redtail squirrels is between November and August. During this time, several males pursue the females who are ready to mate, whom they want to bring with grunts to a quick and only 10-second copulation ; after that they lose interest in the females. The oestrus and with it the fertility of the females only lasts for one day. The gestation period lasts about 45 days, after which one to three young are littered in the female's nest. A female can produce up to three litters within one reproductive period; the young stay with the mother for about two months and then leave the nest.
The mortality of the young animals is very high, only a small proportion survive to sexual maturity. The annual survival rate of the adult animals is 50 to 64% of the population, the maximum lifespan in the wild is about seven years. The squirrels' main predators are monkeys, cats, martens and raccoons, as well as birds of prey and snakes. When threatened, they emit alarm calls in the form of hoarse chucks, but mostly they stay calm and keep quiet.
Systematics
The red tailed squirrel is classified as an independent species within the genus of squirrels ( Sciurus ), which consists of almost 30 species. The first scientific description comes from Alexander von Humboldt from 1811, who described the species on the basis of individuals from Cartagena from the Department of Bolívar in Colombia.
Within the species, a total of 32 subspecies are distinguished using the nominate form :
- Sciurus granatensis granatensis : nominate form; occurs in the area of Cartagena in Colombia. The back color is orange to orange-red, the abdominal color is sharply defined and white.
- Sciurus granatensis agricolae : occurs in the Magdalena area in Colombia. The back is bright orange, the belly is white and the tail is the color of burnt sienna .
- Sciurus granatensis bondae : also occurs in the Magdalena area in Colombia. The back is light orange with a black mottling, the belly is whitish.
- Sciurus granatensis candelensis : occurs in Huila in Colombia. It is a darker shape with a more olive-colored back, the inside of the legs is reddish-yellow.
- Sciurus granatensis carchensis : In the western part of the Andes in Ecuador. The subspecies has a grayish-ocher-sand colored back with black parts, the belly is whitish. The tail is the same color as the back at the base, the rest is ocher-orange and the tip of the tail is black.
- Sciurus granatensis chapmani : occurs on the Trinidad and Tobago archipelago. It is a small yellowish-red-brown shape.
- Sciurus granatensis chiriquensis : occurs in Panama. The subspecies is medium in size and has a yellow to orange-red belly.
- Sciurus granatensis chrysuros : occurs near the Colombian capital Bogotá. It is a large yellowish to reddish-brown form with a yellow belly and a black tip of the tail.
- Sciurus granatensis ferminae : occurs in the Napo province in eastern Ecuador. It corresponds in color to S. g. griseogena , but the underside tends to be more brown than olive. The postauricular spots (behind the ears) are small and easily recognizable, the tail is red.
- Sciurus granatensis gerrardi : occurs near the city of Medellín in Colombia. The shape has a red back and belly color, on the back there is a black median band. The tail has a black base and a red central part.
- Sciurus granatensis griseimembra : occurs in the central Andes range in Colombia. The shape is dark and more olive, the inside of the legs is gray.
- Sciurus granatensis griseogena : lives in the coastal area of Venezuela. The shape is characterized by a red tail with a black tip.
- Sciurus granatensis hoffmanni : occurs near the city of San José in Costa Rica. It is a medium-sized subspecies with a yellow to orange-red underside.
- Sciurus granatensis imbaburae : lives in the Imbabura province in Ecuador. The back is ocher-yellow-brown with black parts, the belly is orange and the tail has a black tip.
- Sciurus granatensis llanensis : lives in the Los Llanos region in Venezuela. Compared to S. g. griseogena is larger in shape and has orange front legs, shoulders and an equally colored belly.
- Sciurus granatensis manavi : lives in the Manabí province in Ecuador. It is a medium-sized shape with a brownish tinge. The belly side is reddish, the base of the tail black.
- Sciurus granatensis maracaibensis : occurs in the area of Lago de Maracaibo in Venezuela. The shape has a dark, almost black, back side, and only the shoulders and the belly side are orange-reddish brown.
- Sciurus granatensis meridensis : lives in the area of the city of Mérida in Venezuela. This form has a red tail with a black tail tip.
- Sciurus granatensis morulus : occurs in the Panama Canal area in Panama. The back is reddish, the belly is bright orange-reddish brown.
- Sciurus granatensis nesaeus : lives on Isla Margarita, which belongs to Venezuela . It has a light ocher-colored back and tail and a light orange-brown belly.
- Sciurus granatensis norosiensis : occurs in Bolívar in Colombia. The coloring is light agouti with a lighter and less black back and a red belly.
- Sciurus granatensis perijae : occurs in the area of Magdalena in Colombia. The shape is colored orange and black, has a black median line and orange shoulders and a white belly.
- Sciurus granatensis quindianus : lives in the Valle del Cauca department in Colombia. It is a large shape with a dark black stripe on the back and a black tip of the tail.
- Sciurus granatensis saltuensis : occurs in the area of Magdalena in Colombia. The shape has a light yellowish-orange back color, interspersed with black, and a white belly.
- Sciurus granatensis soederstroemi : occurs in the area of the Ecuadorian capital Quito . It is a small brownish shape with an ocher underside.
- Sciurus granatensis splendidus : occurs in the Magdalena area in Colombia. The subspecies is dark red on top and white on the belly.
- Sciurus granatensis sumaco : lives in the area of the Sumaco volcano in eastern Ecuador. The subspecies is more gray, the tail is black and sand-colored without red components.
- Sciurus granatensis tarrae : occurs in the Departamento de Santander in Colombia. It is a very dark shape that is uniformly agouti on the top and deep red on the underside.
- Sciurus granatensis valdiviae : lives in Antioquia in Colombia. The shape has a black-yellowish back color and a reddish-orange-red belly. The tail is black at the base and has a black tip.
- Sciurus granatensis variabilis : occurs in the area of Magdalena in Colombia. The subspecies is large with a red and black back color and a sharply defined white belly.
- Sciurus granatensis versicolor : lives in northern Ecuador. The subspecies is red on both the back and the belly side. On the back it has a black medial stripe and the tail is black at the base and in the tip.
- Sciurus granatensis zuliae : occurs in Venezuela in the border area with Colombia. It is a red shape with a black tip of its tail.
Status, threat and protection
The red tailed squirrel is listed as Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN). This is justified with the large distribution area and the assumed large population size as well as the tolerance of the species to habitat changes. The animals are also found in numerous protected areas and the populations are stable, and there are no known threats to their existence.
In areas where the squirrels live in the area of agricultural land, they are considered pests and can cause high economic damage. They live in trees on the edge of the field and also in urban areas, where they feed on grain, fruits and nuts. Accordingly, they are hunted as pests, regionally they also represent a source of meat.
supporting documents
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i j Richard W. Thorington Jr. , John L. Koprowski, Michael A. Steele: Squirrels of the World. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD 2012, ISBN 978-1-4214-0469-1 , pp. 52-54 .
- ↑ a b Sciurus granatensis in the Red List of Threatened Species of the IUCN 2015.3. Posted by: J. Koprowski, L. Roth, R. Timm, R. Samudio, F. Reid, L. Emmons, 2008. Retrieved November 17, 2015.
- ↑ a b c Sciurus granatensis In: Don E. Wilson , DeeAnn M. Reeder (Ed.): Mammal Species of the World. A taxonomic and geographic Reference. 2 volumes. 3. Edition. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD 2005, ISBN 0-8018-8221-4 .
literature
- Richard W. Thorington Jr. , John L. Koprowski, Michael A. Steele: Squirrels of the World. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD 2012, ISBN 978-1-4214-0469-1 , pp. 52-54 .
Web links
- Sciurus granatensis inthe IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2015.3. Posted by: J. Koprowski, L. Roth, R. Timm, R. Samudio, F. Reid, L. Emmons, 2008. Retrieved November 17, 2015.