Alston miniature squirrel
| Alston miniature squirrel | ||||||||||||
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Alston miniature squirrel ( Prosciurillus alstoni ), illustration |
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| Prosciurillus alstoni | ||||||||||||
| ( Anderson , 1879) |
The Alston dwarf squirrel ( Prosciurillus alstoni ) is a species of squirrel from the genus of the Sulawesi dwarf squirrel ( Prosciurillus ) that occurs on the island of Sulawesi , which belongs to Indonesia .
features
Like the other species of Sulawesi miniature squirrel, the Alston miniature squirrel is one of the smaller species of squirrel endemic to the island of Sulawesi. It reaches a head-torso length of about 15.7 to 19.5 centimeters with a weight of 135 to 210 grams. The tail is about 13.5 to 18.0 centimeters long, making it only slightly shorter than the rest of the body. The back color of the animals is dark brown with individual sand yellow, orange or black spots. The underside is dark red to reddish brown. Most individuals have white hair on the tops of their ears and conspicuous tufts of hair on the tip of their ears. The tail is curled with black and sand-brown rings.
distribution
The Alston dwarf squirrel occurs centrally and in the east and on the southeastern peninsula of the island of Sulawesi, which belongs to Indonesia, and on the offshore islands of Buton and Kabaena . The altitude distribution ranges from sea level on the coast to mountain locations around 1200 meters.
Way of life
There is hardly any data available on the Alston miniature squirrel's way of life. The animals live in the higher trees and move on routes that are formed from branches and tendrils in branches. Gaps are bridged by the animals climbing on the ground and over dead wood and then back into the trees. They feed primarily on soft fruits such as figs and insects. Communication takes place via individual warning sounds and loud calls, which are similar to those of Prosciurillus topapuensis . The animals call individually and not in choirs.
The females have three pairs of teats. The rearing of the young was not observed, examined pregnant females each contained a single embryo .
Systematics
The Alston dwarf squirrel is classified as an independent species within the genus of the Sulawesi dwarf squirrel ( Prosciurillus ), which currently consists of seven species. Up to 2005 only five species were recognized, Prosciurillus alstoni was not one of them. It was first described in 1871 by John Anderson under the scientific name Sciurus alstoni . Apart from the nominate form, no further subspecies are distinguished within the species .
Status, threat and protection
The Alston miniature squirrel is not recorded by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN).
supporting documents
- ↑ a b c d e f g h Richard W. Thorington Jr., John L. Koprowski, Michael A. Steele: Squirrels of the World. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD 2012; P. 175. ISBN 978-1-4214-0469-1
- ↑ Prosciurillus 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 .
- ^ John Anderson: Catalog of Mammalia in the Indian Museum, Calcutta. Volume 1: Primates, Prosimiæ, Chiroptera, and Insectivora. Indian Museum, Calcutta 1881, p. 21 ( digitized version ).
- ↑ No IUCN dataset available; Retrieved March 21, 2015.
literature
- Richard W. Thorington Jr., John L. Koprowski, Michael A. Steele: Squirrels of the World. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD 2012; P. 175. ISBN 978-1-4214-0469-1
