Atlantoxerus
| Atlantoxerus | ||||||||||||
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Atlas squirrel on Fuerteventura |
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Atlantoxerus | ||||||||||||
| Forsyth Major , 1893 |
Atlantoxerus is a genus of ground squirrels (Xerinae), which recently includesonly one species, the atlas squirrel ( Atlantoxerus getulus )native to North Africa. Fossil, the genus has been recordedin several species in Asia, southern Europe and North Africasince the early Miocene .
features
The fossil species of the genus Atlantoxerus probably corresponded in their body size and shape to the recent atlas squirrel. No information is available about differences in soft tissue anatomy and external features.
| 1 | · | 0 | · | 2 | · | 3 | = 22 |
| 1 | · | 0 | · | 1 | · | 3 |
The skull of the animals is less angular than that of other Palearctic ground squirrels and has a clearly pronounced crest . The animals have a one in the upper jaw and the lower jaw per half incisor tooth trained incisors (incisive) to which a tooth gap ( diastema follows). This is followed by two premolars in the upper jaw and one premolar and three molars in the lower jaw . The upper incisors have an indistinct pit. The upper first premolar (P 3 ) is very small and pin-shaped, it can sometimes be missing. The molars have a slightly concave surface with clear transverse ridges. In total, the animals have a set of 22 teeth. The bony palate of the skull is comparatively long at around 62% of the length of the skull, but ends well before the third molar.
Fossil history
The genus Atlantoxerus has been known to be fossilized since the early Miocene in what is now China and in the Middle Miocene on the Arabian Peninsula . It diversified and quickly spread over large parts of East Asia, Southern Europe and North Africa. For the Upper Miocene, at least four species are known that lived in Spain, France, Algeria, Morocco and Rhodes .
Among others, the following types are known:
- Atlantoxerus androveri from today's Spain
- Atlantoxerus blacki from today's Spain ( Aragon ); Atlantoxerus idubedensis is considered a synonym .
- Atlas squirrel ( Atlantoxerus getulus ), recently in North Africa
The recently living atlas squirrel was first recorded in Morocco in the early to middle Pleistocene , although the origin of the species is unknown and it cannot be safely associated with any of the previously extinct species of the Maghreb . A close relationship with the species Atlantoxerus androveri , originally found in Spain , was suggested, but not finally clarified.
supporting documents
- ↑ a b c Stéphane Aulagnier: Genus Atlantoxerus - Barbary Ground Squirrel In: Jonathan Kingdon, David Happold, Michael Hoffmann, Thomas Butynski, Meredith Happold and Jan Kalina (eds.): Mammals of Africa Volume III. Rodents, Hares and Rabbits. Bloomsbury, London 2013, p. 42; ISBN 978-1-4081-2253-2 .
- ^ Pablo Pelaez-Campomanes: Revision of the Aragonian (Micene) Atlantoxerus (Sciuridae). Journal of Paleontology 75 (2), 2001, pp. 418-426 doi : 10.1666 / 0022-3360 (2001) 075 <0418: ROTAMA> 2.0.CO; 2 .
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. 200-201.
- Stéphane Aulagnier, Patrick Gouat, Michel Thévenot: Atlantoxerus getulus - Barbary Ground Squirrel. In: Jonathan Kingdon, David Happold, Michael Hoffmann, Thomas Butynski, Meredith Happold and Jan Kalina (eds.): Mammals of Africa Volume III. Rodents, Hares and Rabbits. Bloomsbury, London 2013, ISBN 978-1-4081-2253-2 , pp. 43-44.
- Stéphane Aulagnier: Genus Atlantoxerus - Barbary Ground Squirrel. In: Jonathan Kingdon, David Happold, Michael Hoffmann, Thomas Butynski, Meredith Happold and Jan Kalina (eds.): Mammals of Africa Volume III. Rodents, Hares and Rabbits. Bloomsbury, London 2013, ISBN 978-1-4081-2253-2 , p. 42.
