Pale ground squirrel
| Pale ground squirrel | ||||||||||||
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| Spermophilus pallidicauda | ||||||||||||
| ( Satunin , 1903) |
The pale ground squirrel ( Spermophilus pallidicauda ) is a species of squirrel from the genus of the ground squirrel ( Spermophilus ). It occurs in Mongolia and in the north of the People's Republic of China .
features
The pale ground squirrel reaches a head-trunk length of about 18.8 to 23.3 centimeters. The tail becomes 3.5 to 5.3 centimeters long and is thus, as with all ground squirrels, significantly shorter than the rest of the body. The hind foot is 36 to 41 millimeters long, the ear length is 5 to 9 millimeters. The species is relatively small. The back color is very pale to pink-sand-yellow, the tail conspicuously monochrome straw-yellow with the exception of the middle of the upper area, which is rust-red. An indistinct white line runs from the whiskers of the whitish snout over the cheeks to the ears, the eyelids are also white and there is a rust-red spot under each eye. The belly side and the legs are white and only slightly tinted sand. In summer the fur becomes a deeper sand yellow.
| 1 | · | 0 | · | 2 | · | 3 | = 22 |
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The skull has a total length of 42 to 46 millimeters, the snout is relatively short compared to other ground squirrels and the zygomatic arches widen quite rapidly behind the snout. The type, like all members of the genus in the upper jaw half per one to a incisor tooth formed incisor (incisor) to which a tooth gap ( diastema follows). This is followed by two premolars and three molars . In contrast, the animals have only one premolar in the lower jaw. In total, the animals have a set of 22 teeth.
distribution
The pale ground squirrel occurs in Mongolia and in the north of the People's Republic of China . In China, the species lives in the provinces of Nei Mongol and in the east of Xinjiang .
Way of life
Little data is available on the way of life of the pale ground squirrel; it resembles closely related species in the same habitats. It is a diurnal ground squirrel and lives mainly in dry steppes and shrubbery on the edge of the Gobi desert . The animals are sociable and form colonies, they are very shy and hide very quickly in their burrows when disturbed. As with other species of ground squirrel, the diet consists mainly of vegetation and seeds.
Systematics
The pale ground squirrel is classified as an independent species within the genus of ground squirrel ( Spermophilus ), which, according to the current status, consists of 15 species following a revision of the genus. The first scientific description comes from the Russian zoologist Konstantin Alekseevich Satunin from 1903. He described the species using individuals from the Mongolian Altai and Gobi-Altai region in Mongolia. Originally it was regarded as a subspecies of the red- eared ground squirrel ( Spermophilus erythrogenys ) and also of the red-yellow ground squirrel ( Spermophilus major), but differs from them in the number of chromosomes and other molecular biological characteristics.
Apart from the nominate form, no subspecies are distinguished within the species .
Status, threat and protection
The pale ground squirrel is classified as Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN). This is justified by the comparatively large distribution area and the frequent occurrence of the species, but concrete population sizes are not known. However, reference is made to a potential endangerment of the red-eared pies and thus also of Spermophilus pallidicauda due to unsustainable agriculture with overgrazing and desiccation of landscapes in Mongolia.
supporting documents
- ↑ a b c d Robert S. Hoffmann, Andrew T. Smith: Pallid Ground Squirrel. In: Andrew T. Smith , Yan Xie: A Guide to the Mammals of China. Princeton University Press, Princeton NJ 2008, ISBN 978-0-691-09984-2 , pp. 194-195.
- ↑ a b c d Richard W. Thorington Jr., John L. Koprowski, Michael A. Steele: Squirrels of the World. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD 2012; Pp. 308-309. ISBN 978-1-4214-0469-1
- ^ Robert S. Hoffmann, Andrew T. Smith: Spermophilus. In: Andrew T. Smith , Yan Xie: A Guide to the Mammals of China. Princeton University Press, Princeton NJ 2008, ISBN 978-0-691-09984-2 , p. 193.
- ↑ a b c Spermophilus pallidicauda in the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species 2015.1. Listed by: AT Smith, CH Johnston, 2008. Retrieved June 19, 2015.
- ↑ Kristofer M. Helgen, F. Russell Cole, Lauren E. Helgen, Don E. Wilson: Generic Revision in the holarctic ground squirrels genus Spermophilus. Journal of Mammalogy 90 (2), 2009; Pp. 270-305. doi : 10.1644 / 07-MAMM-A-309.1
- ↑ a b c Spermophilus pallidicauda 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; Pp. 308-309. ISBN 978-1-4214-0469-1
- Robert S. Hoffmann, Andrew T. Smith: Pallid Ground Squirrel. In: Andrew T. Smith , Yan Xie: A Guide to the Mammals of China. Princeton University Press, Princeton NJ 2008, ISBN 978-0-691-09984-2 , pp. 194-195.
Web links
- Spermophilus pallidicauda inthe IUCN Red List of Endangered Species 2015.1. Listed by: AT Smith, CH Johnston, 2008. Retrieved June 19, 2015.