Borneo tiny squirrels
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Borneo squirrel ( Exilisciurus exilis ) |
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The Borneo small squirrel ( Exilisciurus exilis ) is a species of squirrel from the genus of the Asian dwarf squirrel ( Exilisciurus ). It occurs on the island of Borneo .
features
The Borneo squirrel is the smallest squirrel of the genus and thus one of the smallest squirrels in the world. It reaches a head-torso length of about 7.1 to 7.5 centimeters with a weight of about 17 grams. The tail is 4.0 to 5.3 inches long and is thus significantly shorter than the rest of the body. The animals are olive-brown on top with rust-red markings. The belly side is pink to sand colored. The eyes are surrounded by a tight band of black skin. The tail is thick but less bushy than other species of the genus; the bottom is more reddish than the top.
distribution
The Borneo tiny squirrel occurs on most of the island of Borneo in the Malay states of Sarawak and Sabah, including the offshore island of Pulau Banggi , the Sultanate of Brunei and the Indonesian Kalimantan . The altitude distribution in Sarawak reaches a maximum of 1700 meters, but mostly the animals live in the plains.
Way of life
Little information is available about the way of life of the Borneo tiny squirrel. It lives mainly in the dipterocarp forests of the lowlands, but is also found in ancient felling. It lives mainly on the trunks of medium-high trees, often more than 12 meters high, and feeds mainly on parts of plants and small insects. Foraging takes place on the trunk and between tendrils. The nest is small and round, one was documented about a meter high between the roots of a fallen tree. The females ovulate after birth and can be pregnant and lactating at the same time .
Systematics
The Borneo miniature squirrel is classified as an independent species within the genus of the Asian dwarf squirrel ( Exilisciurus ), which consists of three species. The first scientific description comes from Salomon Müller from 1838, who described the species on the basis of individuals from the Kapuas basin in the Indonesian Kalimantan, administrative region of Tanah Laut .
Two subspecies are distinguished within the species:
- Exilisciurus exilis exilis nominate form , in Borneo
- Exilisciurus exilis retectus on Pulau Banggi Island. The subspecies is more monochrome on the back and more creamy white on the belly.
Status, threat and protection
The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) does not classify the Borneo tiny squirrel into a hazard category (data deficient) due to insufficient data.
supporting documents
- ↑ a b c d e Richard W. Thorington Jr., John L. Koprowski, Michael A. Steele: Squirrels of the World. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD 2012; Pp. 159-160. ISBN 978-1-4214-0469-1
- ↑ a b c Exilisciurus exilis in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2014.2. Listed by: JW Duckworth, E. Meijaard, M. Gumal, 2008. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
- ↑ a b Exilisciurus exilis 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. 159-160. ISBN 978-1-4214-0469-1
Web links
- Exilisciurus exilis inthe IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2014.2. Listed by: JW Duckworth, E. Meijaard, M. Gumal, 2008. Retrieved December 26, 2014.