Three striped squirrel
| Three striped squirrel | ||||||||||||
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Three-striped squirrel ( Lariscus insignis ) |
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| Lariscus insignis | ||||||||||||
| ( F. Cuvier , 1821) |
The three- striped squirrel ( Lariscus insignis ) is a species of squirrel from the genus of the black striped squirrel ( Lariscus ). It occurs in Southeast Asia from Thailand and the Malay Peninsula to numerous islands in Malaysia and Indonesia .
features
The three-striped squirrel reaches a head-torso length of about 18.2 to 19.4 centimeters with a weight of about 175 to 185 grams. The tail becomes 10 to 11 centimeters long and is thus significantly shorter than the rest of the body. The back coloration of the animals is dark brown with three distinct black stripes on the back. The belly is white to pale sand-colored. The fur is very thin and the tail is flattened.
distribution
The three-striped squirrel occurs in Southeast Asia from Thailand and the Malay Peninsula to numerous islands in Malaysia and Indonesia . It lives on the Indonesian islands of Java and Sumatra as well as Bintang ( Riau Islands ), Tanahbala ( Batu Islands ) and Sianan ( Anambas Islands ), on the Malay islands of Penang and Tioman and on Borneo in both the Indonesian and Malay parts and in Brunei . There were also occurrences on the island of Singapore , where the species is now probably extinct. It lives mainly in lowland regions, the altitude range extends up to about 1000 meters, according to other sources up to 1500 meters.
Way of life
The three-striped squirrel is diurnal and lives primarily on the ground. It occurs in evergreen primary forests from two-winged fruit trees of the lowlands, but can also live in secondary stands and deforested areas. In trap evaluations in the Krau Wildlife Reserve on Pahang, Malaysia, the three-sided squirrel was caught somewhat more frequently in human-influenced areas than in the primary forest.
The animals live mainly on the ground and in the foliage of the lower tree areas as well as on fallen tree trunks, but can also live on the ground in areas with little forest. Individual individuals have also been observed on limestone soils in Rhanthan Ipoh in Malaysia. It feeds primarily on fruits and seeds as well as insects, but appears to specialize primarily in food in the cooler areas of the forest. In the Gunung Gading National Park in Sarawak , Borneo, they partially feed on the flowers of Rafflesia species. During investigations in the Ulu Gombak Forest Reserve in Selangor , action areas of individual females of 0.1 to 0.2 ha were determined.
Systematics
The three-striped squirrel is classified as an independent species within the genus of the black striped squirrel ( Lariscus ), which consists of four species. The first scientific description comes from Frédéric Cuvier from 1821, who described the species on the basis of individuals from the Lampung region in the south of the island of Sumatra. The Niobe black chipmunk ( Lariscus niobe ) and the Mentawai three-chipmunk ( Lariscus obscurus ) were originally assigned to this species.
Within the species, together with the nominate form, three subspecies are distinguished:
- Lariscus i. insignis: nominate form, lives on Sumatra and the eastern part of Java. The back color is variable, but basically dark. The ventral side is gray. The mountain form of this subspecies on Sumatra is particularly dark.
- Lariscus i. diversus: This form lives on Borneo and essentially corresponds to the Malay subspecies, but has a longer tail and orange-brown flanks.
- Lariscus i. javanus: The subspecies lives in western Java around the city of Bogor . The fur is washed out reddish on both the back and stomach.
- Lariscus i. peninsulae: The subspecies lives on the Malay Peninsula from southern Thailand around Trang to the south of the peninsula. The ventral side is lighter than that of the nominate shape, between cream-colored and light yellowish and white in the throat area and darker on the insides of the legs. The front legs are brown, the rear legs brown with a yellowish mottling.
- Lariscus i. rostratus: This subspecies lives on Tanahbala, Batu and on western Sumatra. It has a dark fur with very wide and black stripes on the back, the muzzle is slightly curved.
Status, threat and protection
The three-striped squirrel is classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) as a non-endangered species ("Least concern"). This is mainly due to the large distribution area and the occurrence in numerous protected areas, although the animals are relatively rare in their habitats. It is comparatively insensitive to habitat changes and can also adapt to anthropogenically influenced habitats.
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; Pp. 169-170. ISBN 978-1-4214-0469-1
- ↑ a b c Lariscus insignis in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2014.3. Posted by: S. Hedges, JW Duckworth, B. Lee, RJ Tizard, 2008. Retrieved April 9, 2015.
- ↑ a b c Lariscus insignis 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. 169-170. ISBN 978-1-4214-0469-1
Web links
- Lariscus insignis inthe IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2014.3. Posted by: S. Hedges, JW Duckworth, B. Lee, RJ Tizard, 2008. Retrieved April 9, 2015.