Thirteen-strip croissants
| Thirteen-strip croissants | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Thirteen-strip croissants |
||||||||||||
| Systematics | ||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Ictidomys tridecemlineatus | ||||||||||||
| ( Mitchill , 1821) |
The thirteen-lined ground squirrel ( ictidomys tridecemlineatus , Syn. : Spermophilus tridecemlineatus ), also known as Cuvier or thirteen-striped ground squirrel, is a occurring in North America Representatives from the earlier to the ground squirrels counted genus ictidomys .
Appearance
The animal is 11.5 to 16.5 centimeters tall and weighs 140 to 250 grams and has a brown back with four elongated white lines and five stripes with white dots in between, the belly is light brown and graying. The paws are colored gray. The tail is strongly fringed towards the end. The head is short, round and the short muzzle is pointed.
Occurrence
This species is found in the dry grasslands of the prairie in the western United States.
Way of life
In summer, collecting and storing plant seeds is one of his main occupations. As a further precaution for the winter, the animal eats a thick pad of fat. It hibernates for up to seven months in its underground construction, which it previously padded with plant fibers. Life expectancy is seven to ten years.
Reproduction
Males and females only mate briefly in early spring. The female alone takes on the rearing of the boys who are still naked and blind at birth.
Systematic classification
The thirteen-striped squirrel was classified under the ground squirrel (genus Spermophilus ) in the subgenus Ictidomys . This was classified as a separate genus in 2009. In addition to the thirteen-striped squirrel, the Mexican ground squirrel ( Ictidomys mexicanus ), found in central and northeastern Mexico and Texas, and the Rio Grande ground squirrel ( Ictidomys parvidens ), also from Mexico and Texas, were placed in this genus.
Hazards and protective measures
Since this species is not threatened and also occurs in protected areas, the IUCN classifies it as Least Concern .
swell
Individual evidence
- ↑ Kristofer M. Helgen, F. Russell Cole, Lauren E. Helgen & Don E. Wilson: Generic revision in the Holarctic ground squirrel genus Spermophilus. Journal of Mammalogy, 90, pp. 270-305, 2009
literature
- Romana Anderová, Vladimír Zadražil: The colorful lexicon of animals. FX Schmid, Bernau 2013, ISBN 978-3-8380-2035-8 , p. 74.
Web links
- Ictidomys tridecemlineatus inthe IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2014.2. Listed by: Linzey, AV & NatureServe (Hammerson, G.), 2008. Retrieved September 18, 2014.