Jungle palm squirrel
| Jungle palm squirrel | ||||||||||||
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Jungle palm squirrel ( Funambulus tristriatus ) |
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Funambulus tristriatus | ||||||||||||
| ( Waterhouse , 1837) |
The jungle palm squirrel ( Funambulus tristriatus ) is a species of squirrel from the genus of the striped palm squirrel ( funambulus ). It is common in the forest areas along the west coast of India .
features
The jungle palm squirrel reaches a head-trunk length of around 15.8 to 19.0 centimeters and weighs around 140 grams, making it the largest species in the genus. The tail becomes 13.9 to 14.5 centimeters long, making it slightly shorter than the rest of the body. The animals are dark brown on top with three pale stripes on the back, the belly is light and a red center line runs on the tail.
distribution
The jungle palm squirrel occurs in the rainforest areas on the west coast of India along the Western Ghats from about 20 degrees north latitude to the southern tip of the peninsula.
Way of life
Jungle palm squirrels live mainly in the evergreen tropical rainforests of the distribution area, whereby they also occur in secondary forests as well as in agricultural areas for the cultivation of tea , coffee and cardamom with trees. They are diurnal and mainly live in trees. The animals feed on parts of plants and invertebrates such as termites, beetles and centipedes. In agricultural areas, they partially feed on the crops and eat, for example, the male flowers of coconut palms and rice.
The nests are round and about 22 centimeters in diameter. They are created in trees at heights of 2 to about 30 meters, but mostly below 10 meters and on average about 5 meters in height. The squirrels are reproductive throughout the year, a litter consists of an average of 2.6 young. The generation time is around 3 years.
Systematics
The jungle palm squirrel is classified as an independent species within the genus of the striped palm squirrel ( funambulus ), which consists of five species. The first scientific description comes from George Robert Waterhouse from 1837, who described the species using individuals from southern "Hindostan" (now India). This was later restricted to the Western Ghats .
Two subspecies are distinguished within the species, including the nominate form :
- Funambulus tristriatus tristriatus : nominate form, south of 12 degrees north latitude. The back stripes are narrow and matt.
- Funambulus tristriatus numarius : north of 12 degrees north latitude. The back stripes are wider and bright.
Status, threat and protection
The jungle palm 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, the assumed frequent occurrence of the species and the great adaptability to habitat changes. The potential threats include the increasing loss of habitat due to the conversion of habitats into agricultural areas and settlement areas, as well as the heavy use of pesticides and other poisons in agriculture. The loss of habitat increased by around 10% compared to the last twenty years, and further increases due to dam projects are foreseeable. In agricultural areas used for growing coffee and cardamom , native shade trees are also replaced by introduced species that the croissants avoid.
supporting documents
- ↑ a b c d e f Richard W. Thorington Jr., John L. Koprowski, Michael A. Steele: Squirrels of the World. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD 2012; Pp. 158-159. ISBN 978-1-4214-0469-1
- ↑ a b c d e f Funambulus tristriatus in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2014.2. Posted by: S. Molur, PO: Nameer, 2008. Retrieved December 27, 2014.
- ↑ a b c Funambulus tristriatus 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. 158-159. ISBN 978-1-4214-0469-1
Web links
- Funambulus tristriatus inthe IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2014.2. Posted by: S. Molur, PO Nameer, 2008. Retrieved December 27, 2014.