Dark palm squirrel
| Dark palm squirrel | ||||||||||||
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Dark palm squirrel ( Funambulus sublineatus ) |
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| Funambulus sublineatus | ||||||||||||
| ( Waterhouse , 1838) |
The dark palm squirrel ( Funambulus sublineatus ) is a species of squirrel from the genus of the striped palm squirrel ( funambulus ). It is common in southwest India as well as Sri Lanka .
features
The dark palm squirrel reaches a head-trunk length of about 14.6 to 15.0 centimeters with a weight of about 100 to 120 grams. The tail is 14.6 to 15.7 inches long and is about the same length as the rest of the body. The animals have a long fur and are dark brown on top with three light-sand-colored stripes on the back, which, however, are often barely visible due to the long fur. The ventral side is cloudy, dark brown. There is no red center line on the tail.
distribution
The dark palm squirrel is found in southwest India in the Western Ghats and in Sri Lanka .
Way of life
The dark palm squirrel lives in evergreen rainforest areas near rivers in the area of reed stands and is bound to these habitats . It occurs in southern India near the Palani Mountains above the distribution limit of the Indian palm squirrel ( Funambulus palmarum ) at heights of 1372 to 2134 meters. In Sri Lanka it lives in the jungle and bamboo forest areas of the mountain regions above 610 meters, in the southwest of the island it is also widespread in the lowlands.
Little information is available about the animals' way of life. They live mainly in the bush and in the undergrowth of the trees. The Indian bamboo viper Trimeresurus gramineus is one of the main predators .
Systematics
The dark 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 1838, who described the species on the basis of individuals from the Nilgiri Mountains in southern India.
Two subspecies are distinguished within the species, including the nominate form :
- Funambulus sublineatus sublineatus : nominate form, in India. The dark side stripes are narrow, about 3 to 5 millimeters wide.
- Funambulus sublineatus obscurus in Sri Lanka. The dark side stripes are maroon and, at 6 to 8 millimeters wide, wider than the nominate shape.
Status, threat and protection
The dark palm squirrel is a very rare squirrel in the Western Ghats and only a few sightings have been made. The population is estimated to have decreased by more than 20% in the last 10 years and this trend is believed to continue in India and Sri Lanka. It is classified as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN). This is justified by the close connection to forest habitats near rivers and a total distribution area that is probably less than 2000 km 2 . The distribution is highly fragmented and the habitats are declining in terms of their existence and quality.
The main threats to the species include habitat loss due to deforestation and bush clearing and forest fires in the rainforests. In some parts, additional habitat fragmentation and the use of pesticides in agricultural areas play a role. The use of reeds from the animal habitats is another factor in the change.
supporting documents
- ↑ a b c d e f g Richard W. Thorington Jr., John L. Koprowski, Michael A. Steele: Squirrels of the World. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD 2012; Pp. 164-165. ISBN 978-1-4214-0469-1
- ↑ a b c d e Funambulus sublineatus in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2014.2. Posted by: N. Rajamani, S. Molur, PO Nameer, 2008. Retrieved December 27, 2014.
- ↑ a b c Funambulus sublineatus 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. 164-165. ISBN 978-1-4214-0469-1
Web links
- Funambulus sublineatus inthe IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2014.2. Posted by: N. Rajamani, S. Molur, PO Nameer, 2008. Retrieved December 27, 2014.