Espiritu Santo antelope pebble

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Espiritu Santo antelope pebble
Systematics
Subordination : Squirrel relatives (Sciuromorpha)
Family : Squirrel (Sciuridae)
Subfamily : Ground Squirrel (Xerinae)
Tribe : Real ground squirrels (Marmotini)
Genre : Antelope pebble ( Ammospermophilus )
Type : Espiritu Santo antelope pebble
Scientific name
Ammospermophilus insularis
Nelson & Goldman , 1909

The Espiritu-Santo antelope pebble ( Ammospermophilus insularis ) is a species of squirrel from the genus of the antelope pebble ( Ammospermophilus ). It is endemic to Isla Espíritu Santo in the Gulf of California . The species status of the ground squirrel is unclear and it is partially considered a subspecies of the white-tailed antelope ground squirrel ( Ammospermophilus leucurus ).

features

The Espiritu Santo antelope pebble reaches a head-body length of about 21 to 24 centimeters and a tail length of 7.1 to 7.8 centimeters. The back color is gray to steel gray, the head corresponds to the back in color. A white stripe runs across the flanks on both sides and the belly is creamy white to white. The snout and legs are orange to rust-colored. The tail is mottled gray with a white underside and a black band near the tip of the tail.

According to Thorington et al. In 2012 there are no genetic differences between the Espiritu-Santo antelope and the white-tailed antelope ( Ammospermophilus leucurus ) on the North American mainland, but the latter has a third upper molar that lacks the island shape.

distribution

Distribution area of ​​the Espiritu Santo antelope pebble on Isla Espíritu Santo

The Espiritu Santo antelope pebble is endemic to Isla Espíritu Santo , which is part of the Mexican state of Baja California Sur and is located about 32 kilometers north of La Paz in the Gulf of California .

Way of life

The island of Espíritu Santo is a volcanic island with no fresh water and is characterized by rocky hills and flat mountains. The animals live accordingly in desert-like, dry habitats with bushes of the genera Prosopis , Ambrosia and Acacia and cacti of the genera Pachycereus , Stenocereus and Opuntia as well as other drought-adapted plants.

The Espiritu Santo antelope pebble is diurnal; very little information is available about its way of life. The animals communicate with each other via very high trills. Besides the Espiritu Santo hare ( Lepus insularis ), which is also endemic to the island , it is the only mammal on the island.

Systematics

The Espiritu-Santo antelope pebble is classified as an independent species within the genus of the antelope pebble ( Ammospermophilus ), which consists of five species. The first scientific description comes from Edward William Nelson and Edward Alphonso Goldman from 1909, the holotype , a full-grown female, both scientists had collected three years earlier on the island of Espiritu Santo. They carried out the description under the name Ammospermophilus leucurus insularis and thus as a subspecies of the white-tailed antelope pebble ( Ammospermophilus leucurus ). Some authors support this opinion, others see the Espiritu Santo antelope pebble as an independent one, possibly with a close relationship with the Harris antelope pebble ( Ammospermophilus harrisii ).

Apart from the nominate form, no further subspecies are distinguished within the species .

Status, threat and protection

The Espiritu-Santo antelope pebble is considered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) as a subspecies of the white-tailed antelope pebble ( Ammospermophilus leucurus ) and is accordingly not on the red list.

supporting documents

  1. ↑ 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. 291-292. ISBN 978-1-4214-0469-1
  2. ↑ Joseph R. Mejia: Ammospermophilus insularis in the Animal Diversity Web of the University of Michigan Museum of Zoology. Retrieved May 9, 2016
  3. ^ Joseph R. Mejia: Lepus insularis in the Animal Diversity Web of the University of Michigan Museum of Zoology. Retrieved January 15, 2012.
  4. ↑ a b Ammospermophilus insularis 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 .
  5. ^ Edward William Nelson and Edward Alphonso Goldman: Eleven new mammals from Lower California. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 22, 1909, pp. 23-28 ( [1] )
  6. ↑ Troy L. Best, Katherine Caesar, Amy S. Titus, Cynthia L. Lewis: Ammospermophilus insularis . In: Mammalian Species . tape 364 , 1990, pp. 1–4 ( full text (PDF)).
  7. ↑ Ammospermophilus leucurus in the Red List of Threatened Species of IUCN 2015-4. Posted by: AV Linzey, R. Timm, ST Álvarez-Castañeda, I. Castro-Arellano, T. Lacher, 2008. Accessed January 12, 2016.

literature

  • Troy L. Best, Katherine Caesar, Amy S. Titus, Cynthia L. Lewis: Ammospermophilus insularis . In: Mammalian Species . tape 364 , 1990, pp. 1–4 ( full text (PDF)).
  • Richard W. Thorington Jr. , John L. Koprowski, Michael A. Steele: Squirrels of the World. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD 2012; Pp. 291-292. ISBN 978-1-4214-0469-1

Web links

  • Joseph R. Mejia: Ammospermophilus insularis on the University of Michigan Museum of Zoology's Animal Diversity Web. Retrieved May 9, 2016