Guayaquil croissant

Guayaquil croissant
	Guayaquil squirrel ( Sciurus stramineus )
Systematics
Subordination :	Squirrel relatives (Sciuromorpha)
Family :	Squirrel (Sciuridae)
Subfamily :	Tree squirrel and flying squirrel (Sciurinae)
Tribe :	Tree squirrel (Sciurini)
Genre :	Red squirrel ( Sciurus )
Type :	Guayaquil croissant
Scientific name
	Sciurus stramineus
	Eydoux & Souleyet , 1841

The Guayaquil squirrel ( Sciurus stramineus ) is a species of squirrel from the genus of squirrels ( Sciurus ). It occurs only in the southwest of Ecuador and the extreme northwest of Peru in the area of the Gulf of Guayaquil .

features

The Guayaquil squirrel reaches a head-trunk length of about 18.0 to 32.0 centimeters, plus a tail that is about 25.0 to 33.0 centimeters long. The weight is about 460 to 495 grams. The animals are variable in color and appear in two different morphs . One morph has a grayish-black and light back fur with white parts, which changes to a pale orange in the area of the hips and the base of the tail. The head, ears and feet are black and the belly is cream to sand colored or slightly rusty brown. In the second morph the back color is coal-black to white-frosted-black, which creates a pale-gray agouti effect. The hips have an orange or sand-colored impact. There is a white or sandy brown spot on the nape of the neck, the ears and feet are black, and the belly is greyish. In both morphs the tail is black with white frost.

distribution

The Guayaquil squirrel occurs only in the southwest of Ecuador and the extreme northwest of Peru in the area of the Gulf of Guayaquil. It was also introduced in Lima .

Way of life

The Guayaquil squirrel lives in moist and evergreen forest areas as well as in dry tropical forests on the Pacific coast. In addition, it is adaptable to changes in human habitat and can be found in coffee plantations as well as in urban areas, and especially in Lima the animals use power lines and other structures for climbing and locomotion. The animals are diurnal and look for food both in the branches of the trees and on the ground. They feed on seeds, nuts and fruits.

The nests are laid out in the trees as round goblets made of leaves and twigs. The lifespan of a captured specimen was 7.3 years.

Systematics

The Guayaquil squirrel is classified as a separate species within the genus of squirrels ( Sciurus ), which consists of almost 30 species. The first scientific description comes from Eydoux & Souleyet from 1841, who described the species using individuals from the Piura region in northwestern Peru.

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

Status, threat and protection

The Guayaquil croissant is listed as Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN). This is justified with the comparatively large distribution area and the assumed large populations, a rapid decline in populations is not known. The decline in forests due to logging and the fragmentation of forest areas for conversion into agriculturally used areas in the habitat of the species are considered to be the main potential sources of risk. In the area of distribution, the animals are also hunted, and because of their color, the animals are also often caught and sold as pets.

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, ISBN 978-1-4214-0469-1 , pp. 69-70 .

↑ ^a ^b ^c Sciurus stramineus in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2015.3. Listed by: JW Duckworth, J. Koprowski, 2008. Retrieved November 16, 2015.
↑ ^a ^b Sciurus stramineus 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, ISBN 978-1-4214-0469-1 , pp. 69-70 .

Web links

Sciurus stramineus inthe IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2015.3. Listed by: JW Duckworth, J. Koprowski, 2008. Retrieved November 16, 2015.

[Thorington_et_al._2012-1] ↑ ^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, ISBN 978-1-4214-0469-1 , pp. 69-70 .