Caucasian squirrel
| Caucasian squirrel | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Caucasian red squirrel ( Sciurus anomalus ) |
||||||||||||
| Systematics | ||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Sciurus anomalus | ||||||||||||
| Güldenstädt , 1785 |
The Caucasian squirrel ( Sciurus anomalus ) is a species of rodent belonging to the genus of squirrels ( Sciurus ).
features
The species reaches a head-trunk length of 190 to 255 millimeters. The hind foot length is 46 to 65 millimeters, the ear length 23 to 36 millimeters and the condylobasal length 42 to 51 millimeters. The tail has a length of 120 to 180 millimeters, which corresponds to 50 to 85 percent of the head-trunk length. The species reaches a weight of 330 to 430 grams. There are no tufts of hair on the ears all year round. The fur is gray on the upper side, on the back half of the body it is noticeably darker. A more or less distinct reddish band runs along the flanks. On the underside of the body, the fur is light yellow-brown. The front feet are long and slender. There is a rear ball of the sole on the hind feet. The species has 20 teeth, it lacks the P³ .
Occurrence
The habitat of the Caucasian squirrel are deciduous forests with oaks, coniferous forests with pines or junipers and mixed stands of olive trees, pines and various shrubs. In its area of distribution, the annual rainfall is more than 500 millimeters. In Turkey the species has been proven up to an altitude of 2000 meters.
Way of life
The diurnal species has an activity maximum in the morning and in the late afternoon. It can often be found on the ground as well as in rocky terrain. The Caucasian squirrel prefers protection in tree tops, more rarely in crevices. The nest is made 3 to 5 meters above the ground in a tree hole. The species feeds on acorns, nuts, the seeds of conifers, buds, berries and mushrooms. She builds supplies.
literature
- Stéphane Aulagnier, Patrick Haffner, Anthony J. Mitchell-Jones, François Moutou, Jan Zima: The mammals of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. The destination guide. Haupt, Bern et al. 2009, ISBN 978-3-258-07506-8 .
- John L. Koprowski, Leah Gavish, Sandra L. Doumas: Sciurus anomalus (Rodentia: Sciuridae). Mammalian Species 48 (934), Aug. 8, 2016; Pp. 48-58. DOI: 10.1093 / mspecies / sew004
Web links
- Sciurus anomalus inthe IUCN 2013 Red List of Threatened Species . Posted by: Yigit, N., Kryštufek, B., Sozen, M., Bukhnikashvili, A. & Shenbrot, G., 2008. Retrieved December 20, 2013.