Usambara bush squirrel

Usambara bush squirrel
Systematics
Subordination :	Squirrel relatives (Sciuromorpha)
Family :	Squirrel (Sciuridae)
Subfamily :	Ground Squirrel (Xerinae)
Tribe :	Protoxerini
Genre :	African bush squirrel ( Paraxerus )
Type :	Usambara bush squirrel
Scientific name
	Paraxerus vexillarius
	( Kershaw , 1923)

The Usambara bush squirrel , also Lushoto- or Svynnerton bush squirrel ( Paraxerus vexillarius ) is a type of squirrel from the genus of the African bush squirrel ( Paraxerus ). It occurs only in a few mountain regions in the northeast and south of Tanzania .

features

The Usambara bush squirrel reaches an average head-trunk length of 19.0 to 26.4 centimeters, the tail is 18.0 to 21.0 centimeters long. The weight is about 250 grams. The rear foot length is 45 to 52 millimeters, the ear length 15 to 18 millimeters. It is a medium-sized to large squirrel with a grayish-brown to olive-brown back fur. The peritoneum is dove gray, the legs and feet reddish-orange. The face is reddish in the area of the nose and mouth and in a broad stripe over the eyes to the ears. The tail is comparatively long with a length of about 85 percent of the head-trunk length. It is brown at the base, followed by brown and pale whitish rings, the tip can be orange.

1	·	0	·	2	·	3	= 22
1	·	0	·	1	·	3	= 22

African bush squirrel tooth formula

The skull has a total length of 53.0 to 54.0 millimeters and a width of 31.0 to 33.6 millimeters. Like all species of the genus has the type in the upper jaw half per one to a incisor tooth formed incisor (incisor) to which a tooth gap ( diastema follows). This is followed by two premolars and three molars . The teeth in the lower jaw correspond to those in the upper jaw, but only with a premolar. In total, the animals have a set of 22 teeth. The bony palate ends at the anterior margin of the last molars.

The red-bellied bush squirrel is similar to other African bush squirrels and differs from them primarily in terms of color. The red-bellied bush squirrel ( Paraxerus palliatus ) has a conspicuous red to orange colored belly and is distributed over a larger area. The black and red bush squirrel ( Paraxerus lucifer ) is characterized by a red color and a black spot on the back, it occurs only in southern Tanzania and in Malawi.

distribution

The Usambara bush squirrel is only found in some mountainous regions in the northeast and south of Tanzania . The nominate form occurs in the Eastern Arc Mountains and there in the Usambara Mountains around Amani , Lushoto , Magamba and Mazumbai , the Uluguru around Bagiro and the Udzungwa Mountains around Kigogo . In addition, it has been documented from the Ukinga Mountains and the Katessa Forest. The subspecies Paraxerus vexillarius byatti lives on Kilimanjaro above 1900 meters.

Way of life

Very little information is available about the way of life of the Usambara bush squirrel. It lives in the trees of the mountain forests and, like all bush squirrels, is probably diurnal and herbivorous . As food, it prefers seeds and fruits.

Systematics

The Usambara bush squirrel is classified as an independent species within the genus of the African bush squirrel ( Paraxerus ), which consists of eleven species. The first scientific description comes from the zoologist PS Kershaw from 1923, who described the animals as Funisciurus vexillarius based on individuals from Lushoto in the Usambara Mountains in Tanzania .

Within the species, two subspecies are distinguished with the nominate form :

Paraxerus vexillarius vexillarius : nominate form; occurs in the Usambara , Uluguru and Ukinga Mountains in southern Tanzania.
Paraxerus vexillarius byatti : The subspecies lives in the area of Kilimanjaro in northeast Tanzania. It has no orange-colored parts in the tip of the tail and a more ocher-colored dorsal fur, the belly is darker.

In some cases, these two subspecies are viewed as separate species, and Paraxerus vexillarius byatti has also been partially assigned to the black and red bush squirrel ( Paraxerus lucifer ).

Status, threat and protection

The Usambara bush squirrel is classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) as a type of warning list (near threatened). This is justified by the very small distribution area of less than 20,000 km² and the decline in available habitats . The species close to the border with the endangered species is considered. The main endangerment factors for the species are little known, but it is assumed that it depends on primary forest areas and is therefore very much affected by the decline of these habitats in their range and the conversion of forest areas into agricultural areas and plantations .

supporting documents

↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j Richard W. Thorington Jr. , Chad E. Shennum: Paraxerus vexillarius, Swynnerton's Bush Squirrel. In: Jonathan Kingdon, David Happold, Michael Hoffmann, Thomas Butynski, Meredith Happold and Jan Kalina (eds.): Mammals of Africa Volume III. Rodents, Hares and Rabbits. Bloomsbury, London 2013, pp. 87-88; ISBN 978-1-4081-2253-2 .

↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Richard W. Thorington Jr., John L. Koprowski, Michael A. Steele: Squirrels of the World. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD 2012; Pp. 245-246. ISBN 978-1-4214-0469-1

↑ Peter Grubb: Genus Paraxerus, Bush Squirrels. In: Jonathan Kingdon, David Happold, Michael Hoffmann, Thomas Butynski, Meredith Happold and Jan Kalina (eds.): Mammals of Africa Volume III. Rodents, Hares and Rabbits. Bloomsbury, London 2013, pp. 72-74; ISBN 978-1-4081-2253-2 .

↑ ^a ^b Paraxerus vexillarius in the IUCN 2016-1 Red List of Threatened Species . Posted by: P. Grubb, 2008. Retrieved September 5, 2016.

↑ ^a ^b Paraxerus vexillarius . In: Don E. Wilson , DeeAnn M. Reeder (Eds.): 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. 245-246. ISBN 978-1-4214-0469-1
Richard W. Thorington Jr., Chad E. Shennum: Paraxerus vexillarius, Swynnerton's Bush Squirrel. In: Jonathan Kingdon, David Happold, Michael Hoffmann, Thomas Butynski, Meredith Happold and Jan Kalina (eds.): Mammals of Africa Volume III. Rodents, Hares and Rabbits. Bloomsbury, London 2013, pp. 87-88; ISBN 978-1-4081-2253-2 .

Web links

Paraxerus vexillarius onthe IUCN 2016-1 Red List of Threatened Species . Posted by: P. Grubb, 2008. Retrieved September 5, 2016.

[Kingdon_2013-1] ↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j Richard W. Thorington Jr. , Chad E. Shennum: Paraxerus vexillarius, Swynnerton's Bush Squirrel. In: Jonathan Kingdon, David Happold, Michael Hoffmann, Thomas Butynski, Meredith Happold and Jan Kalina (eds.): Mammals of Africa Volume III. Rodents, Hares and Rabbits. Bloomsbury, London 2013, pp. 87-88; ISBN 978-1-4081-2253-2 .

[Thorington_et_al._2012-2] Richard W. Thorington Jr., John L. Koprowski, Michael A. Steele: Squirrels of the World. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD 2012; Pp. 245-246. ISBN 978-1-4214-0469-1

[Grubb_2013-3] Peter Grubb: Genus Paraxerus, Bush Squirrels. In: Jonathan Kingdon, David Happold, Michael Hoffmann, Thomas Butynski, Meredith Happold and Jan Kalina (eds.): Mammals of Africa Volume III. Rodents, Hares and Rabbits. Bloomsbury, London 2013, pp. 72-74; ISBN 978-1-4081-2253-2 .