Mentawai three-sided squirrel

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Mentawai three-sided squirrel
Systematics
Order : Rodents (Rodentia)
Subordination : Squirrel relatives (Sciuromorpha)
Family : Squirrel (Sciuridae)
Subfamily : Squirrel (Callosciurinae)
Genre : Black Chipmunk ( Lariscus )
Type : Mentawai three-sided squirrel
Scientific name
Lariscus obscurus
( Miller , 1903)

The Mentawai three- striped squirrel ( Lariscus obscurus ) is a species of squirrel from the genus of the black chipmunk ( Lariscus ). It occurs exclusively and therefore endemic to the Mentawai Islands off the coast of Sumatra .

features

The Mentawai three-striped squirrel reaches a head-torso length of about 18.7 to 20.2 centimeters with a weight of about 240 grams. The tail becomes 8.6 to 9 centimeters long and is therefore significantly shorter than the rest of the body. The back coloration of the animals is dark brown, the back stripes are only indistinctly set off. The belly is also dark brown without a sand-colored impact, in the center it can have a light area. A relatively long snout is typical of the species.

distribution

The Mentawai three-striped squirrel occurs exclusively and therefore endemic to the Mentawai Islands off the coast of Sumatra , Indonesia . It can be found on Sipora and Siberut as well as on North and South Pagai .

Way of life

There is limited information about the way of life of the Mentawai three-sided squirrel. It is diurnal with main activity times in the morning and late afternoon and lives primarily on the ground. It occurs in primary forests and especially in secondary stands and bushes as well as on the edges of forests. It feeds mainly on fallen fruits and seeds as well as on insects and other small animals. The food composition consists of about 80% vegetarian and 20% animal food. The squirrel builds nests in tree hollows and fallen trees.

Together with the Mentawai croissant ( Callosciurus melanogaster ), the Mentawai flying squirrel ( iomys Sipora ), the Siberut flying squirrel ( Petinomys lugens ), the Sipora flying squirrel ( Hylopetes Sipora ) Leopoldamys siporanus , Maxomys pagensis , Chiropodomys karlkoopmani , Rattus lugens and the Mentawai tree squirrel ( Sundasciurus fraterculus ), the Mentawai three-striped squirrel is the endemic rodent fauna of the Mentawai Islands.

Systematics

The Mentawai three-striped squirrel is classified as a separate species within the genus of the black chipmunk ( Lariscus ), which consists of four species. The first scientific description comes from Gerrit Smith Miller from 1903, who described the species on the basis of individuals from southern Pagai. The species was temporarily assigned to the three-striped squirrel ( Lariscus insignis ) and also the Niobe black chipmunk ( Lariscus niobe ).

Within the species, together with the nominate form, three subspecies are distinguished:

  • Lariscus o. Obscurus : nominate form, occurs on the island of South Pagai.
  • Lariscus o. Auroreus : The subspecies occurs on Northern Pagai and has a more reddish and less yellowish coat than the nominate form.
  • Lariscus o. Siberu : The subspecies occurs on Siberut. In this form, the ventral side is finely black-grayish and light-ocher in color, the snout and cheeks are grayer than in the nominate form and the tail is blacker than the back color.

Status, threat and protection

The Mentawai squirrel is classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) as a potentially endangered species ("Near threatened"). Although it occurs in a spatially very limited area of ​​less than 20,000 km 2 , it is comparatively frequent and adaptable to changes in habitat , especially on the island of Siberut .

supporting documents

  1. ↑ a b c d Richard W. Thorington Jr., John L. Koprowski, Michael A. Steele: Squirrels of the World. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD 2012; Pp. 171-172. ISBN 978-1-4214-0469-1
  2. ↑ a b c Lariscus obscurus in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2014.3. Posted by: K. Aplin, D. Lunde, 2008. Retrieved April 9, 2015.
  3. ↑ Don E. Wilson & DeeAnn M. Reeder (eds.): Leopoldamys siporanus in Mammal Species of the World. A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed).
  4. ↑ a b c Lariscus obscurus 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. 171-172. ISBN 978-1-4214-0469-1

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