Northern Palawan croissant
| Northern Palawan croissant | ||||||||||||
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| Sundasciurus juvencus | ||||||||||||
| ( Thomas , 1908) |
The northern Palawan squirrel ( Sundasciurus juvencus ) is a species of squirrel from the genus of the Sunda tree squirrel ( Sundasciurus ). It lives in the north of the island of Palawan, which belongs to the Philippines .
features
The northern Palawan squirrel reaches a head-torso length of about 19.5 to 20.5 centimeters with a weight of 245 to 285 grams. The tail is 15.5 to 17.2 centimeters long, making it slightly shorter than the rest of the body. The back color of the animals is generally brown and less reddish compared to the southern Palawan squirrel ( Sundasciurus steerii ). The sides of the body are gray, the tail has a black tip. The ventral side is variable from completely white to red-brown. In addition, there are isolated albinotic, i.e. completely white, animals.
distribution
The northern Palawan squirrel lives endemically in the north of the island of Palawan, which belongs to the Philippines, from the lowlands to heights of around 500 meters. It was introduced on the island of Apulit .
Way of life
No data are available on the way of life of the northern Palawan squirrel. It originally lives in the primary forest of the lowlands, but can also live in the secondary forest . It is also found in gardens, orchards, and agricultural areas.
Systematics
The northern Palawan squirrel is classified as an independent species within the genus of the Sunda tree squirrel ( Sundasciurus ), which - depending on the author - consists of 15 to 17 species. The first scientific description comes from Oldfield Thomas from 1908, who described the species on the basis of individuals from the area around Puerto Princesa on Palawan.
Apart from the nominate form, no further subspecies are distinguished within the species .
Status, threat and protection
The Northern Palawan squirrel is classified as Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN). This classification is justified with the relatively frequent occurrence on the island and its adaptability to habitat changes. There are no known threats to the population, but the species is hunted as a pest and caught for the pet trade.
Parasites
In 1991 the American parasitologist Lance A. Durden described the animal louse Neohaematopinus sundasciuri . It was found on two specimens of the Northern Palawan croissant in the collection of the University of Michigan Zoological Museum at Ann Arbor . Neohaematopinus sundasciuri , like its closest relatives, is likely a species-specific parasite.
supporting documents
- ↑ 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. 187-188. ISBN 978-1-4214-0469-1
- ↑ a b c d e f Sundasciurus juvencus in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2014.3. Posted by: P. Ong, B. Tabaranza, G. Rosell-Ambal, D. Balete, 2008. Retrieved January 2, 2015.
- ^ A b Sundasciurus juvencus 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 .
- ^ Lance A. Durden: A New Species and an Annotated World List of the Sucking Louse Genus Neohaematopinus (Anoplura: Polyplacidae) . In: Journal of Medical Entomology 1991, Volume 28, No. 5, pp. 694-700, here pp. 694-695, doi : 10.1093 / jmedent / 28.5.694
literature
- Richard W. Thorington Jr., John L. Koprowski, Michael A. Steele: Squirrels of the World. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD 2012; Pp. 187-188. ISBN 978-1-4214-0469-1
Web links
- Sundasciurus juvencus inthe IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2014.3. Posted by: P. Ong, B. Tabaranza, G. Rosell-Ambal, D. Balete, 2008. Retrieved January 2, 2015.