Orange-bellied Himalayan squirrel

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Orange-bellied Himalayan squirrel
Orange bellied himalayan squirrel.jpg

Orange-bellied Himalayan squirrel ( Dremomys lokriah )

Systematics
Order : Rodents (Rodentia)
Subordination : Squirrel relatives (Sciuromorpha)
Family : Squirrel (Sciuridae)
Subfamily : Squirrel (Callosciurinae)
Genre : Red Squirrel ( Dremomys )
Type : Orange-bellied Himalayan squirrel
Scientific name
Dremomys lokriah
( Hodgson , 1836)

The orange-bellied Himalayan squirrel ( Dremomys lokriah ) is a species of squirrel from the genus of the red-cheeked squirrel ( Dremomys ). It occurs from north-east South Asia and the south of the People's Republic of China to northern and western Myanmar .

features

The orange-bellied Himalayan squirrel reaches a head-torso length of about 16.5 to 20.5 centimeters with a weight of about 120 to 240 grams. The tail becomes 13.5 to 20.0 centimeters long and is thus slightly shorter than to as long as the rest of the body. The rear foot is 38 to 48 millimeters long, the ear length is 15 to 24 millimeters. The upper side of the animals is dark red-brown to aguti-colored without reddish coloring of the cheeks and hips, the belly is orange-colored to yellowish-brown. The animals have white spots on the back of their ears. The tail is interspersed on the top with individual white hair tips, on the underside it is black with individual orange hairs, but never red.

distribution

The orange-bellied Himalayan squirrel is widespread from northeastern South Asia and the south of the People's Republic of China to western Southeast Asia. The distribution area extends from the Himalayas in Nepal and Bhutan over parts of northern India to western and northern Myanmar and the north of Bangladesh . In China, the species lives in southern Xizang and eastern Yunnan .

The altitude distribution ranges from about 900 to 3000 meters, according to other information up to 3400 meters.

Way of life

The orange-bellied Himalayan squirrel lives in different forest habitats depending on the altitude: In the lowland areas it populates oak-rhododendron forests and evergreen subtropical deciduous forests, at higher altitudes it can be found in coniferous forests. It is strictly diurnal and dwells in nests of fern, deciduous leaves and grass in tree hollows near the ground or at medium heights in dense stands of oak, fir, bamboo and pine. It lives mainly in the trees, but foraging it often comes to the ground. There it looks for fruits, nuts and other parts of plants, and insects also make up part of the diet. In parts of its range, the Usnea longissima , a tree-dwelling species of lichen of the genus Usnea , is an essential part of the diet and in the eastern Himalayas the animals partially feed on the fruits of the screw tree Pandanus fusinus .

The croissants communicate using loud, shrill tones that are repeated frequently. The young are born in May to August, and a litter consists of two to five young. Lactating females were observed in May, June and August.

Systematics

The orange-bellied Himalayan squirrel is classified as an independent species within the genus of the red-cheeked squirrel ( Dremomys ), which consists of six species. The first scientific description comes from Brian Houghton Hodgson from 1836, who described the species using individuals from central and northern Nepal .

Within the species, six subspecies are distinguished including the nominate form :

  • Dremomys lokriah lokriah in Nepal and Bhutan as well as in southern Tibet around Mount Everest and in northern Myanmar. The subspecies is dark brown on top and has a light orange belly and a pale throat, the base at the lower tail is not orange.
  • Dremomys lokriah garonum in the Garo and Khasi Mountains in the Indian state of Assam and in the far north of Bangladesh. The subspecies corresponds to the nominate form, but the color of the abdomen is somewhat paler yellow or ocher to yellow-brown.
  • Dremomys lokriah macmillani in the Naga and Chin Mountains in Assam and on the west bank of the Chindwin in Myanmar and in southeastern Tibet. In this shape, the back is coarsely mottled gray and olive brown. On the nape of the neck and on top of the head, the color is more sandy with a thin black line that runs from the nape of the neck to the upper back. The spots behind the ears are ocher-colored and the belly side is light yellow-brown with a red-brown spot in the groin and at the base of the tail.
  • Dremomys lokriah motuoensis in southeastern Tibet. Compared to the other subspecies, this one is clearly darker in color both on the back and on the stomach.
  • Dremomys lokriah nielamouensis in Tibet. The shape is smaller than the other subspecies, the back is pale olive-gray and the color of the abdomen is pale yellow to orange.
  • Dremomys lokriah pagus in the Lushai Mountains in Assam and the Chin Mountains in western Myanmar. In this subspecies the color of the abdomen is pale yellow with clearly visible gray hairlines. The base of the tail is not reddish.

Smith & Yan Xie 2009 also differentiate Dremomys lokriah subflaviventris in eastern Yunnan as a further subspecies.

Status, threat and protection

The orange-bellied Himalayan squirrel is classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) as Least Concern. This is justified by the comparatively large distribution area and the assumed frequent occurrence of the species. Potential threats to the existence of this species in Nepal and Bangladesh are the progressive deforestation and fragmentation of habitats . In northeastern India, the main threat is hunting as a source of meat.

supporting documents

  1. ↑ a b c d e f g Robert S. Hoffmann, Andrew T. Smith: Orange-Bellied Himalayan Squirrel. In: Andrew T. Smith , Yan Xie: A Guide to the Mammals of China. Princeton University Press, Princeton NJ 2008, ISBN 978-0-691-09984-2 , p. 186.
  2. ^ A b c Richard W. Thorington Jr., John L. Koprowski, Michael A. Steele: Squirrels of the World. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD 2012; Pp. 154-155. ISBN 978-1-4214-0469-1
  3. ↑ a b c d e Dremomys lokriah in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2014.2. Posted by: S. Molur, 2008. Retrieved December 15, 2014.
  4. ↑ a b c Dremomys lokriah 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. 154-155. ISBN 978-1-4214-0469-1
  • Robert S. Hoffmann, Andrew T. Smith: Orange-Bellied Himalayan Squirrel. In: Andrew T. Smith , Yan Xie: A Guide to the Mammals of China. Princeton University Press, Princeton NJ 2008, ISBN 978-0-691-09984-2 , p. 186.

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