Tassel dwarf squirrel
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Tassel dwarf squirrel ( Exilisciurus whiteheadi ) |
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| Exilisciurus whiteheadi | ||||||||||||
| ( Thomas , 1887) |
The tassel dwarf squirrel ( Exilisciurus whiteheadi ) is a species of squirrel from the genus of the Asian dwarf squirrel ( Exilisciurus ). It occurs on the island of Borneo .
features
The tassel dwarf squirrel reaches a head-torso length of around 8.4 to 8.8 centimeters with a weight of around 22 to 24 grams, making it one of the smallest species of squirrel in the world. The tail becomes 6.3 to 6.9 inches long, which is shorter than the rest of the body. The animals are dark brown on top, the belly is paler brown. The ears have tufts of long white hair.
distribution
The tassel dwarf squirrel occurs in northern Borneo in the Malay states of Sarawak and Sabah , the Sultanate of Brunei and the Indonesian Kalimantan . The altitude distribution ranges from about 900 to 3000 meters.
Way of life
Little information is available about the way of life of the tassel dwarf squirrel. It prefers to inhabit the dipterocarp forests of the distribution area. The species lives mainly on tree trunks and feeds mainly on lichens and mosses growing on them .
Systematics
The tassel dwarf squirrel is classified as an independent species within the genus of the Asian dwarf squirrel ( Exilisciurus ), which consists of three species. The first scientific description comes from Oldfield Thomas as Sciurus whiteheadi from 1887, who described the species on the basis of individuals from Kinabalu in the Malaysian state of Sabah.
Apart from the nominate form, no subspecies are distinguished within the species :
Status, threat and protection
The tassel dwarf 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 frequent occurrence of the species, especially at high altitudes that are little affected by habitat loss. There are no known threats to the company's existence.
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. 160-161. ISBN 978-1-4214-0469-1
- ↑ a b c d Exilisciurus whiteheadi in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2014.2. Listed by: JW Duckworth, E. Meijaard, B. Giman, KH Han, 2008. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
- ↑ a b c Exilisciurus whiteheadi 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. 160-161. ISBN 978-1-4214-0469-1
Web links
- Exilisciurus whiteheadi inthe IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2014.2. Listed by: JW Duckworth, E. Meijaard, B. Giman, KH Han, 2008. Retrieved December 26, 2014.