Ring-tailed ground squirrel
| Ring-tailed ground squirrel | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Systematics | ||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Notocitellus annulatus | ||||||||||||
| ( Audubon & Bachman , 1842) |
The ring- tailed ground squirrel ( Notocitellus annulatus , syn .: Spermophilus annulatus ) is a species of squirrel from the genus Notocitellus . It occurs exclusively in the area of the Pacific coast in western Mexico .
features
The curly-tailed ground squirrel reaches a head-trunk length of about 20.9 to 22.1 centimeters and a tail length of 20.7 to 21.5 centimeters, the weight is about 200 to 390 grams. The tail is therefore comparatively long for a ground squirrel with a length that corresponds to more than 90% of the head-trunk length. Both species of the genus have a black-gray speckled back, which results from the black-pale black banding of the back hair. The animals have a reddish color on the face, neck and tail. The fur is rough compared to the rather soft fur of other species of ground squirrels. The body is long and slender, the tail is narrow and only slightly bushy and corresponds more to that of the tree squirrel than that of other ground squirrels.
The ring- tailed ground squirrel differs from the very similar, but somewhat smaller, tropical ground squirrel ( Notocitellus adocetus ) primarily in its somewhat stronger, darker and more reddish fur color, larger ears and longer and narrower snout. He also has clear, bright tail rings.
distribution
The ring-tailed ground squirrel occurs only in the area of the Pacific coast in western Mexico , where it is correspondingly endemic . The distribution area includes parts of the Mexican states of Nayarit , Jalisco , Colima , Michoacán and the northern Guerrero . The altitude distribution extends to about 1200 meters.
Way of life
The ring-tailed ground squirrel lives mainly in dry deciduous forests on the Pacific coast up to heights of around 1200 meters. The natural vegetation of its habitat often consists of figs , oil palms , acacia and prosopis bushes. The ground squirrel lives on the ground as a ground squirrel and mainly digs burrows in the sandy to stony ground, but can also create nests in tree hollows. It is diurnal, social, and active most of the year; However, in the summer with the highest temperatures there are occasional periods of rest. When seeds are available, the animals are primarily granivorous, but otherwise omnivorous . They primarily eat various available seeds, nuts and fruits, as well as agriculturally grown crops. The animals are good climbers and climb into the trees, where they usually stay a few meters above the ground. The animals use high shouts to communicate when people or potential predators are nearby and then hide. Reproduction takes place in the dry season from December to June, but hardly any information is available about reproductive behavior. Predators are not known; only botflies of the genus Cuterebra have been identified as ectoparasites .
Systematics
The ring- tailed ground squirrel is classified as an independent species within the genus Notocitellus , which consists of two species and includes the tropical ground squirrel ( Notocitellus adocetus ). The first scientific description comes from John James Audubon and John Bachman from 1842, who described the species on the basis of individuals from Manzanillo in the state of Colima. The two species have long been classified as part of the ground squirrel ( Spermophilus ), but after a comprehensive molecular biological investigation, Notocitellus is considered as an independent genus together with several other genera.
Within the species, together with the nominate form, two subspecies are distinguished:
- Notocitellus annulatus annulatus : nominate form; occurs in the northern third of the range from Nayarit to Jalisco.
- Notocitellus annulatus goldmani : In the southern parts of the distribution area from Jalisco to Guerrero. Compared to the nominate form, the reddish color on the face, neck and tail is less intense.
Status, threat and protection
The ring-tailed squirrel is classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) as "not endangered" (least concern). This is justified with the relatively large distribution area, the assumed large populations and the only slight decline. There are no known potential risks to the company's existence.
supporting documents
- ↑ a b c d e f g h Richard W. Thorington Jr. , John L. Koprowski, Michael A. Steele: Squirrels of the World. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD 2012; Pp. 291-292. ISBN 978-1-4214-0469-1
- ↑ a b c Kristofer M. Helgen, F. Russell Cole, Lauren E. Helgen, Don E. Wilson: Generic Revision in the holarctic ground squirrels genus Spermophilus. Journal of Mammalogy 90 (2), 2009; Pp. 270-305. doi : 10.1644 / 07-MAMM-A-309.1
- ↑ a b c Notocitellus annulatus in the Red List of Threatened Species of IUCN 2015-4. Posted by: ST Álvarez-Castañeda, I. Castro-Arellano, T. Lacher, E. Vázquez, 2008. Retrieved January 11, 2016.
- ↑ Spermophilus annulatus 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 .
- ↑ Matthew D. Herron, Todd A. Castoe, Christopher L. Parkinson: Sciurid phylogeny and the paraphyly of holarctic ground squirrels (Spermophilus). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 31, 2004; Pp. 1015-1030. ( Full text , PMID 15120398 )
literature
- Richard W. Thorington Jr. , John L. Koprowski, Michael A. Steele: Squirrels of the World. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD 2012; Pp. 291-292. ISBN 978-1-4214-0469-1
Web links
- Notocitellus annulatus onthe IUCN 2015-4 Red List of Threatened Species . Posted by: ST Álvarez-Castañeda, I. Castro-Arellano, T. Lacher, E. Vázquez, 2008. Retrieved January 11, 2016.