Sierra Madre ground squirrel

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Sierra Madre ground squirrel
Sierra Madre ground squirrel

Sierra Madre ground squirrel

Systematics
Subordination : Squirrel relatives (Sciuromorpha)
Family : Squirrel (Sciuridae)
Subfamily : Ground Squirrel (Xerinae)
Tribe : Real ground squirrels (Marmotini)
Genre : Callospermophilus
Type : Sierra Madre ground squirrel
Scientific name
Callospermophilus madrensis
( Merriam , 1901)

The (or) Sierra Madre ground squirrel ( Callospermophilus madrensis , Syn . : Spermophilus madrensis ) is a rodent from the squirrel family (Sciuridae). He lives in northwest Mexico .

features

The Sierra Madre ground squirrel is the smallest representative within the genus Callospermophilus , to which three species belong. It closely resembles the gold- coat ground squirrel , but is smaller, its tail is shorter, the skull is narrower, and the coat color is duller. The black stripes are shorter and less defined, the white stripes extend to the base of the tail.

The average total length of the Sierra Madre ground squirrel is 233 mm. The tail is 61 mm long on average. The skull is oversized with up to 42.8 mm. The average weight is 156 grams.

From late August to early September, when the Sierra Madre ground squirrels wear their worn summer fur, their heads and faces are often hazel brown. The eyes are framed by yellowish-brown-white rings. The lower cheeks, the sides of the muzzle and forelegs have a warm tan. The shoulders and sides of the neck are of a faded cinnamon brown and ocher yellow brown. There is little cinnamon-colored hair on the outside of the ears. The basic color of the upper body is a dark cinnamon or beige, the rear part and thighs are the darkest. The Sierra Madre ground squirrel has two matt white or pale red stripes on its back, which are often bordered by weak black stripes. It is yellowish brown-white or cinnamon brown on the sides. The tail hair has a mix of black and warm yellow-brown.

distribution and habitat

Distribution of the Sierra Madre ground squirrel

The Sierra Madre ground squirrel has been observed in the Mexican states of Chihuahua and Durango . A deposit in Sinaloa and Sonora is also being considered. It lives at altitudes between 3000 and 3750 meters.

One habitat of the Sierra Madre ground squirrel are pine forests above the pinyon pine belt. On slopes at greater heights (at around 3750 meters) it can be found under Douglas firs , pines , junipers and poplars . It is widespread in the Sierra Madre Occidental mountain range , from which the epithet of the species is derived.

Despite its extensive population, the species is listed as "Near Threatened" on the Red List of Threatened Species because all of the high-altitude pine forests that make up its habitat are extensively cleared.

Reproduction

Little is known about the reproduction of the Sierra Madre ground squirrel. During research trips in May and June, females with two to five embryos and lactating females were found in July .

Taxonomy

The Sierra Madre ground squirrel is a species of the genus Callospermophilus within the ground squirrel . The first description was in 1901 by Clinton Hart Merriam . The genus has long been classified as part of the ground squirrel (Spermophilus) and within the subgenus Callospermophilus . After a comprehensive molecular biological investigation, however, this was considered as an independent genus together with several other genera.

literature

Web links

Commons : Callospermophilus madrensis  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Richard W. Thorington Jr., John L. Koprowski, Michael A. Steele: Squirrels of the World. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD 2012; Pp. 296-298. ISBN 978-1-4214-0469-1
  2. ↑ a b c d e Troy L. Best, Howard H. Thomas: Spermophilus saturatus. In: Mammalian Species. No. 378, 1991, p. 1.
  3. ^ Troy L. Best, Howard H. Thomas: Spermophilus saturatus. In: Mammalian Species. No. 378, 1991, p. 2.
  4. ↑ Spermophilus madrensis in the red list
  5. ↑ 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 )
  6. ↑ 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