Venezuelan croissant
| Venezuelan croissant | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Systematics | ||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Sciurus flammifer | ||||||||||||
| Thomas , 1904 |
The Venezuelan squirrel ( Sciurus flammifer ) is a species of squirrel from the genus of squirrels ( Sciurus ). It is endemic to Venezuela .
features
The Venezuelan squirrel reaches a head-trunk length of about 27.2 to 30.3 centimeters, plus a tail that is about 24.2 to 30.3 centimeters long. The back fur of the animals is variable and usually grayish-brown to black with a yellowish wash. It has a reddish tinge on the head, ears and trunk. The belly is white or creamy white and delimited from the back by an orange line on the sides of the body, the cheeks and chin are yellow to orange in color. The tail is reddish to orange-red and black at the base with orange frost. Both albinism and melanism occur and are not uncommon.
distribution
The Venezuelan croissant is endemic to Venezuela south of the Orinoco from the Colombian border to around Ciudad Bolívar in the state of the same name .
Way of life
The Venezuelan squirrel lives in tropical rainforest areas of the lowlands, an occurrence in secondary forests or forests influenced by human activity has not yet been proven. Accordingly, there is only little data available on the species' way of life. The species is diurnal and arboreal. The animals are mainly found in the dense foliage of the higher tree areas and in groups of palm trees in the swampy areas. They feed mainly herbivorous particular those of tree seeds, nuts and fruits, the palm species. The nests (Kobel) are created from branches and leaves in the branches of the tall trees. There is no information about reproduction.
Systematics
The Venezuelan squirrel is classified as an independent species within the genus of squirrels ( Sciurus ), which consists of almost 30 species. The first scientific description comes from Oldfield Thomas from 1904, who described the species using individuals from the Caura Valley in the state of Bolivar in Venezuela.
Apart from the nominate form, no subspecies are distinguished within the species . The Venezuelan squirrel is closely related to the Junin squirrel ( S. pyrrhinus ), with which it forms its own subgenus Hadrosciurus within the squirrels according to some systematics .
Status, threat and protection
The Venezuelan croissant is not classified in a hazard category by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) due to insufficient data on stocks and ecological needs, but is listed as "data deficient". Due to the limited distribution area and the progressive loss of habitat through logging and deforestation , however, it is assumed that there is a risk. In addition, it is hunted like other squirrel species, although this is a subordinate risk cause in relation to the loss of habitat.
supporting documents
- ↑ a b c d e f g Richard W. Thorington Jr. , John L. Koprowski, Michael A. Steele: Squirrels of the World. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD 2012, ISBN 978-1-4214-0469-1 , pp. 50-51 .
- ↑ a b Sciurus flammifer in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2015.3. Posted by: G. Amori, J. Koprowski, L. Roth, 2008. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
- ↑ a b c Sciurus flammifer 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, ISBN 978-1-4214-0469-1 , pp. 50-51 .
Web links
- Sciurus flammifer inthe IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2015.3. Posted by: G. Amori, J. Koprowski, L. Roth, 2008. Retrieved October 29, 2015.