Fire-footed rope squirrel

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Fire-footed rope squirrel
Funisciurus pyrropus.png
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Family: Sciuridae
Genus: Funisciurus
Species:
F. pyrropus
Binomial name
Funisciurus pyrropus
(F. Cuvier, 1833)
Subspecies [2]
  • F. p. pyrropus
  • F. p. akka
  • F. p. leonis
  • F. p. leucostigma
  • F. p. mandingo
  • F. p. nigrensis
  • F. p. niveatus
  • F. p. pembertoni
  • F. p. talboti
Funisciurus pyrropus distribution.svg
Geographic range

The fire-footed rope squirrel (Funisciurus pyrropus) is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae.

Contents

Description

It is a relatively small rodent with an adult averaging at a height of 8.1 inches (204.81 mm). Adults weigh between 225 and 240 grams (7.9 and 8.5 oz).

Habitat

It is found in West and Central Africa from Senegal to Uganda and south to Angola. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, moist savanna, and plantations.

Diet

They are primarily herbivores. Their main diet consists of fruit and seeds. When food is scarce, they resort to eating small termites and ants.

Mating

Several male squirrels chase a single female squirrel in a ritualistic chase. They bear litters of one to two pups. [3]

References

  1. Cassola, F. (2017) [errata version of 2016 assessment]. "Funisciurus pyrropus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T8762A115089084. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T8762A22270593.en . Retrieved 15 February 2025.
  2. Thorington, R.W. Jr; Hoffman, R.S. (2005). "Family Sciuridae". In Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 754–818. ISBN   978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC   62265494.
  3. "Funisciurus pyrropus". Global Biodiversity Information Facility . Retrieved 2023-02-27.