Gambian sun squirrel

Last updated

Gambian sun squirrel [1]
Heliosciurus 2.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Family: Sciuridae
Genus: Heliosciurus
Species:
H. gambianus
Binomial name
Heliosciurus gambianus
(Ogilby, 1835)
Subspecies
  • H. g. gambianus
  • H. g. abassensis
  • H. g. bongensis
  • H. g. canaster
  • H. g. dysoni
  • H. g. elegans
  • H. g. hoogstraali
  • H. g. kaffensis
  • H. g. lateris
  • H. g. limbutas
  • H. g. loandicus
  • H. g. madogae
  • H. g. multicolor
  • H. g. omensis
  • H. g. rhodesiae
  • H. g. senescens
Synonyms
  • Sciurus gambianus

The Gambian sun squirrel (Heliosciurus gambianus) is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is found in Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, and Zambia. Its natural habitat is wooded savanna.

Contents

Taxonomy

The Gambian sun squirrel was first described by the Irish naturalist William Ogilby in 1835 as Sciurus gambianus. It was designated the type species of the genus Sciurus after the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature decided to suppress the use of the Sciurus annulatus for this purpose in 1957. The species was later reallocated to the genus Heliosciurus . [3] It is probably a species complex of several described species. [2]

Description

The Gambian sun squirrel has a head-and-body length of between 170 and 240 mm (6.7 and 9.4 in) and a tail of between 180 and 260 mm (7.1 and 10.2 in). The pelage is variably coloured but is usually greyish with a grizzled appearance. There is a paler grey ring around the eye, and the throat and underparts are also pale. The tail is boldly ringed in black and white, there being about fourteen rings. [4]

Distribution and habitat

The Gambian sun squirrel occurs across tropical Africa, its range extending from Senegal and the Gambia, to Ethiopia and Kenya. A separate population is further south in Angola and Tanzania. It inhabits wooded savanna and other grassland with scattered trees, moving through the branches but sometimes descending to the ground. [4] It also inhabits plantations and other cultivated areas. [2]

Status

The Gambian sun squirrel is a common grassland species with a wide range and a presumed large total population. The population trend has not been evaluated but no particular threats have been recognised; it is able to adapt to habitats modified by humans and is present in a number of protected areas. For these reasons, the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern". [2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bohor reedbuck</span> Species of mammal

The bohor reedbuck is an antelope native to central Africa. The animal is placed under the genus Redunca and in the family Bovidae. It was first described by German zoologist and botanist Peter Simon Pallas in 1767. The bohor reedbuck has five subspecies. The head-and-body length of this medium-sized antelope is typically between 100–135 cm (39–53 in). Males reach approximately 75–89 cm (30–35 in) at the shoulder, while females reach 69–76 cm (27–30 in). Males typically weigh 43–65 kg (95–143 lb) and females 35–45 kg (77–99 lb). This sturdily built antelope has a yellow to grayish brown coat. Only the males possess horns which measure about 25–35 cm (9.8–13.8 in) long.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sun squirrel</span> Genus of rodents

Sun squirrels, form a taxon of squirrels under the subfamily Xerinae and the tribe Protoxerini. They are only found in sub-Saharan Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Typical striped grass mouse</span> Species of rodent

The typical striped grass mouse is a small rodent of the suborder Myomorpha in the family Muridae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White-bellied yellow bat</span> Species of bat

The white-bellied yellow bat or white-bellied house bat, is a species of vesper bat in the genus Scotophilus, the house bats. It can be found in Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Ivory Coast, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Mali, Mauritania, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Togo, Uganda, and Zambia. It is found in dry and moist savanna and open woodland. It is a common species with a very wide range, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Schreber's yellow bat</span> Species of bat

Schreber's yellow bat or the giant house bat, is a species of vesper bat. It is found in Benin, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, and Zimbabwe. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, dry savanna, and moist savanna. It is an uncommon species and its biology is poorly known. It was first described in 1774 by the German naturalist Johann Christian Daniel von Schreber, who named it Vespertilio nigrita. It was later transferred to the genus Scotophilus, making it Scotophilus nigrita.

The West African shaggy rat is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found in Benin, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical seasonally wet or flooded lowland grassland and swamps. It is a common species and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as being of "least concern".

Lemniscomys linulus, commonly known as the Senegal grass mouse or Senegal one-striped grass mouse, is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found in Ivory Coast, Guinea, Mali, and Senegal and its natural habitat is dry savanna. At one time considered to be a subspecies of Lemniscomys griselda, it is now accepted as a species in its own right.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hildegarde's broad-headed mouse</span> Species of rodent

Hildegarde's broad-headed mouse or Hildegarde's zelotomys is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found in Central Africa.

Thomas's rope squirrel or redless tree squirrel is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is found in Benin, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and Nigeria. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is a common species and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated it as being of "least concern".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lady Burton's rope squirrel</span> Species of rodent native to central Africa

The Lady Burton's rope squirrel is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is found in Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, and Gabon. Its natural habitats are tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forest. It is a common species with a wide range, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated it as being of "least concern".

Kellen's dormouse is a species of rodent in the family Gliridae. It is native to tropical Africa where its range extends from the Gambia and Senegal to Kenya and Tanzania. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, and moist or dry savannah.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mutable sun squirrel</span> Species of rodent

The mutable sun squirrel is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is found in Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, subtropical or tropical moist montane forest, moist savanna, and subtropical or tropical high-altitude grassland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red-legged sun squirrel</span> Species of rodent

The red-legged sun squirrel is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae, also commonly known as the isabelline red-legged sun squirrel. It is native to tropical western and central Africa where its range extends from Senegal in the west, through Nigeria and the Republic of Congo to Uganda and Tanzania in the east. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and moist savanna. This species is thought to be common and has a very wide distribution, so the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as being of "least concern".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zanj sun squirrel</span> Species of rodent

The Zanj sun squirrel is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae found in eastern Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Forest giant squirrel</span> Species of rodent

The forest giant squirrel or Stanger's squirrel is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae found in Angola, Benin, Burundi, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Togo, and Uganda. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and plantations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bicolored musk shrew</span> Species of mammal

The bicolored musk shrew is a species of mammal in the family Soricidae. It is found in Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Its natural habitats are savanna, subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland, and hot deserts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">African savanna hare</span> Species of mammal

The African savanna hare is a mammal species in the family Leporidae, native to Africa. It is listed as "least concern" on the IUCN Red List.

References

  1. ↑ Thorington, R.W. Jr.; Hoffmann, 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.). The Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 754–818. ISBN   0-8018-8221-4. OCLC   26158608.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Grubb, P. & Ekué, M. R. M. (2008). "Heliosciurus gambianus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2008. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
  3. ↑ Don E. Wilson; DeeAnn M. Reeder (2005). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference. JHU Press. p. 793. ISBN   978-0-8018-8221-0.
  4. 1 2 Jonathan Kingdon (2015). The Kingdon Field Guide to African Mammals: Second Edition. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 227. ISBN   978-1-4729-2531-2.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.