Plantain squirrel

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Plantain squirrel
Squirrel--Bukit-Timah.jpg
Callosciurus notatus in Singapore Zoo.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Family: Sciuridae
Genus: Callosciurus
Species:
C. notatus
Binomial name
Callosciurus notatus
(Boddaert, 1785)
Subspecies [2]
  • C. n. notatus
  • C. n. diardii
  • C. n. vittatus
  • C. n. suffusus
  • C. n. miniatus
Callosciurus notatus distribution.png
Distribution in red

The plantain squirrel, oriental squirrel or tricoloured squirrel (Callosciurus notatus) is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae found in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand in a wide range of habitats: forests, mangroves, parks, gardens, and agricultural areas. Fruit farmers consider them to be pests.

Contents

Plantain Squirrel Plantain Squirrel.jpg
Plantain Squirrel
Mating pair Squirrels Mating SG.jpg
Mating pair

Description

Its body is about 20–30 cm (8–12 in) long with a similar-sized tail. It is greyish/brown with a chestnut belly and a black and white stripe on the side. It is very quick and agile in trees, able to jump a few metres between trees, and rarely wanders on the ground.

Diet

Its diet consists mostly of leaves and fruits, but it also eats insects and bird eggs. It is known to break open twigs that contain ant larvae to eat them. [3] It can eat fruits much bigger than itself, such as mangoes, jackfruit, or coconuts.

Taxonomy

The genus name Callosciurus means "beautiful squirrel". Kloss's squirrel (Callosciurus albescens) is sometimes considered a subspecies.

Related Research Articles

<i>Callosciurus</i> Genus of "beautiful" squirrels from Asia

Callosciurus is a genus of squirrels collectively referred to as the "beautiful squirrels". They are found mainly in Southeast Asia, though a few species also occur in Nepal, northeastern India, Bangladesh and southern China. Several of the species have settled on islands. In total, the genus contains 15 species and numerous varieties and subspecies. The genera Glyphotes, Rubrisciurus, and Tamiops have sometimes been included in Callosciurus.

The red-bellied squirrel or Sulawesi giant squirrel is a species of squirrel. Until recently, it was described as a species in the genus Callosciurus, but since the 1990s it is generally placed in its own genus Rubrisciurus. It is endemic on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, where it is widespread. It has also been found on Sangir Island to the north of Sulawesi. With a length of 25 cm, it is rather large for a squirrel. It lives in the tree tops of the rainforests of the island.

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

The black flying squirrel or large black flying squirrel is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is found in Brunei, Indonesia, and Malaysia; its habitat is primary and secondary forests and gardens where it uses tree hollows. It feeds on fruits, nuts and other vegetable matter. It is likely not threatened and is adaptable to habitat loss. Black flying squirrels tend to have smaller populations than other squirrels because female black flying squirrels breed infrequently and have a small litter size of just one young.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ear-spot squirrel</span> Species of "beautiful" squirrel from Borneo

The ear-spot squirrel is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is endemic to Borneo and is diurnal and active mainly in small trees. It closely resembles the plantain squirrel, but is smaller and with a distinct pale buffy patch behind each ear.

The Kinabalu squirrel is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is endemic to highland forest in East Malaysia. Its name is a reference to Mount Kinabalu, though it is not restricted to this mountain. Its tail and upperparts are grizzled blackish, the underparts are reddish-orange, and the flanks have a narrow buff stripe with a broader black stripe below.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grey-bellied squirrel</span> Species of "beautiful" squirrel from Asia

The grey-bellied squirrel is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is found in forests, plantations and gardens in Peninsular Malaysia, Thailand, southern Myanmar, southern China (Yunnan) and possibly western Laos. It has been introduced in the Ryukyu Islands in Japan. As suggested by its name, its belly is usually grey, though sometimes reddish on the sides. Depending on subspecies and season, the upperparts are grey, yellowish-olive or reddish.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Finlayson's squirrel</span> Species of "beautiful" squirrel from Southeast Asia

Finlayson's squirrel or the variable squirrel is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is found in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. The species occurs in a wide range of wooded habitats, including gardens and parks in cities like Bangkok. It was named in honour of the Scottish naturalist and traveller George Finlayson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Inornate squirrel</span> Species of "beautiful" squirrel from Asia

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mentawai squirrel</span> Species of "beautiful" squirrel from Indonesia

The Mentawai squirrel is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is one of 20 or so species endemic to the Mentawai Islands off the west coast of Sumatra. There are three subspecies: C. m. melanogaster, C. m. mentawi, and C. m. atratus. This small isolated population is listed as "Vulnerable" by the IUCN due to habitat loss.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Borneo black-banded squirrel</span> Species of "beautiful" squirrel from Borneo

The Borneo black-banded squirrel is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is endemic to northern Borneo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phayre's squirrel</span> Species of "beautiful" squirrel from Asia

Phayre's squirrel is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is found in forests in China and Myanmar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prevost's squirrel</span> Species of "beautiful" squirrel from Southeast Asia

Prevost's squirrel or Asian tri-coloured squirrel is a colourful species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is found in forests in the Thai-Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Borneo and nearby smaller islands, with an introduced population in northern Sulawesi. Although the Prevost's squirrel is declining in some regions because of habitat loss and hunting, the species is not considered threatened since it generally remains common and widespread. It can live in somewhat disturbed habitats and often visits plantations or gardens. It mostly feeds on plant material, especially fruits, but also takes insects.

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The Irrawaddy squirrel or hoary-bellied Himalayan squirrel is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae.

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">Smoky flying squirrel</span> Species of rodent

The smoky flying squirrel is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is monotypic within the genus Pteromyscus. It is found in parts of Brunei, Indonesia, Peninsular Malaysia, and southern Thailand, but its range may be more extensive than currently mapped. Their natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forests. It is listed as an endangered species because of estimated population loss of 50% in past and future, judging from extensive and rapid habitat loss.

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

The tufted ground squirrel or groove-toothed squirrel is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is the sole species in the genus Rheithrosciurus. It is found only on the island of Borneo. Confirmed elements of its diet include nuts, seeds and insects, for which it has been filmed foraging on the forest floor.

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

The rock squirrel is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is native to Mexico and the Southwestern United States, including southern Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, West Texas, and the panhandle of Oklahoma.

Kloss's squirrel or Kloss squirrel is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is endemic to northern Sumatra in Indonesia. Population data is insufficient to assess its conservation status according to the IUCN. It is sometimes considered a subspecies of C. notatus.

References

  1. Duckworth, J. W. (2017) [errata version of 2016 assessment]. "Callosciurus notatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T3600A115065317. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T3600A22254046.en . Retrieved 30 September 2023.
  2. 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.
  3. Anja Leo, Damage to Macaranga ant-plants by a myrmecophagous squirrel (Callosciurus notatus, Rodentia, Sciuridae) in West Malaysia Archived 2015-09-24 at the Wayback Machine