Bangs's mountain squirrel
Species of rodent
| Bangs's mountain squirrel | |
|---|---|
 | |
Conservation status | |
 Data Deficient (IUCN 3.1) | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Rodentia |
| Family: | Sciuridae |
| Genus: | Syntheosciurus Bangs, 1902 |
| Species: | S. brochus |
| Binomial name | |
| Syntheosciurus brochus Bangs, 1902 | |
Bangs's mountain squirrel (Syntheosciurus brochus) is a poorly known species of tree squirrel, that only lives in Costa Rica and Panama. It can be found in mountain rain forests at an altitude between 1,900 and 2,600 metres (6,200 and 8,500 ft), and lives mainly in the tree tops, but sometimes on the forest floor as well. One of its habitats is at the summit of the Poás Volcano in Costa Rica, in a Clusia forest that is almost inaccessible to humans.
Description
The squirrel's head and body measure 15 centimetres (5.9 in), with a 13 centimetres (5.1 in) tail. It has an olive brown back and an orange-red belly. Because of the shape of its skull and teeth, the species has been separated from the genus of typical tree squirrels, Sciurus, into its own (monotypical) genus Syntheosciurus.
Recent discovery
Until the 1980s, only four animals of this species were known. Since then, the species has been studied more in depth, especially by the zoologists N.M.Wells and J.Giacalone, who write that these mountain squirrels are sociable creatures. These squirrels live in pairs, together with their young, in a tree nest at a height of 6 to 12 metres (20–39 ft).
References
- Koprowski, J.; Roth, L.; Reid, F.; Woodman, N.; Timm, R.; Pino, J. & Samudio. R. (2008). "Syntheosciurus brochus". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2008. IUCN: e.T21260A9262389. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T21260A9262389.en. Retrieved 24 December 2017.
- Ronald M. Nowak: Walker's Mammals of the World. Johns Hopkins University Press, 1999 ISBN 0-8018-5789-9
- Robert K. Enders: Observations on Syntheosciurus: taxonomy and behavior. Journal of Mammalogy 1980, Bd. 61, S. 725-727
- J. Giacalone, N.M. Wells, G. Willis: Observations on Syntheosciurus brochus (Sciuridae) in Volcán Poás National Park. Journal of Mammalogy 1987, Bd. 68, S. 145-147
- v
- t
- e
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Mammalia
- Order: Rodentia
- Suborder: Sciuromorpha
(Dwarf squirrels)
- Central American dwarf squirrel (Microsciurus alfari)
- Amazon dwarf squirrel (Microsciurus flaviventer)
- Western dwarf squirrel (Microsciurus mimulus)
- Santander dwarf squirrel (Microsciurus santanderensis)
- Tufted ground squirrel (Rheithrosciurus macrotis)
- Subgenus Guerlinguetus
- Brazilian squirrel (Sciurus aestuans)
- South Yungas red squirrel (Sciurus argentinius)
- Yellow-throated squirrel (Sciurus gilvigularis)
- Red-tailed squirrel (Sciurus granatensis)
- Bolivian squirrel (Sciurus ignitus)
- Atlantic Forest squirrel (Sciurus ingrami)
- Andean squirrel (Sciurus pucheranii)
- Richmond's squirrel (Sciurus richmondi)
- Sanborn's squirrel (Sciurus sanborni)
- Guayaquil squirrel (Sciurus stramineus)
- Subgenus Hadrosciurus
- Fiery squirrel (Sciurus flammifer)
- Junín red squirrel (Sciurus pyrrhinus)
- Subgenus Hesperosciurus
- Western gray squirrel (Sciurus griseus)
- Subgenus Otosciurus
- Abert's squirrel (Sciurus aberti)
- Subgenus Sciurus
- Allen's squirrel (Sciurus alleni)
- Arizona gray squirrel (Sciurus arizonensis)
- Mexican gray squirrel (Sciurus aureogaster)
- Eastern gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis)
- Collie's squirrel (Sciurus colliaei)
- Deppe's squirrel (Sciurus deppei)
- Japanese squirrel (Sciurus lis)
- Calabrian black squirrel (Sciurus meridionalis)
- Mexican fox squirrel (Sciurus nayaritensis)
- Fox squirrel (Sciurus niger)
- Peters's squirrel (Sciurus oculatus)
- Variegated squirrel (Sciurus variegatoides)
- Red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris)
- Yucatan squirrel (Sciurus yucatanensis)
- Subgenus Tenes
- Caucasian squirrel (Sciurus anomalus)
- Subgenus Urosciurus
- Northern Amazon red squirrel (Sciurus igniventris)
- Southern Amazon red squirrel (Sciurus spadiceus)
- Bangs's mountain squirrel (Syntheosciurus brochus)
(Pine squirrels)
- Douglas squirrel (Tamiasciurus douglasii)
- Southwestern red squirrel (Tamiasciurus fremonti)
- American red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus)
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