Tamias sibiricus (Laxmann, 1769)
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publication ID |
https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.6840226 |
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DOI |
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6818934 |
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persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/064D0660-FF81-ED7C-FF6E-F9D3F638F1D8 |
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treatment provided by |
Diego |
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scientific name |
Tamias sibiricus |
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Siberian Chipmunk
French: Tamia de Sibérie / German: Burunduk / Spanish: Ardilla listada de Siberia
Taxonomy. Sciurus sibiricus Laxmann, 1769 ,
“Vicinity of Barnaul,”
Altaisk Krai, Russia.
Nine subspecies are recognized.
Subspecies and Distribution.
T.s.asiaticusGmelin,1788—NoftheSea ofOkhotsk,fromNCSiberiatothebaseofKamchatkaPeninsula(RussianFarEast).
T.s.ordinalisThomas,1909—NCChina,intheOrdosDesertregioninInnerMongolia,Ningxia,Gansu,andShaanxi).
T.s.senescensMiller,1898—NEChina,likelytheprovincesofHebei,Liaoning,andShandong.
T. s. umbrosus A. H. Howell, 1927 — C China (Gansu). Individuals of unclear subspecific status have been introduced into and become established in W Europe (Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Netherlands, Belgium, France, and Italy) and Honshu I (Japan).
Descriptive notes. Head-body 147-5-150-5 mm, tail 106-5-116-2 mm; weight 93-4— 99-5 g. The Siberian Chipmunk is a large species of Tamias, with tail length shorter than body length. Dorsum has five longitudinal dark stripes, with a white stripe between the two most lateral dark stripes. Head, sides, and spaces between the three innerstripes are yellowish brown. Nominate sibiricus is a darker and less brightly colored form. Subspecies asiaticus has a gray rump. Subspecies lineatusis more pale on hips and top of head than orientalis. Head, lower back, and rump of okadae are a deep rusty red. Tail is nearly black with hoary hair tips and underparts are nearly white. Subspecies ordinalis is similar to senescens, but ordinalis is a much paler form. Subspecies orientalisis similar to senescens, but orientalis is brighter and ruddier. Also, the clearly defined white supraorbital stripe extends to the nose. Outer dorsal light stripes are ruddier than inner stripes. There is no description available for pallasi. Subspecies senescens is similar to ordinalis. Subspecies umbrosus differs from senescens by its lack of gray hairs on head and shoulders. Head color is darker and duller.
Habitat. Mostly boreal coniferous forests throughout its distribution, primarily utilizing Siberian pine (Pinus sibirica, Pinaceae) and mixed stands. In Japan, it is reported in forests dominated by oaks (Quercus, Fagaceae).
Food and Feeding. Diet of the Siberian Chipmunk consists mostly of conifer seeds, but it also consumes herbaceous plants, insects, mollusks, and avian eggs and nestlings. It is a significant predator of the dusky warbler (Phylloscopusfuscatus) and may cause mortality rates of 80-90% in the young of this bird; presence of the Siberian Chipmunk probably influences nestssite selection by the dusky warbler.
Breeding. Female Siberian Chipmunks enter estrus for a single day, shortly after emerging from hibernation—between April and June depending on geographic location. During estrus they emit three distinctive reproductive calls. One of these calls is used to advertise reproductive status, but all three are used during courtship. After a gestation of 30-31 days, the female gives birth to a litter of 1-8 young, with an average of4-4 in captivity and 4-6 in the wild in Japan. Only one litter is produced yearly, but in captivity Siberian Chipmunks can produce a second litter in a year. Young are weaned at ¢.28-30 weeks and reach sexual maturity at c.1 year.
Activity patterns. The Siberian Chipmunk is diurnal and terrestrial, but climbs well and sometimes builds nests in tree stumps or logs. Its burrows are simple, shallow, and are used mostly as nests and larders to store food. Structure of the burrow changes during the hibernation period. Early in hibernation, the burrow has only one nest chamber with the entrance closed by a plug. Later in hibernation,it digs one or two secondary chambers and further blocks the entrance tunnel. In spring,it digs a new exit tunnel and fills in secondary chambers. Females are the first to begin hibernation, followed by males and then juveniles. Burrows are used by an individual or can be shared between a mother and her young.
Movements, Home range and Social organization. The Siberian Chipmunk is not territorial, but home ranges of males tend to overlap more with home ranges of females than with other males. Home ranges within an introduced population in France were estimated to be 1-9 ha and 0-76 ha for males and females, respectively, with more than 80% overlap and considerable site fidelity over two years.
Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. Current population trend is stable, and the Siberian Chipmunk is relatively common acrossits distribution. Currently, it is faced with no major threats across its entire distribution. Localized threats include natural and human-caused wildfires. Subspecies lineatus may be hybridizing with feral continental individuals in urban areas ofJapan. Introduced populations may be contributing to the decline of the endangered Eurasian Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris).
Bibliography. Bertolino (2009), Bertolino & Genovesi (2005), Bertolino et al. (2000), Blake (1992), Blake & Gillett (1988), Ellis & Maxson (1979), Forstmeier & Weiss (2002, 2004), Gromov et al. (1965), Kaneko & Hashimoto (1981), Kawamichi, M. (1989, 1996), Kawamichi, T. & Kawamichi (1993), Koh Hung-Sun, Wang Jinxing et al. (2009), Koh Hung-Sun, Zhang Minghai etal. (2010), Levenson et al. (1985), Li Tangliang et al. (2004), Marmet et al. (2009), Matsui et al. (2000), Niethammer & Krapp (1978), Oshida (1994), Pisanu et al. (2009), Smith & Yan Xie (2008), Thorington et al. (2012), Tsytsulina, Formozov, Shar et al. (2008), Vourc'h et al. (2008).
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