Paraxerus flavouvittis (Peters, 1852)
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publication ID |
https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.6840226 |
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DOI |
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6819101 |
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persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/064D0660-FFB2-ED4F-FF79-F644F696F331 |
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treatment provided by |
Diego |
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scientific name |
Paraxerus flavouvittis |
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Striped Bush Squirrel
French: Ecureuil a raies jaunes / German: Gestreiftes Buschhérnchen / Spanish: Ardilla de matorral rayada
Taxonomy. Sciurus flavovittis Peters, 1852 ,
Coast of Mocimboa, NE Mozambique.
Four subspecies are recognized.
Subspecies and Distribution.
P.f.flavovittisPeters,1852—EMozambique(Cabaceiraregion).
P.f.exgeanusHinton,1920—SETanzania.
P.f.ibeanusHinton,1920—SEKenyaandNETanzania.
P. f. mossambicus Thomas, 1919 — NE Mo-
zambique (Mocimboa to at least Lumbo).
Records for this species from SE Malawi are not identified to the subspecies level.
Descriptive notes. Head-body mean 167-8 mm (males) and 170-6 mm (females), tail mean 157-4 mm (males) and 163 mm (females). No specific data are available for body weight. The Striped Bush Squirrel is notable forits larger size and pale and dark lateral stripes. There is a 10mm yellow-to-white stripe and more ventral dark stripe on sides. Dorsal pelage and head vary in color, individually or seasonally due to molting, from red-brown to olive-brown, particularly in populations through northern Mozambique. Pelage on forelimbs, shoulders, (occasionally) crown, and lumbar area is highlighted with ocher. Feet and ventral pelage are whitish, and there are two white stripes running from nose to bottom of ears surrounding eyes. Long tail increases in thickness and is faintly ringed black and white toward distal tip. Subspecies exgeanus has shorter
and narrower (5 mm wide) lateral stripe. Subspecies beanus has fainter facial stripes and shorter and broaderside stripes. Subspecies mossambicus has lateral white or ivory stripes, framed by uniformly dark pelage; crown and back of head are pure dark gray; dorsal pelage is dark olive-brown.
Habitat. Savannas, forests, thickets, cultivated land, and groves of sugar plum (Uapaca, Phyllanthaceae).
Food and Feeding. The Striped Bush Squirrel is omnivorous and forages on the ground and in the tree canopy for fruits, seeds, buds, leaves, roots, and some animal matter. It is a crop pest on millet and other cultivated grains.
Breeding. Young are born in March-September. Females raise young independently in nests of fibers and grass in tree hollows.
Activity patterns. Striped Bush Squirrels are diurnal and arboreal.
Movements, Home range and Social organization. Striped Bush Squirrels are thought to socialize mostly in pairs.
Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. No data are available on population trends. The Striped Bush Squirrel is widely distributed and presumably has large populations. It occurs in protected areas and is tolerant of some habitat modification. Overall, there are no major threats, and it is unlikely to be declining fast enough to qualify for listing in a more threatened category.
Bibliography. Hinton (1920), Kingdon (1974, 1997), Thorington et al. (2012).
No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.
