Sciurus deppei, Peters, 1863
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publication ID |
https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.6840226 |
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DOI |
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6818774 |
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persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/064D0660-FFE5-ED18-FF1C-F40DF8C3FE09 |
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treatment provided by |
Diego |
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scientific name |
Sciurus deppei |
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Deppe’s Squirrel
French: Ecureuil de Deppe / German: Deppe-Hdérnchen / Spanish: Ardilla de Deppe
Taxonomy. Sciurus deppei Peters, 1863 View in CoL ,
“Mexico, Papantla, [Veracruz].”
Five subspecies are recognized.
Subspecies and Distribution.
S.d.deppeiPeters,1863—FromVeracruz(Mexico),StoGuatemala,ElSalvador,andWHonduras.
S.d.matagalpaeJ.A.Allen,1908—SHondurasandNicaragua.
S.d.miravallensisHarris,1931—SNicaragua,andNCostaRica.
S.d.negligensNelson,1898—EMexico,inSTamaulipas,ESanLuisPotosi,Hidalgo,andNVeracruz.
S. d. vivax Nelson, 1901 — Yucatan Penin-
sula in Mexico, Belize, and N Guatemala.
Descriptive notes. Head-body mean 207-2 mm (males) and 210-2 mm (females), tail mean 176 mm (males) and 169-4 mm (females); weight mean 268-3 g (males) and 287-3 g (females). Deppe’s Squirrel varies greatly in color, with gray, yellow-brown, olive-brown, or brownish rust dorsum. Legs are charcoal to rust. Face can appear gray to silver-gray. Venter is grayish to straw yellow to faint rust-brown. Tail is black, interspersed with white on upper surface with colors of venter evident below and entire tail frosted with silver-gray to white. Subspecies matagalpae has yellow-brown dorsum, with predominantly yellow venter. Subspecies miravallensis has gray venter, occasionally washed with rust; dorsum is dark, grizzled yellowish brown and slightly darker along middle and top of head; and tail has white border. Subspecies negligens has prominent ears, grayer brown dorsum, and light venter. Subspecies vivax has pale rusty dorsum and prominent rostrum.
Habitat. Damp lowland tropical forests below elevations of ¢.1000 m, arid subtropical oak (Quercus, Fagaceae) woodlands and oak-pine (Pinus, Pinaceae) forests, and cloud forests sometimes above elevations of ¢.3000 m. Deppe’s Squirrel can persist in modestly fragmented forests, agricultural lands, urban areas, and secondary growth forests.
Food and Feeding. Deppe’s Squirrel is generally herbivorous and feeds on a variety of leaves,fruits, nuts, and seeds, including palm nuts, acorns, and berries. It can be opportunistically omnivorous and eat fungi and insects when encountered. Deppe’s Squirrel is primarily granivorous but does not seem to cache or hoard seeds; however, it does passively participate in seed dispersal. It will feed on agricultural crops.
Breeding. Young Deppe’s Squirrels are born at any time throughout the year. Females have litters of 4-8 young in dreys or cavities once each year.
Activity patterns. Deppe’s Squirrels are diurnal and active throughout the year. They demonstrate a bimodal pattern of activity that peaks in early morning and before sunset.
Movements, Home range and Social organization. Deppe’s Squirrels construct dreys of leaves and twigs, 2-3 m aboveground, and also appear to use cavities. They often forage on the ground in dense vegetation but are capable of using all parts of forest canopies. Densities are generally 2-2 ind/ha and as high as 100 ind/km?; in tourist areas, densities can be 32-2 ind/km?*. Although generally solitary, small groups of individuals foraging together have been reported. Home ranges average 1-5 ha. Deppe’s Squirrel is often found in areas with modest human development and activity. Although considered to be relatively secretive,it emits an alarm call when startled, described as a high-pitched trill accompanied by rapid tail flicking.
Status and Conservation. CITES Appendix III (Costa Rica). Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. Population trend of Deppe’s Squirrel is stable. Lack of information on ecology, natural history, or threats likely impedes conservation and management efforts; it might be vulnerable to deforestation. Although small-bodied, it is hunted by indigenous people for meat in some parts of Mexico. Deppe’s Squirrel is a pest near agricultural crops butis also valued by tourists at somesites.
Bibliography. Barragén et al. (2007), Best (1995g), Ceballos (2014), Eckerlin (2005), Guzman-Cornejo et al. (2007), Hidinger (1996), Koprowski, Roth, Woodman et al. (2008), Sanchez-Cordero & Martinez-Gallardo (1998), Thorington et al. (2012), Wenny (1999).
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.
