Lariscus insignis (F. Cuvier, 1821)
publication ID |
https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.6840226 |
DOI |
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6818714 |
persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/064D0660-FFD8-ED26-FAC3-F336FB9AF0E1 |
treatment provided by |
Diego |
scientific name |
Lariscus insignis |
status |
|
Three-striped Ground Squirrel
French: Ecureuil a trois raies / German: Dreistreifenhérnchen / Spanish: Ardilla terrestre de tres rayas
Taxonomy. Sciurus insignis F. Cuvier, 1821 ,
“Sumatra,”
(Indonesia). Restricted by H. J. V. Sody in 1949 to Lampongs (= Lampung), S Sumatra.
Five subspecies are recognized.
Subspecies and Distribution.
L.i.insignisF.Cuvier,1821—SumatraandEJava.
L.i.diwversusThomas,1898—Borneo.
L.i.javanusThomas&Wroughton,1909—W]Java.
L.i.peninsulaeMiller,1903—MalayPeninsula.
L. i. rostratus Miller, 1903 — Batu Is and W Sumatra.
Descriptive notes. Head-body mean 194 mm (males) and 187 mm (females), tail mean 100 mm (males) and 104 mm (females); weight mean 174-9 g (males) and 182-1 g (females). Dorsum of the Three-stripe Ground Squirrel is dark brown with three darker longitudinal stripes, venter is white or pale buff. Furis thin on body and tail is relatively flat. Nominate subspecies insignis has a variable dorsum, but is usually dark, with gray venter. In Sumatra, montane form of the Three-striped Ground Squirrel is even darker. Subspecies diversus is similar to Malayan forms, but has orange brown flanks and longertail. Subspecies javanus has dorsum and venter washed with rufous. Subspecies peninsulae has lighter and brighter yellow pelage. Venteris cream buff fading to white on chest and darkening to buff on the inner hindlegs. Hind feet are brown grizzled with yellow, front feet are brown. Subspecies rostratus has a more elongated rostrum and a darker pelage with broader black dorsal stripes.
Habitat. Primary and secondary lowland dipterocarp forests, but also in deforested habitat. In Krau Wildlife Reserve, Pahang, Malaysia, the Three-striped Ground Squirrel was captured slightly more often in disturbed areas than in pristine environments.
Food and Feeding. Diet of the Three-striped Ground Squirrel consists of fruits and nuts. There is a record of individuals eating buds of the Rafflesia (Rafflesiaceae) flower in Gunung Gading National Park, in Sarawak, Borneo. Research indicates that it may have a specialized diet, foraging for food in cooler areas, which it appears to prefer.
Breeding. There is no specific information available for this species, but a female Three-striped Ground Squirrel with two embryos was captured on the Malay Peninsula.
Activity patterns. The Three-striped Ground Squirrel is diurnal and terrestrial, and it is found mainly on the ground and low on tree buttresses or fallen trees.
Movements, Home range and Social organization. A home range of 0-1-0-2 ha was recorded for a single adult female in Ulu Gombak Forest Reserve, Selangor, Malaysia.
Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. Previously, the Three-striped Ground Squirrel was believed to be relatively common, perhaps because it is able to withstand anthropogenic disturbance, but now it is believed to be less abundant.
Bibliography. Hedges et al. (2008), Lundahl & Olsson (2002), Nowak (1999a), Payne (1980), Saiful & Nordin (2004), Saiful et al. (2001), Sody (1949), Thorington et al. (2012), Yasuda (2000).
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.