Sciurus oculatus, 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.6818776 |
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persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/064D0660-FFE5-ED19-FA19-F696FE60F408 |
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treatment provided by |
Diego |
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scientific name |
Sciurus oculatus |
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Peters’s Squirrel
French: Ecureuil de Peters / German: Peters-Hornchen / Spanish: Ardilla de Peters
Taxonomy. Sciurus oculatus Peters, 1863 View in CoL ,
“Eastern Mexico.”
Restricted by E. W. Nel-
son in 1899 to “near Las Vigas, [Veracruz], Mexico.”
Three subspecies are recognized.
Subspecies and Distribution.
S.o.oculatusPeters,1863—ECMexico.
S.o.shawiDalquest,1950—NCMexico.
S. o. tolucae Nelson, 1898 — WC Mexico.
Descriptive notes. Head-body 508-560 mm, tail 256-269 mm; weight 550-750 g. Peters’s Squirrel has grizzled gray dorsum; some subspecies have medial black band. Eye ring is white to buff. Venter is white, pale yellow, ocherous buff. Tail is bushy and black, suffused with white above and sometimes yellow below. Nominate oculatus has black medial band along dorsum. Subspecies shawi has pale gray dorsum; venter is pinkish cinnamon. Subspecies tolucae has medial dorsal band of gray, with grayish white or bufty venter.
Habitat. Pine (Pinus), fir (Abies, both Pinaceae), and oak (Quercus, Fagaceae) forests in arid mountains.
Food and Feeding. Peters’s Squirrel is herbivorous and feeds on tree seeds, nuts, and fruits including almonds, acorns, and wild figs.
Breeding. Breeding of Peter’s Squirrels occurs in late spring when up to 20 males might chase a female. Juveniles have been reported in July-August.
Activity patterns. Peters’s Squirrels are diurnal and active throughout the year.
Movements, Home range and Social organization. Peters’s Squirrel constructs round dreys of leaves and twigs. Individuals live and forage alone, only occasionally interacting with others at concentrated food sources. Foraging occurs in all canopy levels, with significant time spent on the ground. Peter’s Squirrels are able to leap across 2m gaps between trees.
Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. Population trend of Peter’s Squirrel is unknown. It is considered an endangered species in Mexico. A near complete lack of information on ecology, natural history, or threats likely impedes conservation and management efforts; it might be vulnerable to deforestation, with 56% loss of habitat throughout the distribution. This large-bodied squirrel is hunted in many localities, primarily for food.
Bibliography. Best (1995c¢), Ceballos (2014), Monterrubio-Rico et al. (2013), Nelson (1899b), Sanchez-Cordero et al. (2005), 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.
