Antelope squirrel
Encyclopedia
The antelope squirrels or antelope ground squirrels are the genus Ammospermophilus of sciurids found in the southwestern United States
and northern Mexico
.
The antelope squirrels are ground squirrel
s. They live in desert or dry scrub areas. Since it's very hot, the Antelope Squirrel has a special adaptation. The Antelope Squirrel is able to resist Hyperthermia
and can survive body temperatures over 104°F.
Five species
are currently recognised, with ranges that overlap little. They are:
All are somewhat similar in appearance and behavior. They are around 14–17 cm long with a 6–10 cm tail, and weigh
110–150 grams. The tail is somewhat flattened. They have a single white stripe on the body and none on the face. They live in burrows, which they dig for themselves. They are diurnal
, and do not hibernate
(though they become less active during the winter), so they are fairly easily seen.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and northern Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
.
The antelope squirrels are ground squirrel
Ground squirrel
The ground squirrels are members of the squirrel family of rodents which generally live on or in the ground, rather than trees. The term is most often used for the medium-sized ground squirrels, as the larger ones are more commonly known as marmots or prairie dogs, while the smaller and less...
s. They live in desert or dry scrub areas. Since it's very hot, the Antelope Squirrel has a special adaptation. The Antelope Squirrel is able to resist Hyperthermia
Hyperthermia
Hyperthermia is an elevated body temperature due to failed thermoregulation. Hyperthermia occurs when the body produces or absorbs more heat than it can dissipate...
and can survive body temperatures over 104°F.
Five species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
are currently recognised, with ranges that overlap little. They are:
- Harris's antelope squirrelHarris's Antelope SquirrelHarris's antelope squirrel is a species of rodent in the Sciuridae family.It is found in Mexico and the United States.-References:...
, A. harrisii (southern ArizonaArizonaArizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, SonoraSonoraSonora officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sonora is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 72 municipalities; the capital city is Hermosillo....
) - San Joaquin antelope squirrelSan Joaquin Antelope SquirrelThe San Joaquin antelope squirrel or Nelson's antelope squirrel.Ammospermophilus nelsoni, is a species of antelope squirrel, in the San Joaquin Valley of the U.S. state of California.-Distribution and habitat:...
or Nelson's Antelope squirrel, A. nelsoni (San Joaquin ValleySan Joaquin ValleyThe San Joaquin Valley is the area of the Central Valley of California that lies south of the Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta in Stockton...
of CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
); endangered - White-tailed antelope squirrelWhite-tailed Antelope SquirrelThe white-tailed antelope squirrel is a diurnal species of ground squirrel found in arid regions of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico...
, A. leucurus (New MexicoNew MexicoNew Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, southern Arizona, California, ColoradoColoradoColorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, UtahUtahUtah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, NevadaNevadaNevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
, and north to OregonOregonOregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
). The most widely distributed species in the genus. - Texas antelope squirrelTexas Antelope SquirrelThe Texas antelope squirrel is a species of rodent in the Sciuridae family.It is found in Mexico and the United States.-References:...
, A. interpres (TexasTexasTexas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, New Mexico) - Insular antelope squirrelInsular Antelope SquirrelThe Espíritu Santo antelope squirrel is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is endemic to Mexico, where it is known only from the island of Espíritu Santo in the Gulf of California. It is considered a synonym of Ammospermophilus leucurus by the 2008 IUCN Red List....
, A. insularis Espiritu Santo IslandEspiritu SantoEspiritu Santo is the largest island in the nation of Vanuatu, with an area of . It belongs to the archipelago of the New Hebrides in the Pacific region of Melanesia. It is in the Sanma Province of Vanuatu....
Baja California SurBaja California SurBaja California Sur , is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. Before becoming a state on October 8, 1974, the area was known as the South Territory of Baja California. It has an area of , or 3.57% of the land mass of Mexico and comprises...
(some authorities treat this as a subspeciesSubspeciesSubspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
of A. leucurus).
All are somewhat similar in appearance and behavior. They are around 14–17 cm long with a 6–10 cm tail, and weigh
Weight
In science and engineering, the weight of an object is the force on the object due to gravity. Its magnitude , often denoted by an italic letter W, is the product of the mass m of the object and the magnitude of the local gravitational acceleration g; thus:...
110–150 grams. The tail is somewhat flattened. They have a single white stripe on the body and none on the face. They live in burrows, which they dig for themselves. They are diurnal
Diurnal animal
Diurnality is a plant or animal behavior characterized by activity during the day and sleeping at night.-In animals:Animals that are not diurnal might be nocturnal or crepuscular . Many animal species are diurnal, including many mammals, insects, reptiles and birds...
, and do not hibernate
Hibernation
Hibernation is a state of inactivity and metabolic depression in animals, characterized by lower body temperature, slower breathing, and lower metabolic rate. Hibernating animals conserve food, especially during winter when food supplies are limited, tapping energy reserves, body fat, at a slow rate...
(though they become less active during the winter), so they are fairly easily seen.