Sciurus
Encyclopedia
The genus Sciurus contains most of the common, bushy-tailed squirrel
s in North America
, Europe
, temperate Asia
, Central America
and South America
.
Genus Sciurus - Tree squirrels
Squirrel
Squirrels belong to a large family of small or medium-sized rodents called the Sciuridae. The family includes tree squirrels, ground squirrels, chipmunks, marmots , flying squirrels, and prairie dogs. Squirrels are indigenous to the Americas, Eurasia, and Africa and have been introduced to Australia...
s in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, temperate Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
, Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
and South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
.
Species
There are 30 species.Genus Sciurus - Tree squirrels
- Subgenus Sciurus
- Allen's SquirrelAllen's SquirrelAllen's squirrel is a tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus endemic to northern Mexico. It has no subspecies....
, Sciurus alleni - Arizona Gray SquirrelArizona Gray SquirrelThe Arizona gray squirrel is a tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus endemic to the canyons and valleys surrounded by deciduous and mixed forests in eastern Arizona and northern Mexico....
, Sciurus arizonensis - Mexican Gray SquirrelMexican Gray SquirrelMexican gray squirrel is a tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus endemic to Guatemala and in eastern and southern Mexico, and is an introduced species in the Florida Keys....
, Sciurus aureogaster - Eastern Gray SquirrelEastern Gray SquirrelThe eastern gray squirrel is a tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus native to the eastern and midwestern United States, and to the southerly portions of the eastern provinces of Canada...
, Sciurus carolinensis - Collie's SquirrelCollie's SquirrelCollie's squirrel is a tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus endemic to Mexico....
, Sciurus colliaei - Deppe's SquirrelDeppe's SquirrelDeppe's squirrel is a species of tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus endemic to Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Nicaragua....
, Sciurus deppei - Japanese SquirrelJapanese SquirrelThe Japanese squirrel is a tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus endemic to Japan. The Japanese squirrel's range includes the islands of Honshū, Shikoku, and Kyūshū. Recently, populations on south-western Honshū and Shikoku decreased, and those on Kyūshū disappeared...
, Sciurus lis - Mexican Fox SquirrelMexican Fox SquirrelThe Mexican Fox Squirrel is a species of tree squirrel found throughout the Sierra Madre Occidental as far south as Jalisco, Mexico, northward into the United States only in the Chiricahua Mountains of southeastern Arizona...
, Sciurus nayaritensis - Eastern Fox Squirrel, Sciurus niger
- Peters's SquirrelPeters's SquirrelPeters's squirrel is a tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus endemic to Mexico....
, Sciurus oculatus - Variegated SquirrelVariegated SquirrelThe variegated squirrel is a tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus endemic to Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, southern Mexico, Nicaragua, and Panama.-Subspecies:In alphabetical order except for nominate species....
, Sciurus variegatoides - Eurasian Red Squirrel, Sciurus vulgaris
- Yucatan SquirrelYucatan SquirrelThe Yucatan squirrel is a tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus endemic to Belize, Guatemala, and Mexico.These squirrels live in forests, active during the day and resting at night, spending most of their time in trees. Their dreys are built in branches from leaves and twigs. The squirrel's main...
, Sciurus yucatanensis
- Allen's Squirrel
- Subgenus Otosciurus
- Abert's SquirrelAbert's SquirrelAbert's squirrel is a tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus endemic to the Rocky Mountains from United States to Mexico, with concentrations found in Arizona, The Grand Canyon, New Mexico, and southwestern Colorado.-Etymology:The Abert's squirrel is named after Colonel John James Abert, an American...
, Sciurus aberti
- Abert's Squirrel
- Subgenus Guerlinguetus
- Brazilian Squirrel (Guianan Squirrel)Brazilian SquirrelThe Brazilian squirrel is a tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus endemic to South America. It is found in North-eastern Argentina, Brazil, Guyana, French Guiana, Suriname and Venezuela....
, Sciurus aestuans - South Yungas Red Squirrel, Sciurus argentinius
- Yellow-throated SquirrelYellow-throated SquirrelThe yellow-throated squirrel is a tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus endemic to South America. It is found in Brazil, Guyana and Venezuela....
, Sciurus gilvigularis - Red-tailed SquirrelRed-tailed SquirrelThe red-tailed Squirrel is a tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus endemic to South America. It is found in Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Panama, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela....
, Sciurus granatensis - Bolivian SquirrelBolivian SquirrelThe Bolivian squirrel is a tree squirrel in the family Sciuridae endemic to South America. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil and Peru at elevations up to in the Andes region.-References:...
, Sciurus ignitus - Atlantic Forest Squirrel, Sciurus ingrami
- Andean SquirrelAndean SquirrelThe Andean squirrel is a tree squirrel endemic to Colombia.The Andean squirrel is a typical tree squirrel, in its general proportions resembling the Eastern grey squirrel of North America. However, it is much smaller, with a body length of only about , and a tail. Although there are few records...
, Sciurus pucheranii - Richmond's SquirrelRichmond's SquirrelRichmond's squirrel is a tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus endemic to Nicaragua. Its natural habitat is tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests....
, Sciurus richmondi - Sanborn's SquirrelSanborn's SquirrelSanborn's squirrel is a tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus endemic to Peru. Its natural habitat is Tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests....
, Sciurus sanborni - Guayaquil SquirrelGuayaquil SquirrelThe Guayaquil squirrel is a tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus endemic to Ecuador and Peru....
, Sciurus stramineus
- Brazilian Squirrel (Guianan Squirrel)
- Subgenus TenesCaucasian SquirrelThe Caucasian squirrel is a tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus endemic to Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Greece, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and Turkey. Its natural habitat is temperate broadleaf and mixed forests....
- Persian Squirrel, Sciurus anomalus
- Subgenus Hadrosciurus
- Fiery SquirrelFiery SquirrelThe Fiery Squirrel is a species of rodent in the Sciuridae family. It is endemic to Venezuela.-References:*Thorington, R. W. and R. S. Hoffmann. 2005. Family Sciuridae. Pp 754-818 in Mammal Species of the World A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore....
, Sciurus flammifer - Junín Red SquirrelJunín Red SquirrelThe Junín Red Squirrel is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is endemic to Peru.-References:*Thorington, R. W. and R. S. Hoffmann. 2005. Family Sciuridae. pp 754–818 in Mammal Species of the World A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore....
, Sciurus pyrrhinus
- Fiery Squirrel
- Subgenus Hesperosciurus
- Western Gray SquirrelWestern Gray SquirrelThe Western Gray Squirrel is an arboreal rodent found along the western coast of the United States and Canada.In some places, this species has also been known as the Silver-gray Squirrel, the California Gray Squirrel, the Oregon Gray Squirrel, the Columbian Gray Squirrel and the Banner-tail...
, Sciurus griseus
- Western Gray Squirrel
- Subgenus Urosciurus
- Northern Amazon Red SquirrelNorthern Amazon Red SquirrelThe Northern Amazon Red Squirrel, Sciurus igniventris, is a squirrel species from South America. It occurs in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela....
, Sciurus igniventris - Southern Amazon Red SquirrelSouthern Amazon Red SquirrelThe Southern Amazon Red Squirrel, Sciurus spadiceus, is a squirrel species from South America. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.This species is fairly large in size and has a reddish brown pelage.-References:...
, Sciurus spadiceus
- Northern Amazon Red Squirrel