Welcome Guest [Log In] [Register]
Welcome to Carnivora. We hope you enjoy your visit.


You're currently viewing our forum as a guest. This means you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use. If you join our community, you'll be able to access member-only sections, and use many member-only features such as customizing your profile and voting in polls. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free.


Join our community!


If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features:

Username:   Password:
Add Reply
Prevost's (Tricolor) Squirrel - Callosciurus prevostii
Topic Started: Dec 11 2012, 02:26 PM (2,544 Views)
Elephantus
Member Avatar
Tusker
[ *  *  *  *  * ]
Prevost's (Tricolor) Squirrel - Callosciurus prevostii

Posted Image

Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Family: Sciuridae
Subfamily: Callosciurinae
Genus: Callosciurus
Species: Callosciurus prevostii

Prevost's squirrel, also known as the tricolor squirrel, is found in forests throughout southeast Asia. It is one of the most brightly colored mammals alive.

Habitat

Posted Image

This squirrel is found in Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, and many small islands of the East Indies. The northern limit of this squirrel's range is in southern Thailand.

It lives primarily in rainforests.

Description
Members of the genus Callosciurus are often called "beautiful squirrels" due to their coloration. The Prevost's Squirrel are among the most colorful mammals in the world with their black upperparts and tail, reddish-orange underparts, and whitish thighs and flanks. The markings in some subspecies are duller.

The length of these squirrels is typically between 13 and 27 cm (5.1 and 11 in), not including the 13 to 27 cm (5.1 to 11 in) long tail. Average mass is about 400 g (1 lb).

Posted Image

Ecology
These squirrels are active during the day but mainly at dusk and dawn. They can be seen in groups while feeding in fig trees. It is believed that the adults give seeds to juveniles since the juveniles are never seen foraging. It is also believed that they cache food after one was observed trying to wedge a ripe fruit into a crack in a tree branch.

If feeds primarily eat coconut, seeds, oil palm fruit, and other soft fruits such as figs. They also eat eggs, buds, flowers, other vegetable matter, and insects, including ants, termites, and beetle larvae, although this is not the main staple of their diet.

The mating system and behavior of these squirrels has not been reported. Although the breeding season is year-round, it peaks between June and August. The gestation period is about 40 days.

Posted Image
Edited by Taipan, Dec 14 2012, 09:14 PM.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Elephantus
Member Avatar
Tusker
[ *  *  *  *  * ]
Been meaning to make a profile for this guy before. Absolutely love their coloration!
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous)
« Previous Topic · Mammalia · Next Topic »
Add Reply