Callosciurus is a genus of squirrels collectively referred to as the "beautiful squirrels". They are found mainly in Southeast Asia, though a few species also occur in Nepal, northeastern India, Bangladesh and southern China. Several of the species have settled on islands. In total, the genus contains 15 species and numerous varieties and subspecies. The genera Glyphotes, Rubrisciurus, and Tamiops have sometimes been included in Callosciurus.
Species There are approximately 15 species in this genus, and over 60 subspecies. These squirrels range in length from , not including the tail which is often about the same length as the body.Payne, J., and C. M. Francis (1985), A Field Guide to the Mammals of Borneo. Most are rather dull olive-brown to gray and several have a pale and dark stripe on their side, however a few are very colorful.Francis, C. M. (2008). A Guide to the Mammals of Southeast Asia. The Pallas's squirrel may have an olive-gray back, while its belly is often—but not always—bright red.Smith, T. S., and Y. Xie, editors (2008). A Guide to the Mammals of China. The "typical" subspecies of Prevost's squirrels have black backs, white sides, and red-brown undersides. The Finlayson's squirrel occurs in numerous varieties, three of which are overall red-brown, overall black, or pure white.
Most squirrels in Callosciurus live in tropical rain forests, but some individuals live in parks and gardens in cities. In the trees, they build their nests out of plant material. They are solitary, and give birth to one to five young. Their food consists of nuts, fruits, and seeds, and also of insects and bird eggs.
Image Scientific name Common name Description DistributionCallosciurus quinquestriatus Anderson's squirrel Made up of two subspecies, C. q. quinqestriatus and C. q. imarius. This species is listed as "Near Threatened" by the IUCN due to habitat loss. China and MyanmarCallosciurus nigrovittatus Black-striped squirrel This taxon consists of four subspecies: C. n. nigrovittatus, C. n. bilimitatus, C. n. bocki, and C. n. klossi. It is listed as "Near Threatened" by the IUCN. Java, Sumatra, southern Thailand, the Malay Peninsula, and numerous small islandsCallosciurus orestes Borneo black-banded squirrel Listed as "Least Concern" by the IUCN. Endemic to northern BorneoCallosciurus adamsi Ear-spot squirrelListed as "Vulnerable" by the IUCN. northern BorneoCallosciurus finlaysonii, misspelled C. finlaysoni Finlayson's squirrel, variable squirrel Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam.Callosciurus caniceps Grey-bellied squirrel Consist of six subspecies found in forests, plantations and gardens Peninsular Malaysia, Thailand, southern Myanmar, southern China (Yunnan) and possibly western Laos.Callosciurus honkhoaiensis Hon Khoai squirrel First described in 2018, it is a dwarf species related to the grey-bellied squirrel, from which it probably diverged during the Pliocene. found only on Hon Khoai island off the southern tip of VietnamCallosciurus inornatus Inornate squirrel This squirrel was once considered a subspecies of Callosciurus pygerythrus, and as a result several texts inaccurately cite C. pygerythrus as being found in these areas. The reclassification was based on different fur characteristics, placing it closer in relation to C. caniceps.Corbet and Hill, 1992 It is listed as "Least Concern" by IUCN. distributed across Laos, Vietnam, and the Chinese province of Yunnan. Callosciurus pygerythrus Irrawaddy squirrel Made up of seven subspecies found throughout Bangladesh, China, India, Myanmar, and Nepal.Callosciurus baluensis Kinabalu squirrel Its tail and upperparts are grizzled blackish, the underparts are reddish-orange, and the flanks have a narrow buff stripe with a broader black stripe below. This species is listed as "Least Concern" by the IUCN.endemic to northeastern Borneo, specifically the wide area around Mount Kinabalu. Callosciurus albescens Kloss's squirrel population data is insufficient to assess its endangerment status according to the IUCN. It is debated whether it is a subspecies of C. notatus, which would make Kloss's squirrel instead be named C. notatus albescens. endemic to northern SumatraCallosciurus melanogaster Mentawai squirrel It is further dived into three subspecies: C. m. melanogaster, C. m. mentawi, and C. m. atratus. This small isolated population is listed as "Vulnerable" by the IUCN due to habitat loss. native to the Mentawai Islands off the west coast of SumatraCallosciurus phayrei Phayre's squirrel listed as "Least Concern" by the IUCN.found in China and southern MyanmarCallosciurus notatus Plantain squirrel found in a wide range of habitats: forests, mangroves, parks, gardens, agricultural areas Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and ThailandCallosciurus prevostii Prevost's squirrel, Asian tri-colored squirrel forest in the Thai-Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Borneo and nearby smaller islands, with an introduced population in northern Sulawesi.Callosciurus erythraeus Pallas's squirrel, red-bellied tree squirrel Greater China, India, and Southeast Asia.
References
Sources Ronald M. Nowak: Walker's Mammals of the World. Johns Hopkins University Press, 1999 Ecology Asia page with photos and description. Wildlife Singapore Photos and description Ecology Asia Photos and description
External links
Squirrels of Southeast Asia Photo gallery showing some of the variations of the Gray-bellied Squirrel Photo gallery showing some of the variations of Finlayson's Squirrel Profile at ecologyasia.com Profile at wildsingapore.per.sg
nl:Prevosts klapperrat