User:Xprinceps/draftXerusprinceps
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| Mountain Ground Squirrel | |
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| Species: | X. princeps
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| Xerus princeps (Thomas, 1929)
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The mountain ground squirrel (Xerus princeps) is a rodent that is native to southwestern Angola, western Namibia, and western South Africa[2]. It is also known as the Kaoko Ground Squirrel or the Damara Ground Squirrel.
It is the closest relative of the Cape Ground Squirrel[3] (Latin name Xerus inauris), which is so similar in appearance that the two are difficult to distinguish in the field.[4] Both species have long bushy black and white tails with a white stripe from the shoulder towards the rump. Xerus princeps is slightly larger, on average, than X. inauris, although there is considerable overlap in body size; differences in skull morphology also distinguish the two species.[5]
Distribution
[edit]The mountain ground squirrel is restricted to a narrow band of the southwest arid region of Africa from southern Angola to southern Namibia and as far south as Richtersveld National Park.[4]
Description
[edit]The mountain ground squirrel is a large-bodied squirrel with small ears. The total length of head and body measures 23 to 29 cm (9.1 to 11.4 in)[6][7], tail length from 21 to 28 cm (8.3 to 11.0 in)[6][7], and weight ranges from 490 to 710 grams (1.1 to 1.6 lb).[2] The body is covered in short, pale cinnamon brown hair, which changes to white on the belly, around the eyes, and on the front of the face. A white stripe extends from shoulders to hips. There is no underfur, and the skin is black. Tail hairs are white with three black stripes.[8]
Behavior
[edit]Mountain ground squirrels are strictly diurnal. Adult females may live alone or in small family groups, while males are mostly solitary.[4] In contrast to the Cape Ground Squirrel, they do not exhibit play behaviors, allogrooming, or other social behaviors.[4] They build burrows in areas with sparse cover. In the daytime, they may range up to 1 km (0.6 mi) from the home burrow in search of food.[4]
References
[edit]- ^ "Xerus princeps". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2008. 2008.
{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|assessors=ignored (help); Unknown parameter|downloaded=ignored (help) {{cite iucn}}: error: no identifier (help) - ^ a b Waterman JM, Herron MD (2004). "Xerus princeps". Mammalian Species. 751: 1–3. doi:10.1644/751.
- ^ Herron MD, Waterman JM, Parkinson CL (2005). "Phylogeny and historical biogeography of African ground squirrels: the role of climate change in the evolution of Xerus". Molecular Ecology. 14 (9): 2773–2788. Bibcode:2005MolEc..14.2773H. doi:10.1111/j.1365-294X.2005.02630.x. PMID 16029477.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ a b c d e Herzig-Straschil B, Herzig A (1989). "Biology of Xerus princeps (Rodentia, Sciuridae)". Madoqua. 16: 41–46.
- ^ Herzig-Straschil B, Herzig A, Winkler H (1991). "A morphometric analysis of the skulls of Xerus inauris and Xerus princeps (Rodentia; Sciuridae)". Zeitschrift für Säugetierkunde. 56: 177–187.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ a b de Graaf, G (1981). The Rodents of Southern Africa. Durban, South Africa: Butterworths. ISBN 978-0409098297.
- ^ a b Shortridge, RV (1934). The Rodents of South West Africa. London: Heinemann.
- ^ Thomas, O (1929). "On mammals from the Kaoko-Veld, south-west Africa, obtained during Captain Shortridge's fifth Percy Sladen and Kaffrarian Museum expedition". Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London. 106 (1): 99–111. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7998.1929.tb07691.x.
External Links
[edit]- Kruger Park page on the Mountain Ground Squirrel
- Uniprot taxonomy page on Xerus princeps
- Thorington, R. W. Jr. and R. S. Hoffman. 2005. Family Sciuridae. pp. 754–818 in Mammal Species of the World a Taxonomic and Geographic Reference. D. E. Wilson and D. M. Reeder eds. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore. isbn: 978-0801882210