Sciuridae: Difference between revisions
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#redirect [[Squirrel]] |
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{{Mergeto|Squirrel|date=July 2008}} |
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{{Taxobox |
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{{Redirect category shell|1= |
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| name = Sciurids |
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{{R from scientific name|mammal}} |
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| fossil_range = Late [[Eocene]] - Recent |
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| image = Sciurus_carolinensis.jpg |
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| image_width = 240px |
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| image_caption = [[Eastern Gray Squirrel]], ''Sciurus carolinensis'' - a tree squirrel of [[Tribe (biology)|tribe]] [[tree squirrel|Sciurini]] |
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| regnum = [[Animal]]ia |
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| phylum = [[Chordata]] |
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| classis = [[Mammal]]ia |
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| infraclassis = [[Eutheria]] |
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| superordo = [[Euarchontoglires]] |
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| ordo = [[Rodent]]ia |
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| subordo = [[Sciuromorpha]] |
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| familia = '''Sciuridae''' |
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| familia_authority = [[Johann Fischer von Waldheim|Fischer de Waldheim]], 1817 |
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| subdivision_ranks = [[Subfamilies]] and [[tribe (biology)|tribe]]s |
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| subdivision = |
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*Subfamily [[Ratufinae]] |
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*Subfamily [[Sciurillinae]] |
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*Subfamily [[Sciurinae]] |
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**Tribe [[Sciurini]] |
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**Tribe [[Pteromyini]] |
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*Subfamily [[Callosciurinae]] |
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**Tribe [[Callosciurini]] |
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**Tribe [[Funambulini]] |
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*Subfamily [[Xerinae]] |
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**Tribe [[Xerini]] |
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**Tribe [[Protoxerini]] |
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**Tribe [[Marmotini]] |
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and see text |
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}} |
}} |
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[[Category:Rodent families]] |
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[[Category:Taxa named by Gotthelf Fischer von Waldheim]] |
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The '''sciurids''' or [[squirrel]]s are a large [[Family (biology)|family]] of [[rodents]]. The word Sciuridae means "shade-tail," and refers to the bushy appendage possessed by many of its members<ref>Whitaker & Elman (1980): 370</ref>. It includes [[tree squirrel]]s, [[ground squirrel]]s, [[chipmunk]]s, the [[marmot]]s (which include [[woodchuck]]s), and the true [[flying squirrel]]s. The African scaly-tailed flying squirrels, which belong to the family [[Anomaluridae]], are not sciurids. Sciurids are found in all continents except [[Australia]] and [[Antarctica]]. |
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== Characteristics == |
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[[Image:Ratufa skull.JPG|thumb|left|Skull of an [[Oriental giant squirrel]] (genus ''Ratufa''). Note the classic [[sciuromorphous]] shape of the anterior [[zygomatic arch|zygomatic]] region.]] |
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Sciurids are generally small animals, ranging in size from the [[African Pygmy Squirrel]], at {{convert|7|-|10|cm|abbr=on}} in length, and just {{convert|10|g|abbr=on}} in weight, to the [[Alpine Marmot]], which is {{convert|53|-|73|cm|abbr=on}} long, and weighs from {{convert|5|to|8|kg|abbr=on}}. Sciurids typically have slender bodies with bushy tails and large eyes. Their [[fur]] is generally soft and silky, although much thicker in some species than others. The colour of sciurids is highly variable between - and often even within - species. |
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The hindlimbs of sciurids are generally longer than the forelimbs, and they have four or five toes on each foot. Their paws on their forefeet include a [[thumb]], although this is often poorly developed. The feet of sciurids also have a soft pad on the underside.<ref name=EoM>Milton (1984)</ref> |
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Sciurids live in almost every habitat from tropical [[rainforest]] to semiarid [[desert]], avoiding only the high polar regions and the driest of deserts. They are predominantly [[herbivore|herbivorous]], subsisting on seeds and nuts, but many will eat insects, and even small vertebrates. Indeed, some tropical species have shifted almost entirely to a diet of insects. The teeth of sciurids follow the typical rodent pattern, with large gnawing [[incisor]]s that grow throughout life, and grinding cheek teeth set back behind a wide gap, or [[diastema (dentistry)|diastema]]. The typical [[dentition|dental formula]] for sciurids is:{{dentition2|1.0.1.3|1.0.1.3}} |
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As their large eyes indicate, sciurids generally have an excellent sense of [[Visual perception|vision]], which is especially important for tree-dwelling species. Many also have a good sense of [[somatosensory system|touch]], with [[vibrissa]]e on their heads and limbs.<ref name=EoM/> |
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Sciurids breed once or twice a year, and give birth to a varying number of young after three to six weeks, depending on species. The young are born naked, toothless, blind, and helpless. In almost all species, only the female looks after the young, which are [[weaning|weaned]] at around six to ten weeks of age, and become sexually mature at the end of their first year. Ground dwelling species are generally social animals, often living in well-developed colonies, but the tree-dwelling species are more solitary-<ref name=EoM/> |
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== Evolution and systematics == |
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[[Image:Giant-squirrel.jpg|thumb|right|[[Grizzled Giant Squirrel]] (''Ratufa macroura'') of the [[Ratufinae]]]] |
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[[Image:Jill Flying 1.jpg|thumb|right|[[Southern Flying Squirrel]] (''Glaucomys volans'') of the [[Pteromyini]]]] |
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[[Image:Schoenhoernchen Callosciurus prevosti.jpg|thumb|right|[[Prevost's Squirrel]] (''Callosciurus prevosti'') of the [[Callosciurini]]]] |
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[[Image:Xerus rutilus.jpg|thumb|right|[[Unstriped Ground Squirrel]] (''Xerus rutilus'') of the [[Xerini]]]] |
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[[Image:Marmot in France.jpg|thumb|right|[[Alpine Marmot]] (''Marmota marmota'') of the [[Marmotini]]]] |
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The living squirrels are divided into 5 [[subfamilies]], with about 50 [[genera]] and nearly 280 [[species]]. Though the oldest squirrel fossil, ''[[Douglassciurus]]'', dates back to the [[Priabonian]] (Late [[Eocene]], around 37.5 - 35 [[million years ago]]), this animal was apparently a nearly-modern tree squirrel, albeit with a primitive skull, and it is in fact usually placed in the [[Sciurinae]]. Thus, the squirrel lineage may well have originated quite some time earlier.<ref name = tolweb>Steppan & Hamm (2006)</ref> |
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During the latest Eocene to the [[Miocene]], there were a variety of squirrels which cannot be assigned with certainty to any living lineage. At least some of these probably were variants of the oldest, [[basal (evolution)|basal]] "[[proto-|proto]]-squirrels" (in the sense that they lacked the full range of living squirrels' [[autapomorphy|autapomorphies]]). The distribution and diversity of such ancient and ancestral forms suggests that the squirrels as a group might have originated in North America.<ref name = tolweb /> |
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Apart from these sometimes little-known fossil forms, the [[phylogeny]] of the living squirrels is fairly straightforward. There are three main lineages, one comprising the [[Ratufinae]] (Oriental giant squirrels). These contain a mere handful of living species in tropical [[Asia]] but were more widespread across [[Eurasia]] in prehistoric times. The [[Neotropical Pygmy Squirrel]] of tropical [[South America]] is the sole living member of the Sciurillinae. The third lineage is by far the largest and contains all other subfamilies; it has a near-cosmopolitan distribution. This further supports the hypothesis that the common ancestor of all squirrels living and fossil lived in North America, as these three most ancient lineages seem to have [[evolutionary radiation|radiated]] from there - if squirrels had originated in Eurasia for example, one would expect quite ancient lineages in [[Africa]], but African squirrels seem to be of more recent origin.<ref name = tolweb /> |
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The main group of squirrels also can be split up in three, which yields the remaining subfamilies. The [[Sciurinae]] are the only squirrel group for which there is significant uncertainty as regards [[taxonomy]]. Namely, it is not altogether clear how distant the true flying squirrels ([[Pteromyini]]) are from the tree squirrels ([[Sciurini]]); the former have often been considered a separate subfamily but are now seen as a [[tribe (biology)|tribe]] of the Sciurini. The [[pine squirrel]]s on the other hand are usually included with the main tree squirrel lineage, but appear to be about as distinct as the flying squirrels; hence they are sometimes considered a distinct tribe [[Tamiasciurini]].<ref>Steppan ''et al.'' (2004), Steppan & Hamm (2006)</ref> |
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Be that as it may, the three-way split of the main squirrel lineage is rather neat from a [[biogeographical]] and [[ecological]] perspective. Two of the three subfamilies are of about equal size, containing between nearly 70 to some 80 species each; the third is about twice as large. The Sciurinae contains arboricolous (tree-living) squirrels, mainly of the Americas and to a lesser extent Eurasia. The [[Callosciurinae]] on the other hand is most diverse in tropical Asia and contains squirrels which are also arboricolous, but have a markedly different [[habitus]] and appear more "elegant", an effect enhanced by their often very colorful fur. The [[Xerinae]] - the largest subfamily - are made up from the mainly terrestrial (ground-living) forms and include the large [[marmot]]s and the popular [[prairie dog]]s among others; they tend to be more gregarious than other squirrels which do not usually live together in close-knit groups.<ref name = tolweb /> |
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*[[Basal (evolution)|Basal]] and ''[[incertae sedis]]'' Sciuridae (all [[fossil]]) |
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**''[[Getuloxerus]]'' |
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**''[[Kherem]]'' |
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**''[[Oligosciurus]]'' |
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**''[[Plesiosciurus]]'' |
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**''[[Prospermophilus]]'' |
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**''[[Sciurion]]'' |
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**''[[Similisciurus]]'' |
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**''[[Sinotamias]]'' |
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**''[[Vulcanisciurus]]'' |
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*Subfamily [[Cedromurinae]] (fossil) |
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*Subfamily [[Ratufinae]] - Oriental giant squirels (1 genus, 4 species) |
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*Subfamily [[Sciurillinae]] - Neotropical Pygmy Squirrel ([[monotypic]]) |
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*Subfamily [[Sciurinae]] |
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**Tribe [[Sciurini]] - tree squirrels (5 genera, c.38 species; includes [[Tamiasciurini]] which may be a distinct tribe) |
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**Tribe [[Pteromyini]] - true flying squirrels (15 genera, c.45 species) |
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*Subfamily [[Callosciurinae]] - Asian ornate squirrels |
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**Tribe [[Callosciurini]] (13 genera, nearly 60 species) |
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**Tribe [[Funambulini]] palm squirrels (1 genus, 5 species) |
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*Subfamily [[Xerinae]] - terrestrial squirrels |
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**Tribe [[Xerini]] - spiny squirrels (3 genera, 6 species) |
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**Tribe [[Protoxerini]] (6 genera, c.50 species) |
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**Tribe [[Marmotini]] - ground squirrels, marmots, chipmunks, prairie dogs, etc (6 genera, c.90 species) |
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== See also == |
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* [[Squirrel]] |
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== Footnotes == |
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{{reflist}} |
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== References == |
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* Milton, Katherine (1984): [Family Sciuridae]. ''In:'' Macdonald, D. (ed.): ''The Encyclopedia of Mammals'': 612-623. Facts on File, New York. ISBN 0-87196-871-1 |
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* Steppan, Scott J. & Hamm, Shawn M. (2006): [[Tree of Life Web Project]] - [http://tolweb.org/Sciuridae/16456/2006.05.13 Sciuridae (Squirrels)]. Version of 2006-MAY-13. Retrieved 2007-DEC-10. |
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* Steppan, Scott J.; Storz, B.L. & Hoffmann, R.S. (2004): [http://bio.fsu.edu/~steppan/Steppan_et_al_Sciuridae.pdf "Nuclear DNA phylogeny of the squirrels (Mammalia: Rodentia) and the evolution of arboreality from c-myc and RAG1" (pdf)]. ''[[Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution|Mol. Phyl. Evol.]]'' '''30'''(3): 703-719. {{doi|10.1016/S1055-7903(03)00204-5}} |
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* Thorington, R.W. & Hoffmann, R.S. (2005): Family Sciuridae. ''In: Mammal Species of the World - A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference'': 754-818. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore. |
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* Whitaker, John O. Jr. & Elman, Robert (1980): ''The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Mammals'' (2nd ed.). [[Alfred Knopf]], New York. ISBN 0-394-50762-2 |
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== External links == |
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*[http://tolweb.org/Sciuridae/16456 Tree of Life: Sciuridae] |
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*[http://www.geocities.com/yosemite/rapids/4362/sqrlenc.html Andrew's Squirrel Encyclopaedia] |
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*[http://www.squirrels.org/names.html List of names of squirrel taxa] |
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{{Commons|Sciuridae}} |
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{{Rodents}} |
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{{S. Ratufinae-Sciurillinae nav}} |
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{{S. Callosciurinae nav}} |
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{{S. Sciurinae1 nav}} |
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{{S. Sciurinae2 nav}} |
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{{S. Xerinae nav}} |
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{{S. Xerinae1 nav}} |
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{{S. Xerinae2 nav}} |
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[[Category:Rodents]] |
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[[Category:Squirrels| ]] |
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[[af:Eekhoring]] |
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[[ar:سنجابيات]] |
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[[az:Sincabkimilər]] |
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[[zh-min-nan:Phòng-chhí]] |
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[[br:Sciuridae]] |
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[[bg:Катерицови]] |
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[[ca:Esciúrid]] |
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[[cs:Veverkovití]] |
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[[cy:Gwiwer]] |
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[[da:Egern]] |
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[[de:Hörnchen]] |
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[[es:Sciuridae]] |
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[[eo:Sciuredoj]] |
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[[eu:Esziurido]] |
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[[fr:Sciuridae]] |
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[[ko:다람쥐과]] |
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[[hr:Vjeverice]] |
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[[it:Sciuridae]] |
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[[he:סנאיים]] |
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[[ka:ციყვისებრნი]] |
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[[la:Sciurus]] |
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[[lv:Vāveres]] |
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[[lb:Kaweechelcher]] |
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[[lt:Voveriniai]] |
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[[hu:Mókusfélék]] |
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[[nl:Eekhoorns]] |
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[[nds-nl:Kateker]] |
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[[ja:リス]] |
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[[nn:Ekornfamilien]] |
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[[oc:Sciuridae]] |
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[[pl:Wiewiórkowate]] |
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[[pt:Sciuridae]] |
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[[ru:Беличьи]] |
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[[sl:Prave veverice]] |
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[[sr:Sciuridae]] |
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[[fi:Oravat]] |
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[[sv:Ekorrfamiljen]] |
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[[tr:Sincap]] |
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[[uk:Вивіркові]] |
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[[vi:Họ Sóc]] |
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[[zh:松鼠]] |
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Latest revision as of 15:50, 18 December 2021
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