Fire-footed rope squirrel

The fire-footed rope squirrel (Funisciurus pyrropus) is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae.

Fire-footed rope squirrel
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Family: Sciuridae
Genus: Funisciurus
Species:
F. pyrropus
Binomial name
Funisciurus pyrropus
(F. Cuvier, 1833)
Subspecies[2]
  • F. p. pyrropus
  • F. p. akka
  • F. p. leonis
  • F. p. leucostigma
  • F. p. mandingo
  • F. p. nigrensis
  • F. p. niveatus
  • F. p. pembertoni
  • F. p. talboti
Geographic range

Description

It is a relatively small rodent with an adult averaging at a height of 8.1 inches or 204.81 mm. Adults weigh between 225 and 240 grams.

Habitat

It is found in West and Central Africa from Senegal to Uganda and south to Angola. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, moist savanna, and plantations.

Diet

They are primarily herbivores. Their main diet consists of fruit and seeds. When food is scarce, they resort to eating small termites and ants.

Mating

Several male squirrels chase a single female squirrel in a ritualistic chase. They bear litters of one to two pups.[3]

References
  1. Grubb, P. (2008). "Funisciurus pyrropus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2008. Retrieved 6 January 2009.
  2. Thorington, R.W., Jr.; Hoffmann, R.S. (2005). "Family Sciuridae". In Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: a taxonomic and geographic reference (3rd ed.). The Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 754–818. ISBN 0-8018-8221-4. OCLC 26158608.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. "Funisciurus pyrropus (F.Cuvier, 1833)". www.gbif.org. Retrieved 2023-02-27.


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