Funambulus pennant, Wroughton, 1905
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publication ID |
https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.6840226 |
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DOI |
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6840499 |
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persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/064D0660-FFCA-ED37-FFCC-FE0EFBBEFD64 |
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treatment provided by |
Diego |
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scientific name |
Funambulus pennant |
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Northern Palm Squirrel
French: Ecureuil de Pennant / German: Finfstreifen-Palmenhérnchen / Spanish: Ardilla de palma septentrional
Other common names: Five-striped Palm Squirrel
Taxonomy. Funambulus pennantii Wroughton, 1905 View in CoL ,
“Mandvi Taluka of Su-
rat District,”
Guzerath, India.
Two subspecies are recognized.
Subspecies and Distribution.
F.p.pennantiiWroughton,1905—India,SNepal,andWBangladesh.
F.p. argentescens Wroughton, 1905 — ex- treme SE Iran and Pakistan. Introduced populations occur in Perth (Western Australia) and Israel. In India, introduced populations occur in Andaman Is and perhaps in Assam.
Descriptive notes. Head—body mean 134 mm (males) and 155 mm (females), tail mean 130 mm (males) and 135 mm (females); weight mean 95-2 g (males) and 102-9 g (females). Dorsum of the Northern Palm Squirrel is brown with five paler longitudinalstripes. Middle stripe extends from neck to tail, and outer stripes extend from ears to base oftail. Head has four stripes, one faint pair extending from ears to eyes and a second more distinctive pair extending from below the ear, passing below the eye, onto rostrum. The Northern Palm Squirrel lacks the red mid-ventral stripe on tail of other species of Funambulus. In Bangladesh, subspecies pennantii has a darker pelage. Subspecies argentescens is paler, with a white tail and venter. Chromosome number is 2n = 54-56; FN is unknown. More research is needed to resolve the karyotype of the Northern Palm Squirrel and the differing diploid numbers may indicate multiple species are represented.
Habitat. Tropical and subtropical dry deciduous forests, montane forests, scrublands, open plains, plantation, introduced vegetation, and rural and urban areas. The Northern Palm Squirrel is a very adaptable species and within these habitats can occur from sea level up to elevations of ¢.4000 m.
Food and Feeding. The Northern Palm Squirrel is omnivorous, feeding on fruits, honey from unprotected beehives, insects such as termites and caterpillars, and birds when it can catch them.
Breeding. Breeding occurs throughout the year, with peaks in March-April and July-August. Courtship lasts for a day and involves mating chases, mating calls, and grooming. Female is receptive for only 16 hours, during this period she may mate fourto five times with one or more males. Gestation lasts 40-42 days and littersizes are 2-4 young, which have head-body lengths of 40-50 mm and tail lengths of 15-20 mm. Young are born hairless and with closed eyes, which open after 10-15 days. Females lactate for 25-30 days. Females become sexually mature at 6-10 months of age.
Activity patterns. Limited information is available, but the Northern Palm Squirrel is diurnal and builds globular nests in hollow trees, on tree branches, and among palm leaves. When in urban areas, it can build nests under roof tiles and eaves.
Movements, Home range and Social organization. Home range for the Northern Palm Squirrel is reported to be 0-21 ha for males and 0-15 ha for females in Jodhpur, India.
Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. The Northern Palm Squirrel has a wide distribution, a presumed large population, and tolerance to some degree of habitat modification. There are no major threats to the Northern Palm Squirrel, although habitat loss and degradation due to small-scale logging and expansion of human settlements occur, and it is hunted for local consumption and kept as a pet.
Bibliography. Bertolino (2009), DPIPWE (2011), Hayssen et al. (1993), Johnsingh & Manjrekar (2015), Jordan et al. (2005g), Nadler & Hoffman (1970), Nameer & Molur (2008b), Thorington et al. (2012).
No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.
