The Japanese squirrel (Sciurus lis) is a tree squirrel in the genus Sciurusendemic to Japan. It was described by Dutch zoologist Coenraad Jacob Temminck in 1844. The Japanese squirrel's native range includes large portions of the islands of Honshū, Shikoku, and Kyūshū. The Japanese squirrel is absent from Hokkaido, where it is replaced by the related red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris), which is conversely absent from the rest of the Japanese archipelago outside Hokkaido. Recently, populations in south-western Honshū and Shikoku decreased, and those on Kyūshū disappeared. One of the factors affecting the recent local extirpations of this species seems to be forest fragmentation by humans.
In certain areas, up to 35% of its diet can come from walnuts. It is possible the resulting dispersion has affected the evolution of larger seed sizes among Japanese walnut populations where Japanese squirrels are present.[3][4] Furthermore, Japanese walnut (Juglans ailanthifolia) is an important food for Japanese squirrels in lowland mixed-species forests in Japan. The Japanese squirrel's feeding technique consists of opening the hard shell of walnuts by chewing along the crease of the shell, embedding its teeth into the cleft, and airing out the two parts. This strategy seems to be efficient since it minimizes the time to finish eating an entire walnut.[3]
^Thorington, R.W. Jr.; Hoffmann, R.S. (2005). "Sciurus (Sciurus) lis". 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. ISBN0-8018-8221-4. OCLC 26158608.
^ abTamura, Noriko. “Population Differences and Learning Effects in Walnut Feeding Technique by the Japanese Squirrel.” Journal of Ethology 29.2 (2011): 351–363. Web.
^Tamura, N. and Hayashi, F. (2008), Geographic variation in walnut seed size correlates with hoarding behaviour of two rodent species. Ecol. Res., 23: 607-614. doi:10.1007/s11284-007-0414-8
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japanese, squirrel, sciurus, tree, squirrel, genus, sciurus, endemic, japan, described, dutch, zoologist, coenraad, jacob, temminck, 1844, native, range, includes, large, portions, islands, honshū, shikoku, kyūshū, absent, from, hokkaido, where, replaced, rela. The Japanese squirrel Sciurus lis is a tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus endemic to Japan It was described by Dutch zoologist Coenraad Jacob Temminck in 1844 The Japanese squirrel s native range includes large portions of the islands of Honshu Shikoku and Kyushu The Japanese squirrel is absent from Hokkaido where it is replaced by the related red squirrel Sciurus vulgaris which is conversely absent from the rest of the Japanese archipelago outside Hokkaido Recently populations in south western Honshu and Shikoku decreased and those on Kyushu disappeared One of the factors affecting the recent local extirpations of this species seems to be forest fragmentation by humans Japanese squirrelConservation statusLeast Concern IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass MammaliaOrder RodentiaFamily SciuridaeGenus SciurusSpecies S lisBinomial nameSciurus lisTemminck 1844 2 Japanese squirrel s rangeIn certain areas up to 35 of its diet can come from walnuts It is possible the resulting dispersion has affected the evolution of larger seed sizes among Japanese walnut populations where Japanese squirrels are present 3 4 Furthermore Japanese walnut Juglans ailanthifolia is an important food for Japanese squirrels in lowland mixed species forests in Japan The Japanese squirrel s feeding technique consists of opening the hard shell of walnuts by chewing along the crease of the shell embedding its teeth into the cleft and airing out the two parts This strategy seems to be efficient since it minimizes the time to finish eating an entire walnut 3 References edit Ishii N amp Kaneko Y 2008 Sciurus lis IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2008 Retrieved 6 January 2009 old form url Thorington R W Jr Hoffmann R S 2005 Sciurus Sciurus lis 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 a b Tamura Noriko Population Differences and Learning Effects in Walnut Feeding Technique by the Japanese Squirrel Journal of Ethology 29 2 2011 351 363 Web Tamura N and Hayashi F 2008 Geographic variation in walnut seed size correlates with hoarding behaviour of two rodent species Ecol Res 23 607 614 doi 10 1007 s11284 007 0414 8External links edit nbsp Media related to Sciurus lis at Wikimedia Commons nbsp This squirrel article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Japanese squirrel amp oldid 1211534682, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
