Notocitellus annulatus (Audubon & Bachman, 1842)

Don E. Wilson, Thomas E. Lacher, Jr & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2016, Sciuridae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 6 Lagomorphs and Rodents I, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 648-837 : 810

225.

Ring-tailed Ground Squirrel

Notocitellus annulatus

French: Spermophile a queue annelée / German: Ringelschwanzziesel / Spanish: Ardilla terrestre de cola anillada

Taxonomy. Spermophilus annulatus Audubon & Bachman, 1842 ,

“Western prairies.”

Restricted by A. H. Howell in 1938 to Manzanillo, Colima, Mexico.

Two subspecies are recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution.

N.a.annulatusAudubon&Bachman,1842—SWN.a.toJalisco(Mexico).

N. a. goldmani Merriam, 1902 — Jalisco to W Guerrero (Mexico).

Descriptive notes. Head-body mean 221-2 mm (males) and 219-3 mm (females), tail mean 215-2 mm (males) and 207-6 mm (females); weight mean 360-8 g (males) and 386-3 g (females). The Ringtailed Ground Squirrel is medium-sized and has strikingly dark brown cinnamon-agouti dorsal pelage, with suffusion of orange to red on limbs. Eyes rings are buff to light orange. Venter is light rust to orange. Tail is grizzled slate-gray and frosted with light color ofventer. Subspecies goldmani has less rust color than annulatus.

Habitat. Dry tropical deciduous forests, associated with figs (Ficus, Moraceae) and oil palm (Elaeis, Arecaceae), and thornscrub with mesquite (Prosopis) and Acacia (both Fabaceae) trees and shrubs. The Ring-tailed Ground Squirrel appears capable of persisting in croplands of agave, lemon, mango, guava, and corn.

Food and Feeding. The Ring-tailed Ground Squirrel is an herbivore, feeding on grass and forb leaves, stems, shoots; however, fruits and seeds of palms and mesquite are preferred. Cacti flesh and fruits are also eaten. It eats significant numbers of insects and spends considerable time foraging in forest canopy.

Breeding. The Ring-tailed Ground Squirrel reproduces in the dry season (December— June).

Activity patterns. Ring-tailed Ground Squirrels are diurnal and active year-round.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. The Ring-tailed Ground Squirrel can live in low densities and appears to be solitary. Nesting can occur in burrows, crevices, or tree cavities. It vocalizes and quickly seeks shelter when alarmed.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. Population trend of the Ring-tailed Ground Squirrel is unknown. Major conservation challenges might be degradation and fragmentation offorests and scrublands. It is locally common and can be viewed as a pest, resulting in it being hunted, trapped, or poisoned. Lack of data on natural history and ecology creates difficulty in effective management and conservation.

Bibliography. Alvarez-Castafieda, Castro-Arellano, Lacher & Vazquez (2008i), Best (1995h), Ceballos (2014), Howell (1938), Thorington et al. (2012).

Figures

221. Spotted Ground Squirrel (Xerospermophilus spilosoma), 222. Round-tailed Ground Squirrel (Xerospermophalus tereticaudus), 223. Mohave Ground Squirrel (Xerospermophilus mohavensis), 224. Perote Ground Squirrel (Xerospermophilus perotensis), 225. Ring-tailed Ground Squirrel (Notocitellus annulatus), 226. Tropical Ground Squirrel (Notocitellus adocetus), 227. European Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus citellus), 228. Russet Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus major), 229. Speckled Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus suslicus), 230. Yellow Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus fulvus), 231. Little Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus pygmaeus), 232. Caucasian Mountain Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus musicus), 233. AsiaMinor Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus xanthoprymnus), 234. Tauren Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus taurensis), 235. Red-cheeked Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus erythrogenys), 236. Relict Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus relictus), 237. Tian Shan Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus nilkaensis), 238. Brandt's Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus brevicauda), 239. Pallid Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus pallidicauda), 240. Alashan Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus alashanicus), 241. Daurian Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus dauricus)