Finlayson's squirrel or the variable squirrel (Callosciurus finlaysonii, sometimes misspelled C. finlaysoni) is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is found in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. The species occurs in a wide range of wooded habitats, including gardens and parks in cities like Bangkok.[3][4] It was named in honour of the Scottish naturalist and traveller George Finlayson.
It has numerous subspecies that vary greatly in appearance. One of these, C. f. bocourti (syn.C. f. floweri[2]), has been introduced to Singapore and two regions in Italy, probably a result of the species' popularity in the pet trade.[5] It is possible that some of the Callosciurus squirrels introduced into Japan are also Finlayson's squirrels.[6]
Finlayson's squirrel has also been introduced in the Philippines, particularly in the Greater Manila area where it is considered as an invasive species.[7]
^Bertolino, S., & Lurz, P. W. W. (2013). Callosciurus squirrels: worldwide introductions, ecological impacts and recommendations to prevent the establishment of new invasive populations. Mammal Review, 43, 22–33. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2907.2011.00204.x
^Kuramoto, T., Torii, H., Ikeda, H., Endo, H., Rerkamnuaychoke, W., & Oshida, T. (2012). Mitochondria DNA sequences of Finlayson's squirrel found in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. Mammal Study, 37, 63–67