Variegated squirrel

Variegated squirrel
S. v. atrirufus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Family: Sciuridae
Genus: Sciurus
Species:
S. variegatoides
Binomial name
Sciurus variegatoides
Ogilby, 1839[2]
Subspecies[2]
List
    • S. v. adolphei Lesson, 1842
    • S. v. atrirufus Harris, 1930
    • S. v. bangsi Dickey, 1928
    • S. v. belti Nelson, 1899
    • S. v. boothiae Gray, 1843
    • S. v. dorsalis Gray, 1849
    • S. v. goldmani Nelson, 1898
    • S. v. helveolus Goldman, 1912
    • S. v. loweryi McPherson, 1972
    • S. v. managuensis Nelson, 1898
    • S. v. melania Gray, 1867
    • S. v. rigidus Peters, 1863
    • S. v. thomasi Nelson, 1899
    • S. v. underwoodi Goldman, 1932
    • S. v. variegatoides Ogilby, 1839
Approximate distribution of the different subspecies

The variegated squirrel (Sciurus variegatoides) is a tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus found in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, southern Mexico, Nicaragua, and Panama. Fifteen subspecies are recognised.[2] It is a common squirrel and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated it a "least-concern species". Variegated squirrels kept as pets in Germany have been implicated in the transmission of a bornavirus to humans from which three people have died.[3]

  1. ^ Reid, F. (2016). "Sciurus variegatoides". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T20024A22246448. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T20024A22246448.en. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
  2. ^ a b c Thorington, R.W. Jr; Hoffman, R.S. (2005). "Sciurus (Sciurus) variegatoides". In Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 764. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.
  3. ^ Hoffmann, Bernd; Tappe, Dennis; Höper, Dirk; Herden, Christiane; Boldt, Annemarie; Mawrin, Christian; Niederstraßer, Olaf; Müller, Tobias; Jenckel, Maria; van der Grinten, Elisabeth; Lutter, Christian (2015-07-09). "A Variegated Squirrel Bornavirus Associated with Fatal Human Encephalitis". New England Journal of Medicine. 373 (2): 154–162. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1415627. ISSN 0028-4793. PMID 26154788.