African ground squirrel
Encyclopedia
African ground squirrels (genus
Xerus) form a taxon of squirrel
s under the subfamily Xerinae
. They are only found in Africa
.
There is another African ground squirrel of the genus Atlantoxerus, the Atlantoxerus getulus present in southwestern Morocco and northern Western Sahara. It is invasive in the Canary Islands
since an introduction in 1971.
There are four species of African ground squirrels divided into three subgenera:
The squirrels live in open woodlands, grasslands, or rocky country. They are diurnal and terrestrial, living in burrows. Their diet is roots, seeds, fruits, pods, grains, insects, small vertebrates and bird eggs. They live in colonies similar to North American prairie dogs, and have similar behavior. Kept as pets, they run free as house cats do, otherwise farmers consider them pests.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
Xerus) form a taxon of squirrel
Squirrel
Squirrels belong to a large family of small or medium-sized rodents called the Sciuridae. The family includes tree squirrels, ground squirrels, chipmunks, marmots , flying squirrels, and prairie dogs. Squirrels are indigenous to the Americas, Eurasia, and Africa and have been introduced to Australia...
s under the subfamily Xerinae
Xerinae
Xerinae is a subfamily of squirrels, many of which are highly terrestrial. It includes the tribes Marmotini , Xerini , and Protoxerini .-References:* Thorington, R. W. and R. S. Hoffmann. 2005. Family Sciuridae. Pp 754-818 in Wilson, E. D...
. They are only found in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
.
There is another African ground squirrel of the genus Atlantoxerus, the Atlantoxerus getulus present in southwestern Morocco and northern Western Sahara. It is invasive in the Canary Islands
Canary Islands
The Canary Islands , also known as the Canaries , is a Spanish archipelago located just off the northwest coast of mainland Africa, 100 km west of the border between Morocco and the Western Sahara. The Canaries are a Spanish autonomous community and an outermost region of the European Union...
since an introduction in 1971.
There are four species of African ground squirrels divided into three subgenera:
- Genus Xerus
- Subgenus Euxerus
- Striped Ground Squirrel, Xerus erythropus (southwestern Morocco, southern Mauritania and Senegal)
- Subgenus GeosciurusGeosciurusThe subgenus Geosciurus of African ground squirrels are found in most of the drier parts of southern Africa from South Africa, through to Botswana, and into Namibia.-Species:* Xerus inauris – Cape Ground Squirrel...
- Cape Ground SquirrelCape Ground SquirrelThe Cape Ground Squirrel is found in most of the drier parts of southern Africa from South Africa, through to Botswana, and into Namibia....
, Xerus inauris (also: South African Ground Squirrel) (Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa) - Damara Ground SquirrelMountain Ground SquirrelThe Mountain Ground Squirrel is a rodent that is native to southwestern Angola, western Namibia, and western South Africa. It is also known as the Kaoko Ground Squirrel or the Damara Ground Squirrel....
, Xerus princeps (southwestern Angola, Namibia)
- Cape Ground Squirrel
- Subgenus Xerus
- Unstriped Ground SquirrelUnstriped Ground SquirrelThe Unstriped Ground Squirrel is a species of rodent in the Sciuridae family. It is found in Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda. Its natural habitats are dry savanna and subtropical or tropical dry shrubland.-References:*Thorington, R. W. Jr. and R. S....
, Xerus rutilus (northeastern Sudan to northeastern Tanzania)
- Unstriped Ground Squirrel
- Subgenus Euxerus
The squirrels live in open woodlands, grasslands, or rocky country. They are diurnal and terrestrial, living in burrows. Their diet is roots, seeds, fruits, pods, grains, insects, small vertebrates and bird eggs. They live in colonies similar to North American prairie dogs, and have similar behavior. Kept as pets, they run free as house cats do, otherwise farmers consider them pests.