Otospermophilus atricapillus
Creators: name: Wilson, Don E.
name: Thomas E. Lacher, Jr
name: Mittermeier, Russell A.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2016
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Chordata
Mammalia
Rodentia
Sciuridae
Otospermophilus
Otospermophilus atricapillus

description: 220. Baja California Rock Squirrel <i>Otospermophilus atricapillus</i> <b>French:</b> Spermophile de Baja California / <b>German:</b> Baja-California-Ziesel / <b>Spanish:</b> Ardila de rocas de Baja California <b>Taxonomy.</b> Spermophilus grammurus atricapillus W. Bryant, 1889, “Comondu, Lower California,” Baja California Sur, Mexico. This species is monotypic. <b>Distribution.</b> C &amp; S Baja California Peninsula (Mexico). <b>Descriptive notes.</b> Head-body mean 237.8 mm (males) and 231-2 mm (females), tail mean 192-6 mm (males) and 171 mm (females); weight mean 505 g (males) and 350 g (females). The Baja California Rock Squirrel is medium to large in size and easily recognized by dark triangular patch on back of head, neck, shoulders, and anterior of back. Hairs on haunches and tail are dark at bases and frosted with buff. Legs, feet, and venter are white to cream. Whitish eye rings are usually conspicuous. <b>Habitat.</b> Volcanic mountains with desert shrub vegetation of cacti and shrubs (Prosopis and Lysiloma, both Fabaceae; Bursera, Burseraceae; and Jatropha, Euphoriaceae) from sea level to elevations of ¢.600 m. The Baja California Rock Squirrel is often found near oases with palm trees and can inhabit agriculturalfields, especially corn, where it is considered a pest. <b>Food and Feeding.</b> The Baja California Rock Squirrel is an herbivore, feeding mostly on grass and forb leaves, shoots, and especially seeds; cacti flesh and fruits are also eaten. It feeds on palm dates, squash, datil peppers (Capsicum, Solanaceae), and corn when available. <b>Breeding.</b> Mating of the Baja California Rock Squirrel probably occurs in spring. <b>Activity patterns.</b> Baja California Rock Squirrels are diurnal. They do not hibernate and can be seen aboveground throughout the year. <b>Movements, Home range and Social organization.</b> The Baja California Rock Squirrel can live in very low densities and appears to be solitary. Loosely structured colonies can occur near oases, but only aggression or tolerance, and not amicable behaviors, have been noted. <b>Status and Conservation.</b> Classified as Endangered on The IUCN Red List. Population trend of the Baja California Rock Squirrel is declining. Distribution is very restricted, and it is scarce at most localities. Knowledge of basic ecology is limited, which impedes effective conservation and management. Degradation of rangelands and fragmentation of habitats might be major conservation challenges. Where considered to be a pest, it has been hunted, trapped, or poisoned resulting in extirpation in some locations. <b>Bibliography.</b> Alvarez-Castafieda, Arnaud &amp; Yensen (1996), Alvarez-Castaneda, Castro-Arellano &amp; Lacher (2008f), Castro-Arellano &amp; Ceballos (2005), Ceballos (2014), Durden &amp; Musser (1994a, 1994b), Goodwin (2009), Grajales-Tam et al. (2003), Harrison et al. (2003), Helgen et al. (2009), Matejo &amp; Kratochvil (2013), Phuong et al. (2014), Thorington et al. (2012).
description: Published as part of <i>Don E. Wilson, Thomas E. Lacher, Jr &amp; Russell A. Mittermeier, 2016, Sciuridae, pp. 648-837 in Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 6 Lagomorphs and Rodents I, Barcelona :Lynx Edicions</i> on page 807, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6840226