Callospermophilus madrensis
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
Callospermophilus
Callospermophilus madrensis

description: 213. Sierra Madre Ground Squirrel <i>Callospermophilus madrensis</i> <b>French:</b> Spermophile de la Sierra Madre / <b>German:</b> Sierra-Madre-Goldmantelziesel / <b>Spanish:</b> Ardilla terrestre de manto dorado de Sierra Madre <b>Other common names:</b> Sierra Madre Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel <b>Taxonomy.</b> Callospermophilus madrensis Merriam, 1901, “Sierra Madre, near Guadalupe y Calvo, Chihuahua, Mexico (7,000 feet [2134 m] altitude).” This species is monotypic. <b>Distribution.</b> N Sierra Madre Occidental in extreme W Sonora, SW Chihuahua, and NW Durango (Mexico). <b>Descriptive notes.</b> Head-body mean 169 mm (males) and 168 mm (females), tail mean 64 mm (males) and 65 mm (females); weight mean 151 g (males) and 152 g (females). The Sierra Madre Ground Squirrel is small and is easily recognized by two long white stripes and two faint black stripes paralleling spine on each side of body and tan-to-brown mantle across back of head. Dorsum is tan, grading to pale yellow or buff on sides. Stripes do not extend to face. Hands and feet are paler and can be whitish. Tail is short and brown, sometimes frosted with buff. <b>Habitat.</b> Conifer forests of the Sierra Madre Occidental Biotic Province above pinyon pine (Pinus spp.) belt, typically at elevations of 3000-3750 m. The Sierra Madre Ground Squirrel is associated exclusively with coniferforests offir (Pseudotsuga), pine;juniper (Juniperus, Cupressaceae); and sometimes quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides, Salicaceae). <b>Food and Feeding.</b> The Sierra Madre Ground Squirrel feeds on shrub and herb tissues including leaves,flowers, roots, and seeds. In late summer to autumn,it is granivorous, feeding on seeds of conifers and oaks. <b>Breeding.</b> The Sierra Madre Ground Squirrel inhabits burrows. Two to five embryos have been reported in museum specimens; lactation occurs in July. <b>Activity patterns.</b> Sierra Madre Ground Squirrels are diurnal. They are active aboveground in late spring and summer. <b>Movements, Home range and Social organization.</b> The Sierra Madre Ground Squirrel appears to be solitary and is found at low densities. <b>Status and Conservation.</b> Classified as Near Threatened on The IUCN Red List. Population trend of the Sierra Madre Ground Squirrel is unknown. It is considered to be declining and threatened by habitat loss due to deforestation. Lack of knowledge about basic ecology and natural history is an impediment to conservation and management. <b>Bibliography.</b> Alvarez-Castaneda, Castro-Arellano, Lacher &amp; Vazquez (2008), Arita &amp; Ceballos (1997), Best &amp; Thomas (1991b), Ceballos (2014), Durden &amp; Musser (1994a, 1994b), Harrison et al. (2003), Herron et al. (2004), Mateju &amp; Kratochvil (2013), Sanchez-Cordero et al. (2005), Servin, Chacén et al. (2003), Servin, Sanchez-Cordero &amp; Cervantes (1996), 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 804, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6840226