Antelope squirrel
Harris Antilopenziesel
The Antilopenziesel ( Ammospermophilus ) are a genus of ground squirrels. You see the ground squirrels were very similar and long fall in the same genus. The notion that they should make an independent genus, was first represented in 1945 and is supported by new molecular genetic studies.
Features
With a body length 14-16 cm, a 6-9 cm long tail and a weight of 100 to 140 g Antilopenziesel are even smaller and more delicate than real ground squirrel. They are colored in different shades of brown depending on the type. For all species is ever a white longitudinal stripes characteristic, which can be seen on both sides of the body.
Distribution and habitat
The habitat is arid regions in southwestern North America. These are deserts, semi-deserts and plains with little grass cover. While a kind of north to Oregon to occur, the range of the other species in California, New Mexico, Texas, Arizona, and in northwestern Mexico concentrated.
Way of life
Antilopenziesel build courses in which they hide at night. During the day they come out and look for seeds, fruits and roots, exceptionally also for insects and carrion. Often food is tucked into the back pockets and brought into the building.
The colonies of Antilopenziesel six to eight animals that live together in a strict hierarchy. Your boys get the females after a gestation period of 30 days. The litter size varies between five and fourteen. The life expectancy is low. Because of the variety of predators (including birds of prey, Kitfüchse, bobcats, coyotes, badgers and rattlesnakes Silver ) few Antilopenziesel be older than one year. In captivity they can be used up to six years old.
The animals have a special mechanism for thermoregulation that allows them to look even on very hot days outside their caves for food. They change about every hour between the hot desert environment and its the Den. In their, relative to the environment, cool caves they release the stored heat in her body again. This makes them save other metabolically expensive mechanisms for thermoregulation.
System
There are five species, which are all very similar:
- Harris Antilopenziesel ( Ammospermophilus harrisii ), Arizona, Sonora
- White-tailed Antilopenziesel ( Ammospermophilus leucurus ), west North America
- Texas Antilopenziesel ( Ammospermophilus interpres ), Texas, New Mexico, Coahuila, Chihuahua, Durango
- Espiritu Santo Antilopenziesel ( Ammospermophilus insularis ), Isla Espíritu Santo ( island off the coast of Baja California )
- Nelson Antilopenziesel ( Ammospermophilus nelsoni ), Central California
Others
The Nelson - Antilopenziesel is led by the IUCN as threatened. Its circulation area covers 3900 km ² and is only threatened by agricultural development, out blank rat poison, and oil and gas fields. The other four species are not considered endangered. Although they are not overly common, they belong in the deserts of North America but to the animals that you can as an attentive observer hardly overlooked.
The name " Antilopenziesel " establishes a relationship with the Pronghorn, known as antelope in the USA. This shows on the run its white tail, as well as the Antilopenziesel.