Funambulus
Northern Palm Squirrel ( Funambulus pennantii )
The Striped Palm Squirrel ( Funambulus ), also Genuine Palm Squirrel, is a genus of South Asian croissant. Externally, they resemble the chipmunks with whom they are not related. The following species are expected to this genus:
- Indian Palm Squirrel ( Funambulus palmarum ), Central and South India, Sri Lanka
- Jungle Palm Squirrel ( Funambulus tristriatus ), south-west. Coastal region of India
- Layard palm squirrel ( Funambulus layardi ), southern tip of India, Sri Lanka
- Dark palm squirrel ( Funambulus sublineatus ), southern tip of India, Sri Lanka
- Northern Palm Squirrel ( Funambulus pennantii ), Central and Northern India, Pakistan, south-east. Iran
The latter type is separated into a sub- genus Prasadsciurus from the others.
The coat is light gray, brown or black soft, depending on the type. About your spine three bright stripes. The underside is the Layard - Palm Squirrel reddish brown, the other white species. The head-body length is 15 inches, added 15 inches cock.
The individual species live in different habitats. Some are located in the top region of dense rainforests, others live in open bushland. The Palm squirrels are diurnal and eat seeds, nuts, bark, leaves and flowers, and sometimes insects.
The behavior of the Northern Palm squirrel is slightly better researched than that of other species. It lives in groups of about ten individuals who live in a tree and communicate with high-pitched call that resemble bird calls. The males fight for the right to mate with a female. After subsequent 40-day gestation period one to five young are born. They are raised in a spherical nest of plant fibers.
The rare Layard Palm Squirrel is "endangered" by the IUCN ( vulnerable ) classified as the habitat of the Layard - palm squirrel by forestry and forest fires is steadily reduced.
The other Striped Palm Squirrel are not threatened.
In older classifications the Striped Palm Squirrel was combined with some African tribes croissants for Funambulini. In recent works, however, they are allocated to the nice croissant.