Catiana
May 6th, 2008, 12:31 PM
This Week's animal was used by WitchJezebel in the Animal Word Game
Xerus
African ground squirrels (genus Xerus) form a taxon of squirrels under the subfamily Xerinae. They are only found in Africa.
There are four species of African ground squirrels divided into three subgenera:
Genus Xerus
Subgenus Euxerus
Striped Ground Squirrel, Xerus erythropus
Subgenus Geosciurus
Cape Ground Squirrel, Xerus inauris (also: South African Ground Squirrel)
Damara Ground Squirrel, Xerus princeps
Subgenus Xerus
Unstriped Ground Squirrel, Xerus rutilus
Description: The hair on the body, head and limbs is short and bristly There are four digits on the forefeet and five on the hind, all with long, sharp claws for digging. Coloured various shades of brown; white on the lower limbs, under parts and sides of the neck. A white stripe runs along the flanks, outlined with darker cinnamon; alternating dark and light stripes run along the bushy tail. Each hair on the tail has two black bands while the mountain ground squirrel has three bands. The eyes are large and ringed with white, the ears are very small.
Difference in Sex: Females have two pairs of nipples on the belly and are smaller than male.
Average Weight of Adult: Average total length males 47cm and weight 1022g: females 45cm, tail 21cm and weight 795g
Habitat: S Angola, Namibia, Botswana, W Zimbabwe, South Africa
Habits: Active during the day, it emerges from the burrow about an hour after sunrise in summer and half an hour later in winter. It is less active in windy and wet weather, and stays underground during sand storms. Sunbathes in cold weather, in hot weather lies flat in the shade and flicks sand onto its back.
Main feeding time: Diural
Gestation: 6 to 7 weeks.
Number of young at birth: 1 to 3 young are born through out the year.
Communication:
Age: about 15 years
Diet: Leaves, grass, stems, bulbs, seeds, roots, and sometimes insects
Enemies: Eagles, leopard,lion, hyaena, jackals
Xerus
African ground squirrels (genus Xerus) form a taxon of squirrels under the subfamily Xerinae. They are only found in Africa.
There are four species of African ground squirrels divided into three subgenera:
Genus Xerus
Subgenus Euxerus
Striped Ground Squirrel, Xerus erythropus
Subgenus Geosciurus
Cape Ground Squirrel, Xerus inauris (also: South African Ground Squirrel)
Damara Ground Squirrel, Xerus princeps
Subgenus Xerus
Unstriped Ground Squirrel, Xerus rutilus
Description: The hair on the body, head and limbs is short and bristly There are four digits on the forefeet and five on the hind, all with long, sharp claws for digging. Coloured various shades of brown; white on the lower limbs, under parts and sides of the neck. A white stripe runs along the flanks, outlined with darker cinnamon; alternating dark and light stripes run along the bushy tail. Each hair on the tail has two black bands while the mountain ground squirrel has three bands. The eyes are large and ringed with white, the ears are very small.
Difference in Sex: Females have two pairs of nipples on the belly and are smaller than male.
Average Weight of Adult: Average total length males 47cm and weight 1022g: females 45cm, tail 21cm and weight 795g
Habitat: S Angola, Namibia, Botswana, W Zimbabwe, South Africa
Habits: Active during the day, it emerges from the burrow about an hour after sunrise in summer and half an hour later in winter. It is less active in windy and wet weather, and stays underground during sand storms. Sunbathes in cold weather, in hot weather lies flat in the shade and flicks sand onto its back.
Main feeding time: Diural
Gestation: 6 to 7 weeks.
Number of young at birth: 1 to 3 young are born through out the year.
Communication:
Age: about 15 years
Diet: Leaves, grass, stems, bulbs, seeds, roots, and sometimes insects
Enemies: Eagles, leopard,lion, hyaena, jackals