37.

Culion Tree Squirrel

Sundasciurus moellendorffi

French: Ecureuil de Méllendorff / German: Culion-Hornchen / Spanish: Ardilla de Curion

Taxonomy. Sciurus moellendorffi Matschie, 1898,

“Calamianes...von Culion”

(= Cala- mian I, Philippines).

This species is monotypic.

Distribution. WC Philippines, in the Calamian Is, except Busuanga I.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 200 mm, tail 190 mm; weight 190 g (a single fewr: male). Description of the Culion Tree Squirrel is based on only two skins in the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History. Dorsum of one specimen is light brown, grizzled with white and dark brown, with white patches on upper dorsum. Second specimen has dorsal pelage that is light brown-russet, grizzled with white, and the russet color is more pronounced on midline. Tail of both specimensis darker than dorsum; venteris cream.

Habitat. Primary and secondary lowland forest, but also coconut groves.

Food and Feeding. There is no information available for this species.

Breeding. There is no information available for this species.

Activity patterns. There is no specific information available for this species, but the Culion Tree Squirrelis diurnal.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. There is no information available for this species.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Near Threatened on The IUCN Red List. The Culion Tree Squirrel is considered locally common and presents certain habitat tolerance, as it occurs in plantations and agricultural areas. However,it is restricted to a very limited area with a significant ongoing forest conversion.

Bibliography. Heaney et al. (1998), Ong, Tabaranza, Rosell-Ambal & Balete (2008c), Thorington et al. (2012).