148 Callosciurus phayreiMale—HB 231.5 mm (n = 4); T 246.8 mm (n = 4); Mass
375.6 g (n = 2).
Sex not stated—HB 215.0 mm (n = 3); T 200.0 (n = 1); Mass
258.9 g (n = 2).
distribution: This species is found in southern China
and, in Myanmar, from the upper Irrawaddy River and the
Sittang River eastward to the Salween River and south to
southern Myanmar.
geographic variation: None.
conservation: IUCN status—least concern. Population
trend—no information.
habitat: This species occurs in tropical deciduous forests.
natural history: C. phayrei is described as being a par-
ticularly active squirrel and an able leaper.
general references: Moore and Tate 1965.
Callosciurus prevostii (Desmarest, 1822)
Prevost’s Squirrel
description: Prevost’s squirrel is an exceedingly variable
species, sometimes tricolored and sometimes bicolored,
commonly with a red belly separated from a black or dark
back by a white stripe.
size: Female—HB 237.7 mm (n = 45); T 233.3 mm (n = 44);
Mass 361.9 g (n = 27).
Male—HB 238.9 mm (n = 43); T 233.0 mm (n = 42); Mass
353.7 g (n = 17).
Sex not stated—HB 241.4 mm (n = 32); T 234.7 (n = 21);
Mass 403.2 g (n = 15).
This species varies greatly in size geographically. The
length of the head and body diff ers by subspecies, ranging
from 196 mm to 274 mm, and a plot of body length versus
island size is curvilinear, with small and large islands hav-
ing the smaller subspecies.
distribution: Prevost’s squirrel is found from peninsu-
lar Thailand south to Sumatra, the island of Borneo (divided
among Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, and Indonesia), and
adjacent sma l l i sl a nd s, a s wel l a s i n nor t her n Su l awesi ( I ndo -
nesia), where it is probably an introduced species.
geographic variation: This is an extremely variable
squirrel, with 47 named subspecies.
On peninsular Malaysia, two or three subspecies are rec-
ognized.C. p. prevostii—southern Malaysia, from southern Pahang
and Negeri Sembilan south. This form is black on the
back, with a lateral white stripe extending uninterrupted
from the nose to the white thigh, and with a thin black
line ventral to it between the limbs. The white cheeks are
slightly grizzled.
C. p. humei—westcentral Malaysia, in southern Perak and
Selangor. This form has red on the venter that spreads
over the whole forelimb and shoulder to the black of the
back, interrupting the white side stripe, which extends
from the shoulder onto the thigh and down to the heel.
C. p. wrayi—northern Malaysia, from the Thai border into
northern Pahang and northern Perak. This form is fre-
quently considered to be the same as C. p. humei, be-
cause it diff ers only in having a less intense shoulder
coloration.On Sumatra (Indonesia), two or three subspecies are recog-
nized:C. p. melanops—eastern Sumatra. This form has black cheeks;
a black back; and a bright brownish red venter, extend-
ing as more rufous orange onto the forelimb and shoul-
der to the black back. The buff y white side stripe extends
from the shoulder onto the thigh and down to the heel.
C. p. piceus—northern Sumatra. This form is black on the
dorsum and red on the venter, with no side stripe.