Squirrels of the World

Sciurus igniventris 57

general references: S. Anderson 1997; Emmons and
Feer 1990; Haugaasen and Peres 2005; Woodman et al.
1995.

Sciurus igniventris (Wagner, 1842)

Northern Amazon Red Squirrel

description: Northern Amazon red squirrels have a dark
chestnut red or rusty orange yellow dorsal pelage grizzled
with black. The ears are thinly haired and extend above a
crown that is often black; postauricular patches are absent
or poorly defi ned and slightly yellow. The feet are bright red
or orange, without black. The ventral pelage sharply con-
trasts with the dorsal pelage and has a pale orange, red, or
white coloration, sometimes off set from the dorsum by a
black lateral line. The tail is very bushy and black at the
base, and orange or rusty at the distal end. Melanism occurs
occasionally.

Sciurus igniventris. Photo courtesy Geoffrey Palmer.