70 Sciurus stramineusand white that grades to a pale orange near the hips and the
base of the tail. The venter is cream to tan to faint rust. In
the second morph, the body is charcoal to black frosted
with white, which yields a pale gray agouti eff ect. The hips
are tinged with buff to orange; the top of the neck behind
the skull has a white to buff patch. The ears and feet are
black, and the venter is grayish. The tail of both morphs is
black frosted with white.
size: Both sexes—HB 180–320 mm; T 250–330 mm; Mass
460–495 g.
distribution: This species exists in southwestern Ecua-
dor and extreme northwestern Peru, in the area surround-
ing the Gulf of Guayaquil. It was introduced to Lima, Peru.
geographic variation: None.
conservation: IUCN status—least concern. Population
trend—no information.
habitat: Guayaquil squirrels inhabit wet evergreen forests
and dry tropical forests, including secondary forests. Their
tolerance for human disturbance is evident, in that S. stra-
mineus can also be found in coff ee plantations and urban
areas.
natural history: This species is diurnal. The squirrels
forage on the ground and in all levels of the canopy for
seeds, nuts, and fruits. Their nests are large bolus-shaped
leaf nests in the canopy. Guayaquil squirrels are considered
rare in Peru, in part because their range just reaches the
northwestern corner of the country. S. stramineus has been
introduced and has spread throughout portions of Lima
(Peru), where individuals can be seen walking on telephone
wires to cross streets. An individual in captivity lived to 7.3
years. Because of their colorful pelage, this species is often
trapped and sold in the pet trade. Guayaquil squirrels may
serve as important indicators of biological change: this spe-
cies has been used to model future change in forested habi-
tat. Habitat loss and fragmentation in the heavily populated
range of this species may put its conservation at risk.general references: Eisenberg and Redford 1999; Em-
mons and Feer 1990; Grijalva and Villacis 2009; Jessen et al.
2010; Pacheco 2002; Pacheco, Cadenillas, et al. 2009; Peralvo
et al. 2007; R. Weigl 2005.Sciurus variegatoides Ogilby, 1839
Variegated Squirreldescription: The variegated squirrel is so named because
of the tremendous variation in its pelage characteristics:
from almost completely steel gray, to grizzled gray with a
yellow wash, to nearly all black. In some areas, animals may
have a distinct dorsal patch of brown, or be completely red-Sciurus stramineus. Photo courtesy Melissa J. Merrick.