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The Unstriped Ground Squirrel (''Xerus rutilus'') is a species of rodent (order Rodentia) in the Sciuridae family. It is found in Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda. Its natural habitats are dry savanna and subtropical or tropical dry shrubland. ==Description== The unstriped ground squirrel is brownish or tawny in color with a lighter colored front. As the name suggests the X. rutilus differs from other species of African ground squirrel by not having dorsal running longitudinal white stripes. The eye is ringed with white hair (all hair being coarse in observed specimens). Their small head and body measure on average only 225.8mm long with an average tail length of 172mm. This tail is flat in appearance. Body weight varies across studies and habitats and ranges from 257.7g to 420g.〔Coe, M. 1972. The South Turkana expedition. Scientific papers IX. Ecological studies of the small mammals of South Turkana. Geographical Journal, 138: 316-338.〕〔 Length of the hind foot is 35-49mm with a braincase measuring only 24-25mm. The length of the mandible is variable in the range of 31.0 to 33.9mm.〔〔Michaux, J., Hautier, L., Simonin, T., & Vianey-Liaud, M. (2008). Phylogeny, adaptation and mandible shape in Sciuridae (Rodentia, Mammalia). Mammalia, 72(4), 286-296.〕 Xerus rutilus is a member of the Xerini tribe, but differs from its sister group Xerus daamsi.〔Denys, C., L. Viriot, R. Daams, P. Pelaez-Campomanes, P. Vignaud, L. Andossa, M. Brunet. 2003. A new Pliocene Xerine sciurid (Rodentia) from Kossom Bougoudi, Chad. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 23(3): 676–687.〕 Both being separate and distinct from the North American equivalent Atlantoxerus.〔 Vibrissae (whiskers) length and brain size are both smaller than arboreal squirrels of the region, but are similar to other terrestrial squirrels.〔 No significant sexual dimorphism is noted in X. rutilus. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Unstriped ground squirrel」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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