Microsciurus alfari

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	MAMMALIA	RODENTIA	SCIURIDAE

Scientific Name:	Microsciurus alfari
Species Authority:	(J.A. Allen, 1895)
Common Name/s: English – Central American Dwarf Squirrel
Taxonomic Notes:	Systematics of Microsciurus still problematic because the southern disjunct range in Colombia is probably a different species (Emmons and Timm pers. comm.).

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:	Least Concern     ver 3.1
Year Assessed:	2008
Assessor/s:	Koprowski, J., Roth, L., Emmons, L., Timm, R., McCarthy, T. & Samudio, R.
Reviewer/s:	McKnight, M. (Global Mammal Assessment Team) & Amori, G. (Small Nonvolant Mammal Red List Authority)
Justification: This species is listed as Least Concern in view of its wide distribution, occurrence in a number of protected areas, and because it does not appear to be under threat and is unlikely to be declining at nearly the rate required to qualify for listing in a threatened category.
History:	1996 – Lower Risk/least concern (Baillie and Groombridge 1996)

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Southern Nicaragua south through western Colombia (Emmons and Feer 1997). Lowlands to 2,600 m (Reid 1997). Only one specimen from Nicaragua in 1917, but may not be actually have been found there.
Countries:	Native: Colombia; Costa Rica; Nicaragua; Panama
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	Locally abundant. In Panama, not common, but nor is it rare; it has been seen throughout its range in Panama in recent years.
Population Trend:	Stable

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	Mainly in evergreen forest.
Systems:	Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):

No major threats known. However, it does not tolerate heavy deforestation.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:

Occurs in Monteverde National Park, Talamanca National Park and other protected areas.

Bibliography [top]

Emmons, L. H. and Feer, F. 1997. Neotropical Rainforest Mammals: A Field Guide, Second edition. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, IL, USA. Reid, F. 1997. A field guide to the mammals of Central America and southeast Mexico. Oxford University Press, New York, USA.