Spermophilus atricapillus

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	MAMMALIA	RODENTIA	SCIURIDAE

Scientific Name:

Spermophilus atricapillus

Species Authority:

W.E. Bryant, 1889

Common Name/s:

English

–

Baja California Rock Squirrel

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Endangered B1ab(v) ver 3.1

Year Published:

2008

Assessor/s:

Álvarez-Castañeda, S.T., Castro-Arellano, I. & Lacher, T.

Reviewer/s:

McKnight, M. (Global Mammal Assessment Team) & Amori, G. (Small Nonvolant Mammal Red List Authority)

Contributor/s:

Justification:
Listed as Endangered because its extent of occurrence is less than 5,000 km², its habitat is severely fragmented, and is experiencing population decline due to hunting.

History:

1996

–

Lower Risk/least concern (Baillie and Groombridge 1996)

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	This species occurs in Baja California, Mexico (Alvarez-Castañeda et al. 1996).
Countries:	Native: Mexico (Baja California)
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	No population information could be found. This species has a restricted and fragmented range with low population density. It occurs in isolated and fragmented populations.
Population Trend:	Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	This species is poorly known. It is found in desert shrubland and open mountain forests in areas of volcanic origin. Vegetation is dominated by Pachycereus pringlei (cardon), Machaerocereus gummosus (pitaya agria), Lemairocereus thurberi (pitaya dulce), Opuntia cholla (choya), Prosopis juliflora (mesquite), Lysiloma candida (palo blanco), Burcera ceraciflora (torote) and Jatropha cinerea (lomboy) (Alvarez-Castañeda et al. 1996). This species is primarily found near water holes in the Gigantas Sierra and Sierra de San Francisco. It feeds on Datil plants. Because of this specific habitat preference, populations are very isolated and fragmented.
Systems:	Terrestrial

Habitat and Ecology:

This species is poorly known. It is found in desert shrubland and open mountain forests in areas of volcanic origin. Vegetation is dominated by Pachycereus pringlei (cardon), Machaerocereus gummosus (pitaya agria), Lemairocereus thurberi (pitaya dulce), Opuntia cholla (choya), Prosopis juliflora (mesquite), Lysiloma candida (palo blanco), Burcera ceraciflora (torote) and Jatropha cinerea (lomboy) (Alvarez-Castañeda et al. 1996).

This species is primarily found near water holes in the Gigantas Sierra and Sierra de San Francisco. It feeds on Datil plants. Because of this specific habitat preference, populations are very isolated and fragmented.

Systems:

Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	This species is hunted. It is sometimes considered a pest to crops (squash, Datil).

Major Threat(s):

This species is hunted. It is sometimes considered a pest to crops (squash, Datil).

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Part of this species range lies within a protected area.

Conservation Actions:

Part of this species range lies within a protected area.

Citation:	Álvarez-Castañeda, S.T., Castro-Arellano, I. & Lacher, T. 2008. Spermophilus atricapillus. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 21 May 2013.
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