Zenkerella insignis

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

View Printer Friendly

Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	MAMMALIA	RODENTIA	ANOMALURIDAE

Scientific Name:

Zenkerella insignis

Species Authority:

Matschie, 1898

Common Name/s:

English

–

Cameroon Scaly-tail, Flightless Scaly-tailed Squirrel

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Least Concern ver 3.1

Year Published:

2008

Assessor/s:

Hutterer, R. & Decher, J.

Reviewer/s:

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

Contributor/s:

Justification:
Listed as Least Concern because, although it is seldom recorded, it has been reported over a relatively wide distribution, it occurs in an area of extensive, suitable habitat, and because it is unlikely to be declining fast enough to qualify for listing in a more threatened category.

History:

2004	–	Data Deficient
1996	–	Lower Risk/near threatened (Baillie and Groombridge 1996)
1994	–	Insufficiently Known (Groombridge 1994)

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	This Central African species has been recorded from southern Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea (including southern Bioko Island, two specimens collected in 1989 and 1993), Congo, and Ngotto Forest in Central African Republic (on the border of the Central African Republic and Congo). It has not been recorded from Gabon or Democratic Republic of the Congo, although it is likely to occur here.
Countries:	Native: Cameroon; Central African Republic; Congo
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	This species is known from only a few localities and specimens; del Val et al. (1995) document 11 specimens. There is no precise information on population or abundance.
Population Trend:	Unknown

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	This species has been captured in tropical moist forest and semi-deciudous forest, with a few individuals collected close to arboreal savannas, apparently tolerating climates ranging from relatively dry to very humid (de Val et al. 1995). This species is primarily nocturnal, and it is considered likely to be solitary, with little information available on its habitats or ecology. The species is uniqe among anomalurids in having no gliding membrane, which suggests that it may descend to the ground more readily than other anomalurid species. This may explain, as suggested by de Val et al. (1995), why the two records from Equatorial Guinea were taken in ground snare traps.
Systems:	Terrestrial

Habitat and Ecology:

This species has been captured in tropical moist forest and semi-deciudous forest, with a few individuals collected close to arboreal savannas, apparently tolerating climates ranging from relatively dry to very humid (de Val et al. 1995). This species is primarily nocturnal, and it is considered likely to be solitary, with little information available on its habitats or ecology. The species is uniqe among anomalurids in having no gliding membrane, which suggests that it may descend to the ground more readily than other anomalurid species. This may explain, as suggested by de Val et al. (1995), why the two records from Equatorial Guinea were taken in ground snare traps.

Systems:

Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	It is possible that deforestation is a threat to the species in parts of the range. Further research into the impact of deforestation on this species is needed.

Major Threat(s):

It is possible that deforestation is a threat to the species in parts of the range. Further research into the impact of deforestation on this species is needed.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	The species is considered likely to occur in a number of protected areas. Further research on population trends and abundance is needed.

Conservation Actions:

The species is considered likely to occur in a number of protected areas. Further research on population trends and abundance is needed.

Citation:	Hutterer, R. & Decher, J. 2008. Zenkerella insignis. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 21 May 2013.
Disclaimer:	To make use of this information, please check the <Terms of Use>.
Feedback:	If you see any errors or have any questions or suggestions on what is shown on this page, please fill in the feedback form so that we can correct or extend the information provided