Sciurus variegatoides Ogilby, 1839

Taxonomic Identification

The variegated squirrel (Sciurus variegatoides Ogilby, 1839) is a medium-sized squirrel.

Size Measurements

It has an approximate head-and-body length of 260 mm (10.2 in), with a tail of roughly the same length, and weighs around 500 g (18 oz).

Intraspecific Appearance Variation

Multiple subspecies of this squirrel differ in appearance, and there is often substantial variation in appearance between individual squirrels from the same population.

Dorsal Coloration

Dorsal colouration ranges from dark brown to yellowish grey.

Head and Neck Markings

The neck is typically darker than the rest of the body, and a paler patch is often present behind the ears.

Underpart Coloration

The underparts are usually some shade of cinnamon.

Mexican Population Tail Morphology

The tail is long and densely bushy; in Mexico, the tail is black, and sometimes has white-tipped hairs that give it a frosted appearance.

Southern Population Color Variation

In Nicaragua and Costa Rica, some individuals have pale underparts and pale tails.

Geographical Range

This squirrel is native to Central America, with a range that extends south from Mexico through Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama.

Habitat Preferences

It can be found in dry deciduous forest, evergreen forest, secondary growth, and plantations, and can become a crop pest.

Altitudinal Distribution

It is mainly a lowland species, occurring up to an altitude of 1,800 m (5,910 ft), and reaches somewhat higher altitudes in Costa Rica.

Activity Pattern

The variegated squirrel is diurnal and rarely descends to the ground.

Nesting Behavior

It spends nights in a nest it builds; the nest is sometimes located in a tree hole, but is more often made of leaves and built in the fork of a branch near the tree trunk.

Primary Diet

This squirrel is primarily a seed-eater, but also eats fruits and small amounts of animal matter in the form of insects and nestlings.

Seed Consumption Traits

It tends to avoid hard-shelled seeds, but does eat acorns.

Food Storage Behavior

Unlike some other squirrel species from colder climates, it does not hoard food, so it plays very little part in seed dispersal.