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Home/Species/ Arizona Gray Squirrel

Sciurus arizonensis

Coues, 1867

Arizona Gray Squirrel

G4Apparently Secure Found in 24 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G4Apparently SecureGlobal Rank
Data deficientIUCN
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.100738
Element CodeAMAFB07060
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNData deficient
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassMammalia
OrderRodentia
FamilySciuridae
GenusSciurus
Other Common Names
Una Ardilla (ES)
Concept Reference
Wilson, D. E., and D. M. Reeder (editors). 1993. Mammal species of the world: a taxonomic and geographic reference. Second edition. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC. xviii + 1206 pp. Available online at: http://www.nmnh.si.edu/msw/.
Taxonomic Comments
Under a proposed taxonomic arrangement for Sciurini (de Abreu-Jr et al. 2020a, de Abreu-Jr et al. 2020b), S. arizonensis (along with S. niger, S. nayaritensis, S. alleni, and S. oculatus) would be moved to the genus Parasciurus; pending further investigation, this arrangement is tentatively not accepted following the American Society of Mammalogists (2024).

Sciurus arizonensis may be conspecific with S. nayaritensis (Hoffmeister 1986). Scirurus nayaritensis and S. arizonensis may be subspecies of S. niger (see Best and Riedel 1995). Hoffmeister (1986) examined geographic morphological variation and concluded that S. arizonensis is best treated as monotypic (though a somewhat variable unit). Thorington and Hoffman (in Wilson and Reeder 2005) recognized arizonensis, nayaritensis, and niger as distinct species and recognized three subspecies of S. arizonensis (arizonensis, catalinae, and huachuca).
Conservation Status
Review Date1997-12-09
Change Date1997-12-09
Range Extent Comments
Central and southeastern Arizona (southern and western slopes of the Mogollon Plateau from north of Sedona, Coconino County, to Blue, Greenlee County, and many isolated mountain ranges to the south, including the Prescott, Bradshaw, Pine, Mazatzal, Sierra Ancha, Santa Catalina, Rincon, Santa Rita, Patagonia, Pajarito, and Atascosa mountains); west-central New Mexico (watersheds of the San Francisco and Gila rivers in Catron County, Pinos Altos Mountains in Grant County); northeastern Sonora, Mexico (Sierra de los Ajos, Sierra Azul, Sierra de la Madera, Sierra Patagonia, Sierra de Pinitos, and mountains northeast of Cucurpe) (Hoffmann et al., in Wilson and Reeder 1993, Best and Riedel 1995); 1120 m to above 2700 m (Best and Riedel 1995).
Ecology & Habitat

Description

See Best and Riedel (1995).

Diagnostic Characteristics

See Best and Riedel (1995).

Habitat

Hardwood and mixed oak and pine forests. Found in river valleys and canyons. Found where black walnuts and acorns are abundant. Also in cottonwood and sycamore groves. Makes leaf nests in trees.

Ecology

Populations seem to fluctuate, but more information is needed.

Reproduction

Sexual activity apprently extends from January to June. Juveniles taken in mid-August suggest births in mid-June. No evidence of second annual litter or fall litter (Hoffmeister 1986).
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest - HardwoodForest - MixedWoodland - HardwoodWoodland - Mixed
Palustrine Habitats
Riparian
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN4
ProvinceRankNative
New MexicoS2Yes
ArizonaS4Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
7 - Natural system modifications——High (continuing)
7.1 - Fire & fire suppression——High (continuing)

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Roadless Areas (24)
Arizona (16)
AreaForestAcres
BoulderTonto National Forest40,359
Butterfly Roadless AreaCoronado National Forest42,296
Cdo WsaCoronado National Forest1,955
Grief HillPrescott National Forest12,535
Happy ValleyCoronado National Forest7,972
Hell HoleApache-Sitgreaves National Forests15,512
Lower San FranciscoApache-Sitgreaves National Forests59,310
MazatzalTonto National Forest16,942
Middle Dragoon RoadlessCoronado National Forest10,543
Mitchell PeakApache-Sitgreaves National Forests35,398
Painted BluffsApache-Sitgreaves National Forests43,118
PicachoTonto National Forest4,969
Pine Mountain Wilderness ContiguousTonto National Forest6,518
PipestemApache-Sitgreaves National Forests34,598
Sierra Ancha Wilderness ContiguousTonto National Forest7,787
TumacacoriCoronado National Forest44,594
New Mexico (8)
AreaForestAcres
Contiguous To Black & Aldo Leopold WildernessGila National Forest111,883
Contiguous To Gila Wilderness & Primitive AreaGila National Forest79,049
Devils CreekGila National Forest89,916
Frisco BoxGila National Forest38,979
Gila BoxGila National Forest23,759
Hell HoleGila National Forest19,553
Meadow CreekGila National Forest34,167
Sawyers PeakGila National Forest59,743
References (20)
  1. American Society of Mammalogists (ASM). 2024. The Mammal Diversity Database (MDD). Online. Available: www.mammaldiversity.org
  2. Banfield, A. W. F. 1974. The mammals of Canada. University of Toronto Press, Toronto, Canada. 438 pp.
  3. Best, T. L., and S. Riedel. 1995. <i>Sciurus arizonensis</i>. Mammalian Species (496):1-5.
  4. de Abreu-Jr, E. F., S. E. Pavan, M. T. Tsuchiya, D. E. Wilson, A. R. Percequillo, and J. E. Maldonado. 2020a. Museomics of tree squirrels: A dense taxon sampling of mitogenomes reveals hidden diversity, phenotypic convergence, and the need of a taxonomic overhaul. BMC Evolutionary Biology 20:1-77.
  5. de Abreu-Jr, E. F., S. E. Pavan, M. T. Tsuchiya, D. E. Wilson, A. R. Percequillo, J. E. Maldonado. 2020b. Spatiotemporal diversification of tree squirrels: is the South American invasion and speciation really that recent and fast?. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 8:230.
  6. Doebel, J., and B. McGinnes. 1974. Home range and activity of a gray squirrel population. Journal of Wildlife Management 38:860-67.
  7. Farentinos, R. C. 1972. Observations on the ecology of the tassel-eared squirrel. Journal of Wildlife Management 36:1234-39.
  8. Flyger, V., and J. E. Gates. 1982. Fox and gray squirrels. Pages 209-229 in J. A. Chapman and G. A. Feldhamer, editors. Wild mammals of North America: biology, management, and economics. Johns Hopkins Univ. Press, Baltimore.
  9. Gurnell, J. 1987. The natural history of squirrels. Facts on File Publications, New York. 201 pp.
  10. Hafner, M. S., L. J. Barkley, and J. M. Chupasko. 1994. Evolutionary genetics of New World tree squirrels (tribe Sciurini). J. Mamm. 75:102-109.
  11. Hall, E. R. 1981a. The Mammals of North America, second edition. Vols. I &amp; II. John Wiley &amp; Sons, New York, New York. 1181 pp.
  12. Hoffmeister, D. F. 1986. Mammals of Arizona. University of Arizona Press and Arizona Game and Fish Department. 602 pp.
  13. Ingles, L. G. 1947. Ecology and life history of the California gray squirrel. California Fish and Game 33:138-158.
  14. Jackson, H. H. 1961. Mammals of Wisconsin. University of Wisconsin Press, Madison. 504 pp.
  15. Leopold, A. S. 1959. Wildlife of Mexico. University of California Press, Berkeley.
  16. Mammalian Species, nos. 1-604. Published by the American Society of Mammalogists.
  17. Rusch, D. A., and W. G. Reeder. 1978. Population ecology of Alberta red squirrels. Ecology 59:400-420.
  18. Smith, C. C. 1968. The adaptive nature of social organization in the genus of tree squirrels, <i>Tamiasciurus</i>. Ecological Monographs 38:31-63.
  19. Wilson, D. E., and D. M. Reeder (editors). 1993. Mammal species of the world: a taxonomic and geographic reference. Second edition. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC. xviii + 1206 pp. Available online at: http://www.nmnh.si.edu/msw/.
  20. Wilson, D. E., and D. M. Reeder (editors). 2005. Mammal species of the world: a taxonomic and geographic reference. Third edition. The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore. Two volumes. 2,142 pp. [As modified by ASM the Mammal Diversity Database (MDD) at https://www.mammaldiversity.org/index.html]