Red-bellied Squirrel

About the Red-bellied Squirrel

The Mexican gray squirrel (Sciurus aureogaster, F. Cuvier), also known as the red-bellied squirrel, is known in Spanish as ardilla gris mexicana or ardilla vientre rojo. The species consists of two subspecies S. a. aureogaster and S.a. nigrescens, which are native to Mexico and Southern Guatemala. The Mexican gray squirrel was introduced to the Florida Keys in 1938 and is considered an invasive species.

Sciurus aureogaster was named in 1829 by Frédéric Cuvier. It is classified as part of the subgenus Sciurus within the broader Sciurus genus of tree squirrels, alongside several other North American and Eurasian species. Due to the species' considerable variety in fur color and patterns across its range, over sixty distinct scientific names have been applied to specimens since its original naming. Consequently, while the possibility that additional subspecies might be present within the species has been raised by taxonomists such as Guy Musser, at present only two subspecies are universally recognized:

S. a. aureogaster: Occurs in eastern Mexico. Typically has orange to chestnut ventral fur, small postauricular patches, and a white tail accented with black or chestnut... Wikipedia →