Japanese Squirrel

About the Japanese Squirrel

The Japanese squirrel (Sciurus lis) is a tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus endemic to Japan. It is closely related to and similar to the red squirrel. The Japanese squirrel was described by Dutch zoologist Coenraad Jacob Temminck in 1844. It was historically classified as a subspecies of Sciurus vulgaris, the Eurasian red squirrel, although scientific opinion shifted towards classifying it as a distinct species beginning in the 1960s. The Japanese squirrel is nonetheless closely related to the red squirrel, and originated from a population of red squirrels that colonized the Japanese archipelago in the Pleistocene and speciated into a distinct population due to the isolation of the islands from the Eurasian mainland. Recognizable Sciurus lis remains appear in the fossil record beginning in the Middle Pleistocene.

Japanese squirrels range from 16–22 centimetres (6.3–8.7 in) in body length from the head to the base of the tail, which makes up a further 13–17 centimetres (5.1–6.7 in). Their typical body weight is 250–310 grams (8.8–10.9 oz).

Japanese squirrels have red-brown fur on their bodies and tails, with orange patches sometimes present... Wikipedia →