Red Squirrel - Taxonomy and Distribution

Taxonomy and Distribution

There have been over 40 described subspecies of the red squirrel, but the taxonomic status of some of these is uncertain. A study published in 1971 recognises 16 subspecies and has served as a basis for subsequent taxonomic work. At present, there are 23 recognized subspecies.

  • S. v. alpinus. Desmarest, 1822. (Synonyms: S. v. baeticus, hoffmanni, infuscatus, italicus, meridionalis, numantius, segurae or silanus.)
  • S. v. altaicus. Serebrennikov, 1928.
  • S. v. anadyrensis. Ognev, 1929.
  • S. v. arcticus. Trouessart, 1906. (Synonym: S. v. jacutensis.)
  • S. v. balcanicus. Heinrich, 1936. (Synonyms: S. v. istrandjae or rhodopensis.)
  • S. v. chiliensis. Sowerby, 1921.
  • S. v. cinerea. Hermann, 1804.
  • S. v. dulkeiti. Ognev, 1929.
  • S. v. exalbidus. Pallas, 1778. (Synonyms: S. v. argenteus or kalbinensis.)
  • S. v. fedjushini. Ognev, 1935.
  • S. v. formosovi. Ognev, 1935.
  • S. v. fuscoater. Altum, 1876. (Synonyms: S. v. brunnea, gotthardi, graeca, nigrescens, russus or rutilans.)
  • S. v. fusconigricans. Dvigubsky, 1804
  • S. v. leucourus. Kerr, 1792.
  • S. v. lilaeus. Miller, 1907. (Synonyms: S. v. ameliae or croaticus.)
  • S. v. mantchuricus. Thomas, 1909. (Synonyms: S. v. coreae or coreanus.)
  • S. v. martensi. Matschie, 1901. (Synonym: S. v. jenissejensis.)
  • S. v. ognevi. Migulin, 1928. (Synonyms: S. v. bashkiricus, golzmajeri or uralensis.)
  • S. v. orientis. Thomas, 1906.
  • S. v. rupestris. Thomas, 1907
  • S. v. ukrainicus. Migulin, 1928. (Synonym: S. v. kessleri.)
  • S. v. varius. Gmelin, 1789.
  • S. v. vulgaris. Linnaeus, 1758. (Synonyms: S. v. albonotatus, albus, carpathicus, europaeus, niger, rufus or typicus.)

S. vulgaris is classed as a "prohibited new organism" under New Zealand's Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996 preventing it from being imported into the country.


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