Nature Atlas

How Nature Works
Sign In
Text size
100%
Theme

Switch Atlas

Taxa

Sciurus

Mammal Genera

Sciurus is a genus of tree squirrel that contains most of the common, bushy tailed squirrels of North America, Europe, temperate Asia, Central America and South America. A 2005 classification recognized 28 species within the genus, though a 2020 genetic revision split Sciurus into several new genera and elevated subgenera, reducing the number of species still placed in Sciurus proper under that framework, with the exact count depending on which taxonomic treatment is followed. The genus remains the most familiar and widespread group of tree squirrels across its range.

Facts
Taxonomic Rank
Genus 2
Member Count Band
10 to 100 Species 3
Era First Appeared
Paleogene 4
Classification
Living or Extinct
Yes 1
Connections

Parent Taxon Of

Allen's squirrel, Species
Source Allen's squirrel (Wikipedia)
Andean squirrel, Species
Source Andean squirrel (Wikipedia)
Bolivian squirrel, Species
Source Bolivian squirrel (Wikipedia)
Brazilian squirrel, Species
Source Brazilian squirrel (Wikipedia)
Caucasian squirrel, Species
Source Caucasian squirrel (Wikipedia)
Collie's squirrel, Species
Source Collie's squirrel (Wikipedia)
Deppe's squirrel, Species
Source Deppe's squirrel (Wikipedia)
Fiery squirrel, Species
Source Fiery squirrel (Wikipedia)
Fox squirrel, Species
Source Sciurus niger (Animal Diversity Web)
Guayaquil squirrel, Species
Source Guayaquil squirrel (Wikipedia)
Japanese squirrel, Species
Source Japanese squirrel (Wikipedia)
Mexican fox squirrel, Species
Source Mexican fox squirrel (Wikipedia)
Mexican gray squirrel, Species
Source Mexican gray squirrel (Wikipedia)
Northern Amazon red squirrel, Species
Source Northern Amazon red squirrel (Wikipedia)
Peters's squirrel, Species
Source Sciurus oculatus (Animal Diversity Web)
Red squirrel, Species
Source Red squirrel (Wikidata)
In the Other Atlases

Found In

Asia

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Source Sciurus (Wikipedia)Lead paragraph
Quote, Lead paragraph
The genus Sciurus ( or ) contains most of the common, bushy-tailed squirrels in North America, Europe, temperate Asia, Central America and South America.
Central America

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Source Sciurus (Wikipedia)Lead paragraph
Quote, Lead paragraph
The genus Sciurus ( or ) contains most of the common, bushy-tailed squirrels in North America, Europe, temperate Asia, Central America and South America.
Europe

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Source Sciurus (Wikipedia)Lead paragraph
Quote, Lead paragraph
The genus Sciurus ( or ) contains most of the common, bushy-tailed squirrels in North America, Europe, temperate Asia, Central America and South America.
North America

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Source Sciurus (Wikipedia)Lead paragraph
Quote, Lead paragraph
The genus Sciurus ( or ) contains most of the common, bushy-tailed squirrels in North America, Europe, temperate Asia, Central America and South America.
South America

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Source Sciurus (Wikipedia)Lead paragraph
Quote, Lead paragraph
The genus Sciurus ( or ) contains most of the common, bushy-tailed squirrels in North America, Europe, temperate Asia, Central America and South America.
Sources
1. Wikidata (taxon extant/extinct status)
Wikimedia Foundation / Wikidata contributorsQ18215502, descriptionView the Source
2. Sciurus (Wikipedia)
  • Introduction
    The genus Sciurus ( or ) contains most of the common, bushy-tailed squirrels in North America, Europe, temperate Asia, Central America and South America.
  • Taxonomic rank (structure-wave classification, ruling 761/926)
View the Source
3. Catalogue of Life (ChecklistBank): Taxon metrics for Sciurus
Catalogue of Life (ChecklistBank)Taxon metrics, speciesExtantCount
Quote, Taxon metrics, speciesExtantCount
"speciesExtantCount": 28
View the Source
4. Paleobiology Database: Taxon record for Sciurus
Paleobiology DatabaseTaxon record, first appearance (firstapp_max_ma, early_interval)
Quote, Taxon record, first appearance (firstapp_max_ma, early_interval)
"taxon_name": "Sciurus" ... "firstapp_max_ma": 41.03 ... "early_interval": "Bartonian"
View the Source
Wikidata: Sciurus
Wikidata Q281124, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)View the Source
Red squirrel (Wikidata)
WikidataParent Taxon Of: Red squirrel, Wikidata P171 (parent taxon) claim, rank=normal, target=Q281124 (Sciurus)View the Source
Japanese squirrel (Wikipedia)
Parent Taxon Of: Japanese squirrel, Lead, genus
Quote, Parent Taxon Of: Japanese squirrel, Lead, genus
The Japanese squirrel (Sciurus lis) is a tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus
View the Source
Caucasian squirrel (Wikipedia)
Parent Taxon Of: Caucasian squirrel, Lead
Quote, Parent Taxon Of: Caucasian squirrel, Lead
is a tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus
View the Source
Sciurus niger (Animal Diversity Web)
Parent Taxon Of: Fox squirrel, Scientific Classification
Quote, Parent Taxon Of: Fox squirrel, Scientific Classification
Genus Sciurus tree squirrels
View the Source
Allen's squirrel (Wikipedia)
Parent Taxon Of: Allen's squirrel, Lead
Quote, Parent Taxon Of: Allen's squirrel, Lead
Allen's squirrel (Sciurus alleni) is a tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus endemic to northern Mexico.
View the Source
Brazilian squirrel (Wikipedia)
Parent Taxon Of: Brazilian squirrel, Lead
Quote, Parent Taxon Of: Brazilian squirrel, Lead
The Brazilian squirrel (Sciurus aestuans), or Guianan squirrel, is a species of tree squirrel endemic to South America.
View the Source
Bolivian squirrel (Wikipedia)
Parent Taxon Of: Bolivian squirrel, Lead, scientific name
Quote, Parent Taxon Of: Bolivian squirrel, Lead, scientific name
The Bolivian squirrel (Sciurus ignitus) is a tree squirrel that is endemic to South America.
View the Source
Deppe's squirrel (Wikipedia)
Parent Taxon Of: Deppe's squirrel, Lead, scientific name
Quote, Parent Taxon Of: Deppe's squirrel, Lead, scientific name
Deppe's squirrel (Sciurus deppei) is a species of tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus
View the Source
Northern Amazon red squirrel (Wikipedia)
Parent Taxon Of: Northern Amazon red squirrel, Lead, scientific name
Quote, Parent Taxon Of: Northern Amazon red squirrel, Lead, scientific name
The northern Amazon red squirrel (Sciurus igniventris) is a species of squirrel from South America.
View the Source
Collie's squirrel (Wikipedia)
Parent Taxon Of: Collie's squirrel, Lead
Quote, Parent Taxon Of: Collie's squirrel, Lead
is a tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus endemic to Mexico
View the Source
Guayaquil squirrel (Wikipedia)
Parent Taxon Of: Guayaquil squirrel, Lead
Quote, Parent Taxon Of: Guayaquil squirrel, Lead
The Guayaquil squirrel (Sciurus stramineus) is a tree squirrel endemic to Ecuador and Peru.
View the Source
Andean squirrel (Wikipedia)
Parent Taxon Of: Andean squirrel, Lead
Quote, Parent Taxon Of: Andean squirrel, Lead
The Andean squirrel (Sciurus pucheranii) is a tree squirrel
View the Source
Fiery squirrel (Wikipedia)
Parent Taxon Of: Fiery squirrel, Lead, genus in the species name
Quote, Parent Taxon Of: Fiery squirrel, Lead, genus in the species name
The fiery squirrel (Sciurus flammifer) is a rodent in the family Sciuridae.
View the Source
Mexican gray squirrel (Wikipedia)
Parent Taxon Of: Mexican gray squirrel, Taxonomy
Quote, Parent Taxon Of: Mexican gray squirrel, Taxonomy
within the broader Sciurus genus of tree squirrels
View the Source
Mexican fox squirrel (Wikipedia)
Parent Taxon Of: Mexican fox squirrel, Lead
Quote, Parent Taxon Of: Mexican fox squirrel, Lead
The Mexican fox squirrel (Sciurus nayaritensis)
View the Source
Sciurus oculatus (Animal Diversity Web)
Parent Taxon Of: Peters's squirrel, Classification, genus
Quote, Parent Taxon Of: Peters's squirrel, Classification, genus
Sciurus
View the Source
Comments (0)
No comments yet. Be the first to share a thought.
Reader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.