Syntheosciurus

Syntheosciurus is a monotypic genus of tree squirrel containing a single poorly known species, Bangs's mountain squirrel, found only in Costa Rica and Panama. It inhabits mountain rainforest at altitudes between 1,900 and 2,600 meters, spending most of its time in the treetops though it occasionally descends to the forest floor, with one population living in an almost inaccessible Clusia forest on the Poas Volcano in Costa Rica. It measures about fifteen centimeters in head and body length with a thirteen centimeter tail, and displays an olive brown back and an orange red belly. It was placed in its own genus, separate from the closely related Sciurus, on the strength of distinctive skull and tooth structures.