2 March 2017

Potential split : Calabrian Black Squirrel

This popped up in my social media feed this morning(via Jack Ashby on twitter https://twitter.com/JackDAshby/status/837203764012527616) – a proposal to treat the meriodionalis subspecies of Eurasian Red Squirrel as a full species. It looks like a fairly comprehensive study, interested to hear from those with a better understanding of the molecular analysis though.

http://www.italian-journal-of-mammalogy.it/article/view/12015/pdf

A pdf of the paper can be downloaded from the link.

cheers, Mike

 

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4 Comments

  • 2 March 2017
    Vladimir Dinets

    This one seems legit. I think I mentioned the distinctiveness of this form in one of my recent trip reports. What is still unclear to me is where the population from Abruzzo falls: it looks very similar to Calabrian squirrels.

  • 8 August 2017
    Nigel Robbins & Stephanie

    After a gap of about 5 years we have just spotted a black squirrel with white front near our house in the Marche’. Presumably this is the Calabrian version. Has anyone seen one this far north,actually near Urbisaglia ? But for the colouring it could be mistaken, in shape, size and tufty ears for a red. Perhaps a bit larger (if adult) than the red but totally unlike eastern grey.

  • 30 January 2019
    Mrs Maria Berrow

    I saw a very definitely back squirrel this morning, it sprinted across the road in front of me. Road from Torricella Peligna to Roccarasso, nearer Torricella. Abruzzo, Italy.

  • 14 June 2019
    Niall k

    Just saw a black squirrel run up a tree in Marche, Italy. No one local had ever seen one before.

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