The systematic position of Anomalurus beecrofti and the entire Anomaluridae family within the order Rodentia has been greatly debated. Despite their common name, they are not squirrels (family Sciuridae) and may not be closely related.
The well-developed auditory bullae and relatively large ears of Beecroft's scaly-tailed squirrels have led researchers to believe that acoustic communication is important to them. The call of Anomalurus beecrofti is described as "something between a whistle and a hoot" by Rosevear (1969). Twittering calls have also been noted to occur at night in these squirrels. In the family, Anomaluridae, hissing sounds have been noted when these animals feel threatened. They also are likely to use vision, touch, and chemical cues in communicating with conspecifics.
Communication Channels: visual ; tactile ; acoustic ; chemical
Perception Channels: visual ; tactile ; acoustic ; chemical
Anomalurus beecrofti is listed as a CITES Appendix III species. This is primarily due to habitat loss because of deforestation in West and Central Africa.
US Federal List: no special status
CITES: appendix iii
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: least concern
There are no known adverse affects of Anomalurus beecrofti on humans.
Information about how Anomalurus beecrofti can benefit humans is scarce.
Information about the role that Anomalurus beecrofti plays in the ecosystem is scarce, although they do feed on fruits and seeds and may act as a seed disperser.
Ecosystem Impact: disperses seeds
Beecroft's scaly-tailed squirrels are herbivorous, feeding mainly on bark, leaves, fruit, seeds, and nuts. Their well-developed jaws are thought to be used to crack the hard shells of nuts and to gnaw at tough outer bark.
Plant Foods: leaves; roots and tubers; wood, bark, or stems; seeds, grains, and nuts; fruit
Primary Diet: herbivore (Frugivore , Granivore )
Beecroft's scaly-tailed squirrels inhabit the tropical and subtropical forests of West and Central Africa.
Biogeographic Regions: ethiopian
Beecroft's scaly-tailed squirrels prefer the upper canopy levels of virgin tropical and subtropical rainforest.
Range elevation: 35 m above ground (high) m.
Habitat Regions: tropical ; terrestrial
Terrestrial Biomes: forest ; rainforest
The lifespan of Anomalurus beecrofti is scarcely known in the wild and in captivity. One record of an anomolurid being held in captivity had the animal living in a cage for 14 months with a Dendrohyrax species. It is not known if the specimen died or was released.
Anomalurus beecrofti is squirrel-like in form with soft, thick fur that is sometimes curly with some parts of the pelage having long hairs with dark tips on the dorsal side. This makes the fur look brindled, with the majority of the fur being slate-colored. The coloring of the the ventral side of Anomalurus beecrofti varies. It is often slate-colored with orange tips. The fur can also appear to be a whitish color. On the crown of the head there is a small spot of white hairs. The throat is a greyish color. There is also a pale area at the base of the back of the neck. The ears are smaller and more narrow than Anomalurus derbianus and there is no black on the ears or face. Anomalurus beecrofti has large eyes and long whiskers. The incisors are well-developed and the molars are small with flat crowns. The auditory bullae are more inflated and the cheekteeth are more narrow than Anomalurus derbianus. The digits are well-developed with strong claws. Beecroft's scaly-tailed squrirrels have a gliding membrane that extends between their forelimbs and hindlimbs and between their hindlimbs and tail. The membrane is supported by a rod of cartilage in the front. This cartilage stems from the elbow joint instead of from the wrist, as in true flying squirrels. There are sparse amounts of hair on the underside of the flight membrane and large amounts of hair on the outerside. The tail is short, black and thin-haired with 16 to 18 scales on the underside of the tail near the base. The approximate body length is 25 to 31 cm, the approximate tail length is 19 to 23 cm, and the approximate weight is 0.6 to 0.7 kg.
Range mass: 600 to 700 g.
Range length: 25 to 31 cm.
Other Physical Features: endothermic ; homoiothermic; bilateral symmetry
Sexual Dimorphism: sexes alike
There is no information available on predators of Beecroft's scaly-tailed squirrels. They are not hunted by natives because of their small size. They may be preyed on by large raptors, arboreal snakes, and cats. The brindled color pattern on the dorsal side of Anomalurus beecrofti serves as camouflage when they are clinging to trees.
Anti-predator Adaptations: cryptic
There is no information concerning mating systems in Anomalurus beecrofti.
Information about reproduction in Anomalurus beecrofti is scarce. The main breeding season seems to be at the end of the rainy season in West Africa. In general, scaly-tailed squirrels give birth to one young. The gestation period is unknown. Newborns are large and covered with hair. They are able to open their eyes and move around soon after birth. Copulatory plugs have been noted in the vagina of pregnant females.
Breeding interval: One to two times a year
Breeding season: Breeding occurs during the rainy season of west and central Africa.
Average number of offspring: 1.
Key Reproductive Features: iteroparous ; seasonal breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; viviparous
The offspring of Anomalurus beecrofti are hidden in the nest and are fed by both parents until they are almost full grown. They are fed food that is well masticated by the parents. When the parents bring the food to their young, their cheeks are said to be swollen to the size of a tangerine.
Parental Investment: altricial ; male parental care ; female parental care
Beecroft's flying squirrel (Anomalurus beecrofti) or Beecroft's scaly-tailed squirrel, is a species of rodent in the family Anomaluridae.[2] Some authorities consider it to be monotypic within the genus Anomalurops.[1] Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, and plantations. It is threatened by habitat destruction but is a common species with a wide range and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as being of "least concern".[1]
Beecroft's flying squirrel is a medium-sized squirrel with a body-length of about 28 cm (11 in) with a tail of 21 cm (8 in). The fur is soft and thick, the upper parts being a brindled slate-grey and the underparts being paler grey with an orangeish sheen or whitish. There is a pale spot on the crown and another on the nape of the neck. A gliding membrane extends from the fore limbs to the hind limbs and onwards to the tail. This is furred on its upper side but nearly naked below. The tail is black and has sixteen to eighteen scales on the underside near its base.[3]
Beecroft's flying squirrel has a wide distribution in West and Central Africa. Its range extends from Senegal in the west to Nigeria, Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of Congo in the east, and southwards to Namibia, with a few records from Angola. Although native to virgin wet and dry forests, it is able to adapt to secondary forest, and occurs at altitudes of up to 2,500 m (8,200 ft). It seems to prefer swampy forests with palms, and also inhabits oil palm plantations and other cultivated areas.[1]
Beecroft's flying squirrels are largely nocturnal. They spend the day in nests composed of leaves and twigs high up in the canopy. At dusk they leave these and glide down to lower parts of the trees to forage for nuts, fruit, seeds, leaves and bark. They can run along branches but seldom descend to the ground as they find terrestrial locomotion difficult because their gliding membranes get in the way. The enlarged scales on the undersides of their tails may serve the purpose of slowing them down as they land from their glide. These squirrels may occur alone or in pairs, or several individuals may live in the same tree and hide in the same nest. They communicate by making calls described as "something between a whistle and a hoot". Their hearing is probably acute; they sometimes make twittering sounds, and have a hissing alarm call.[3]
The reproduction of this species has been little studied. In Nigeria, breeding seems to occur in the rainy season, lactating females having been found in January and October. The litter size seems normally to be one, the young being fully furred and able to move around at the time of birth. A copulatory plug is present in the vagina during pregnancy.[4] The juvenile remains in the nest for some time. Both parents care for the young, masticating food and bringing it to their offspring in their mouths, their cheeks swelling to the size of tangerines.[3]
Beecroft's flying squirrel (Anomalurus beecrofti) or Beecroft's scaly-tailed squirrel, is a species of rodent in the family Anomaluridae. Some authorities consider it to be monotypic within the genus Anomalurops. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, and plantations. It is threatened by habitat destruction but is a common species with a wide range and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as being of "least concern".
