Kingdom Animalia Order Rodentia Subfamily Sciurinae Scientific name Microsciurus Rank Genus | Phylum Chordata Family Sciuridae Tribe Sciurini Higher classification Sciurinae | |
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Lower classifications Amazon dwarf squirrel, Central American dwarf squ, Western dwarf squirrel, Santander dwarf squirrel | ||
Microsciurus or dwarf squirrels is a genus of squirrels from the tropical regions of Central and South America.
There are four recognized species, however, recent DNA analysis has shown that there is some confusion regarding the traditional classification of the Microsciurus species, and that the genus may be polyphyletic.
Genus Microsciurus - dwarf squirrels
With a head and body length of 15 centimetres (5.9 in) and a 12 centimetres (4.7 in) long tail, dwarf squirrels are not as small as their name suggests; they are hardly smaller than the common red or gray squirrels. The neotropical pygmy squirrel, not in this genus, is much smaller than these species. Microsciurus species have gray or brown backs, and white bellies.
All dwarf squirrels in this genus live in tropical rain forests. None of them are endangered, although they are rarely seen, because they are shy and lead hidden lives.