# Microsciurus
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{{Short description|Genus of rodents}}
{{Automatic taxobox
| image = Microsciurus flaviventer - Amazon Dwarf Squirrel, Serra do Divisor National Park, Acre, Brazil.jpg
| image_caption = ''Microsciurus flaviventer''
| display_parents = 2
| taxon = Microsciurus
| authority = [J. A. Allen](/source/Joel_Asaph_Allen), 1895
| type_species = ''[Sciurus alfari](/source/Microsciurus_alfari)''
| type_species_authority = [J. A. Allen](/source/Joel_Asaph_Allen), 1895
| subdivision = See text
}}
'''''Microsciurus'''''[{{MSW3 Sciuridae | id = 12400042 | pages = 757–758 | heading = Genus ''Microsciurus''}}] or '''dwarf squirrels''' is a [genus](/source/genus) of [squirrel](/source/squirrel)s from the tropical regions of Central and South America.
==Taxonomy and systematics==
Recent [DNA](/source/DNA) analysis has shown that there is some confusion regarding the traditional classification of the species in the genus ''Microsciurus'',[{{Cite iucn | author = Amori, G. | author2 = Koprowski, J. | author3 = Roth, L. | name-list-style = amp | title = ''Microsciurus santanderensis'' | volume = 2008 | article-number = e.T13412A3904007 | date = 2008 | doi = 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T13412A3904007.en | access-date = 12 January 2018}}] and that the genus may be [polyphyletic](/source/polyphyly).[{{cite journal | author = Pečnerová, P. | author2 = Martínková, N. | name-list-style = amp | date = February 2012 | title = Evolutionary history of tree squirrels (Rodentia, Sciurini) based on multilocus phylogeny reconstruction | journal = Zoologica Scripta | volume = 41 | issue = 3 | pages = 211–219 | doi = 10.1111/j.1463-6409.2011.00528.x| s2cid = 86487063 }}] Currently, there are four [species](/source/species) recognized:
*[Central American dwarf squirrel](/source/Central_American_dwarf_squirrel) (''Microsciurus alfari'') [Allen](/source/Joel_Asaph_Allen), 1895, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama, northern Colombia
*[Amazon dwarf squirrel](/source/Amazon_dwarf_squirrel) (''Microsciurus flaviventer'') [Gray, 1867](/source/John_Edward_Gray), western [Amazon basin](/source/Amazon_basin)
*[Western dwarf squirrel](/source/Western_dwarf_squirrel) (''Microsciurus mimulus'') [Thomas](/source/Oldfield_Thomas), 1898, Ecuador, Colombia, Panama
*[Santander dwarf squirrel](/source/Santander_dwarf_squirrel) (''Microsciurus santanderensis'') Hernández-Camacho, 1957, central Colombia
A 2020 paper published on the taxonomy of '''[Sciurinae](/source/Sciurinae)''' split ''Microsciurus'' into three genera, one currently unnamed. The paper included genetic sampling from all species except [Santander dwarf squirrel](/source/Santander_dwarf_squirrel) and ''[(Microsciurus) simonsi](/source/(Microsciurus)_simonsi)''. It suggests several new species, not all described.[{{Cite journal|doi = 10.1186/s12862-020-01639-y|title = Museomics of tree squirrels: A dense taxon sampling of mitogenomes reveals hidden diversity, phenotypic convergence, and the need of a taxonomic overhaul|year = 2020|last1 = De Abreu-Jr|first1 = Edson Fiedler|last2 = Pavan|first2 = Silvia E.|last3 = Tsuchiya|first3 = Mirian T. N.|last4 = Wilson|first4 = Don E.|last5 = Percequillo|first5 = Alexandre R.|last6 = Maldonado|first6 = Jesús E.|journal = BMC Evolutionary Biology|volume = 20|issue = 1|page = 77|pmid = 32590930|pmc = 7320592 | doi-access=free | bibcode=2020BMCEE..20...77D }}]
*'''''Microsciurus'''''
**[Central American dwarf squirrel](/source/Central_American_dwarf_squirrel), ''M. alfari''
**''Microsciurus "species 1"'' from Colombia
*'''''Leptosciurus'''''
**[Western dwarf squirrel](/source/Western_dwarf_squirrel), ''L. mimulus''
**[Andean squirrel](/source/Andean_squirrel), ''L. pucheranii'' (moved from ''[Sciurus](/source/Sciurus)'')
**''[Leptosciurus similis](/source/Leptosciurus_similis)''
**''[Leptosciurus otinus](/source/Leptosciurus_otinus)''
**''[Leptosciurnus boquetensis](/source/Leptosciurnus_boquetensis)''
**''[Leptosciurus isthmius](/source/Leptosciurus_isthmius)''
*'''''"Microsciurus"'''''
**[Amazon dwarf squirrel](/source/Amazon_dwarf_squirrel), ''"M." flaviventer''
**["Microsciurus" sabanillae](/source/%22Microsciurus%22_sabanillae)
**''"Microsciurus" "species 2"'' from Peru and Brazil (previously assigned to ''[Syntheosciurus](/source/Syntheosciurus)'')
==Description==
With a typical head-and-body length of about {{cvt|15|cm|in}} and a {{cvt|12|cm|in}} long tail, dwarf squirrels are relatively small. However, the [Neotropical pygmy squirrel](/source/Neotropical_pygmy_squirrel), not in this genus, is much smaller than these species, as are certain squirrels in Africa and Asia. ''Microsciurus'' species have gray or brown backs, and white bellies.
==Distribution and habitat==
All dwarf squirrels in this genus live in [tropical rain forest](/source/tropical_rain_forest)s. Estimates of their abundance are limited.[{{cite journal | author = Jessen, T.G. | display-authors = etal | date = August 2016 | title = ''Microsciurus flaviventer'' (Rodentia: Sciuridae) | journal = Mammalian Species | volume = 48 | issue = 935 | pages = 59–65 | doi = 10.1093/mspecies/sew006| doi-access = free }}] The IUCN lists the conservation status as "Least Concern" for three of the species and "Data Deficient" for ''[Microsciurus santanderensis](/source/Microsciurus_santanderensis)''.[{{Cite web|title=The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species|url=https://www.iucnredlist.org/en|website=IUCN Red List of Threatened Species|access-date=2020-05-15}}]
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
==Bibliography==
* Ronald M. Nowak: ''Walker's Mammals of the World''. Johns Hopkins University Press, 1999 {{ISBN|0-8018-5789-9}}
{{S. Sciurinae1 nav}}
{{Sciuromorpha|state=collapsed}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q948353}}
Category:Microsciurus
Category:Rodent genera
Category:Rodents of Central America
Category:Mammals of South America
Category:Taxa named by Joel Asaph Allen
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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Microsciurus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsciurus) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsciurus?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.