{{Short description|Species of rodent}} {{Speciesbox | name = Red bush squirrel | image = Hörnchen 2.jpg | image_caption = Nominate race in Selous Game Reserve, Tanzania | status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1 | status_ref = <ref name=iucn>{{cite iucn |author=Cassola, F. |year=2016 |errata=2017 |title=''Paraxerus palliatus'' |volume=2016 |article-number=e.T16210A115132374 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T16210A22243543.en |access-date=5 October 2025}}</ref> | genus = Paraxerus | species = palliatus | authority = (Peters, 1852) | subdivision_ranks = Subspecies | subdivision_ref = <ref name="Thorington">{{MSW3 Sciuridae}}</ref> | subdivision = * ''P. p. palliatus'' * ''P. p. bridgemani'' * ''P. p. frerei'' * ''P. p. ornatus'' * ''P. p. sponsus'' * ''P. p. swynnertoni'' * ''P. p. tanae'' | synonyms = }}

The '''red bush squirrel''' or '''red-bellied coast squirrel''' ('''''Paraxerus palliatus''''') is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae, which is found in bush and forest along the eastern seaboard of Africa. It is closely related to ''P. lucifer'', ''P. vexillarius'' and ''P. (p.) vincenti''.<ref name=king/>{{rp|84}}

==Range and habitat== It is native to Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and South Africa. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forest, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, and subtropical or tropical dry shrubland.

==Races== thumb|left|Subspecies ''P. p. ornatus'' of oNgoye forest, South Africa The southernmost subspecies, ''P. p. ornatus'', is endemic to oNgoye Forest in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.<ref name=hes>{{cite book |last1=Mills |first1=Gus |last2=Hes |first2=Lex |title=The complete book of southern African mammals |date=1997 |publisher=Struik Publishers |location=Cape Town |isbn=978-0-947430-55-9 |page=131 |edition=1.}}</ref> ''P. p. swynnertoni'' is endemic to Chirinda Forest in eastern Zimbabwe,<ref name=tim>{{cite web |last1=Timberlake |first1=Jonathan |title=The Biodiversity and Ecology of Chirinda Forest | date=6 November 2002 |url=http://www.biodiversityfoundation.org/documents/s17.pdf |website=BFA SEMINAR SERIES NO. 17 |publisher=Bulawayo Club |access-date=27 November 2014}}</ref> and ''P. (p.) vincenti'' at Mount Namuli is sometimes deemed a full species.<ref name=king>{{cite book |last1=Kingdon |first1=Jonathan |last2=Happold |first2=David |last3=Butynski |first3=Thomas |last4=Hoffmann |first4=Michael |last5=Happold |first5=Meredith |last6=Kalina |first6=Jan |title=Mammals of Africa |date=2013 |volume=3 |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing |location=London |isbn=978-1-4081-8996-2 | display-authors=etal}}</ref>{{rp|88}} The species is smaller (and weighs less) with more rufous pelage in dry forest, and larger and darker in moist forest.<ref name=king/>{{rp|84}}

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{S. Xerinae nav}} {{Taxonbar|from=Q1762179}}

Category:Paraxerus Category:Rodent genera Category:Mammals described in 1852 Category:Taxa named by Wilhelm Peters Category:Taxonomy articles created by Polbot

{{Squirrel-stub}}