Sciuridae (Sub-family of Rodentia)

Sciuridae, from Greek σκίουρος (skíouros, “squirrel”), in reference to the fact that these animals are squirrel-related.

Common names of members

Tree squirrels, ground squirrels, chipmunks, prairie dogs, flying squirrels.

Distribution

The Americas, Eurasia, and Africa.

Size

They are typically small animals, with sizes varying between species from 10–14 cm in length and 12–26 g in weight to 1.27 m in length and 8 kg in weight.

Morphology

Their bodies are usually thin, and they have huge eyes and long, bushy tails. Their fur is often silky and velvety, though several species have significantly thicker fur than others.

Habitat & Ecology

They only stay away from the extreme polar areas and the driest deserts, living in nearly every type of environment from tropical rainforests to semiarid deserts.

Diet

Although they mostly feed on a wide range of plants, nuts, seeds, conifer cones, and fruits, many of them will also consume tiny vertebrates, fungus, insects, and bird eggs.

Reproduction

After mating once or twice a year and going through a three- to six-week gestation phase, they give birth to a number of young that differ depending on the species. The young are altricial; they are born toothless, naked, and without eyes. The young of the majority of species are raised exclusively by the female; they are weaned at six to ten weeks and reach sexual maturity by the end of their first year. While the species that live in trees tend to be more solitary, those that live on the ground are typically more gregarious and frequently form well-established colonies.