RACHMAN ET AL.
Bio Palembanica 1.
: 91-96 .
This journal is available online at: https://ejournal.
Subspecies Range of Little Known North Sumatran Prevost's Squirrel Callosciurus prevostii piceus (Rodentia: Sciurida.
NUR RACHMAN1*.
MUHAMMAD SAYIDINA ALI1.
ASEP BADRU
TAMAM2.
TEDI WAHYUDI3.
SURIANTO EFFENDI1.
SAHAT ARITONANG1
& MUHAMMAD IQBAL1,4
Daemeter Consulting.
Jalan Tangkuban Perahu No.
Bogor.
West Java 16128.
Indonesia *Corresponding Author.
E-mail: n.
rachman@daemeter.
https://orcid.
org/0000-0002-9482-1103 E-mail: sayidina.
ali@daemeter.
https://orcid.
org/0009-0004-1093-5456 E-mail: surianto.
effendi@daemeter.
https://orcid.
org/0000-0001-6577-4654 E-mail: sahat.
aritonang@daemeter.
Astra Agro Lestari.
Jl.
Pulo Ayang Raya Blok OR-1 Kawasan Industri Pulogadung.
Jakarta 13930.
Indonesia E-mail: abtamam@astra-agro.
LetsBirdingSumatera.
Jl.
Banda Aceh Meulaboh No.
Desa Padang Datar.
Aceh Jaya, 23658.
Indonesia E-mail: letsbirding@gmail.
https://orcid.
org/0009-0008-3134-5075 Department of Biology.
Universitas Indo Global Mandiri.
Jalan Jend.
Sudirman No.
Palembang 30129.
Sumatera Selatan.
Indonesia.
E-mail: miqbal@uigm.
https://orcid.
org/0000-0002-6657-0183 Received 15 October 2024iCAccepted by I.
Aprillia: 22 December 2024iCPublished online 24 December 2024.
Abstract North Sumatran Prevost's Squirrel Callosciurus prevostii piceus (Peters, 1.
is an endemic subspecies of terrestrial squirrel that only found in northern Sumatra.
Indonesia.
On 11 December 2022, we observed and documented C.
prevostii piceus in Mugo Rayeuk Village .
A25'N, 96A10'E).
Panton Reu Subdistrict.
Aceh Barat District.
Aceh Province.
Sumatra.
To review subspecies range, we compile published and unpublished records of prevostii piceus.
Our study suggests C.
prevostii piceus range from Aceh Barat of Aceh Province to Labuhan Batu of North Sumatra Province.
Keywords: Callosciurus prevostii, distribution, endemic, northern Sumatra.
PrevostAos Squirrel.
Introduction Rodents .
rder Rodenti.
with over 2.
000 species are the group of at least 40% mammal species in the world (Kay & Hoekstra 2.
They are the most abundant and diverse terrestrial taxa, and the total number of species could represent over half the species of recent mammals (Li et al.
Indonesia is household to several taxa of rodents and mammals that are present across the Sumatra.
Kalimantan (Indonesian Borne.
Java.
Sulawesi.
Lesser Sundas.
Moluccas and Papua (Maryanto et al.
Setiawan et al.
2019, 2023.
Iqbal et al.
Taxonomically, squirrels or family Sciuridae are taxa membering to the rodents that can be commonly defined into tree squirrels, ground squirrels, chipmunks, marmot and groundhogs, flying squirrels, and prairie dogs (Thorington et al.
Steiner & Huettmann 2.
Squirrels are found in diverse habitats worldwide and capable of exploitated environments with complex topography (Kaprowski et al.
They create important biological roles like pollination, seed dispersal and regulating vegetation growth (Lacher et al.
Swati et al.
They are also very suitable taxa for the human diet, and are commonly known as protein sources (Fiedler 1.
Prevost's Squirrel or Asian Tri-coloured Squirrel Callosciurus prevostii (Desmarest, 1.
is one of the most variable species of squirrel with 47 named associated taxa (Thorington et al.
North Sumatran Prevost's Squirrel Callosciurus prevostii piceus (Peters, 1.
is an enigmatic endemic subspecies that limited found in North Sumatra, but its historical records remain unclear (Thorington et Subpecies Range Koprowski et al.
Lurz et al.
In this paper, we report our observation of C.
prevostii piceus and discuss its range.
Methods We collected all unpublished and published data on C.
prevostii piceus.
The sites where C.
piceus documented are put on the map (Fig.
The citizen science platform of iNaturalist is a major source for providing unpublished data of C.
prevostii piceus .
Naturalist 2.
Prevost's Squirrel C.
prevostii is one of the most colourful species with a striking black, white and red pattern, other are pale grey above and the Bornean subspecies pluto lack or absent the white (Francis 2.
As described by Miller .
prevostii piceus is very similar to the Bornean subspecies C.
prevostii pluto, but larger, white lateral stripe wiped out, and a red patch on the legs more extended.
North Sumatran Prevost's Squirrel C.
prevostii piceus has black on the dorsum and a red belly, with completely no lateral stripe (Koprowski et al.
Fig.
2 and .
Miler .
summarized external measurements of C.
piceus from 12 specimens of adults collected from Tapanuli Bay.
North Sumatra Province: total length, 473 mm .
-498 m.
head and body, 247 mm .
-263 m.
and hind foot, 58.
1 mm .
-59 m.
On 11 December 2022, we visited the grave of Teuku Umar, one of the Indonesian national heroes from Aceh Province.
The grave of Teuku Umar is located in Mugo Rayeuk Village .
A25'N, 96A10'E).
Panton Reu Subdistrict.
Aceh Barat District.
Aceh Province.
Sumatra.
In this area, we observed and documented C.
prevostii piceus (Fig.
We also completed our data with information from unpublished observations, internet information and social media sources.
Summarize the historical records of C.
prevostii piceus presented in Table 1.
Results and Discussion The C.
prevostii piceus was recorded in two provinces in northern Sumatra.
Aceh Province and North Sumatra Province.
There are 18 certain areas where C.
prevostii piceus was reported (Table 1.
Fig.
Table 1.
Historical records of North Sumatran Prevost's Squirrel Callosciurus prevostii piceus.
Note for abbreviation: NR = Nur Rachman.
MSA = Muhammad Sayidina Ali.
ABT = Asep Badru Tamam.
TW = Tedi Wahyudi.
SE = Surianto Effendi.
MI = Muhammad Iqbal.
The number on the table refers to the map (Figure .
Location Date Number on the Map Sources/Observers Aceh Utara.
Aceh Nagan Raya Aceh Barat.
Aceh Aceh Tenggara.
Aceh Ketambe.
Aceh Tenggara Gayo Lues.
Aceh Aceh Selatan.
Aceh Teluk Ara.
North Sumatra Sikundur.
North Sumatra Bahorok/Langkat.
North Sumatra Bahorok/Langkat.
North Sumatra Bahorok/Langkat.
North Sumatra Bahorok/Langkat.
North Sumatra Bahorok/Langkat.
North Sumatra Bahorok/Langkat.
North Sumatra Humbang Hasundutan.
Sumatra Tapanuli Bay.
North Sumatra Tapanuli Selatan.
North Sumatra Tapanuli Selatan.
North Sumatra Batang Toru.
North Sumatra Torgamba/Labuhan Batu.
Sumatra 22 Jul 2023 15 Jul 2024 11 Dec 2022 20 Sep 2023 27 Dec 2023 22 Apr 2023 18 Aug 2018 21 Nov 1905 Undated 13 Feb 2024 4 Sep 2012 4 Apr 2024 21 May 2024 15 Oct 2018 1 Sep 2023 22 Mar 2021 17 Mar 1902 27 Dec 2023 8 Jan 2024 22 Feb 2015 26 Jan 2017 TW pers.
TW pers.
NR.
MSA.
ABT.
SE.
MI pers.
iNaturalist 2024 TW pers.
GBIF 2023
iNaturalist 2024
GBIF 2023
MK pers.
iNaturalist 2024 iNaturalist 2024 iNaturalist 2024 iNaturalist 2024 iNaturalist 2024 iNaturalist 2024 iNaturalist 2024 Miller 1903.
Robinson & Kloss 1918 iNaturalist 2024 iNaturalist 2024 MK pers.
iNaturalist 2024 This taxa recorded from Aceh Barat in the north to Labuhan Batu in the south.
The Labuhan Batu RACHMAN ET AL.
is the border area between North Sumatra and Riau Province.
No information available if this taxa is reported in Riau Province.
Based on available information and distribution patterns, we presumed that the Rokan River and Batang Gadis River are barriers for C.
prevostii piceus to across further to the In middle Sumatra, large rivers such as the Indragiri River and Batanghari River have been presumed as species barrier for the Black-and-white langur Presbytis bicolor range (Iqbal et al.
The C.
prevostii is a diurnal and terrestrial squirrel, rarely venturing to the ground to forage or to cross gaps in the forest.
Shepherd & Shepherd .
reported C.
prevostii found in lowland secondary and primary forests, but can tolerate oil palm and coconut plantations that are adjacent to forests.
Our observation of C.
prevostii piceus in Aceh Besar suggest that this taxa inhabit hilly forests with remaining native tall trees and adjacent degraded vegetation, including oil palm and rubber plantations.
The location of Aceh Besar is about 100 m above sea level .
, and the habitats of C.
prevostii piceus in its range are approximately range from 0 to 500 m asl.
Figure 1.
Map of Sumatra and historical records of C.
prevostii piceus in Aceh and North Sumatra Province.
Yellow circle is earlier records (Miller 1903.
Robinson & Kloss 1.
, black circles are records from iNaturalist .
, and yellow triangles are our and private observation.
Subpecies Range Figure 2.
The North Sumatran Prevost's Squirrel C.
prevostii piceus on 22 February 2015 in Batang Toru.
North Sumatra Province.
Sumatra (Photograph: Mistar Kams.
Figure 3.
The North Sumatran Prevost's Squirrel C.
prevostii piceus on 11 December 2022 in Aceh Besar District.
Aceh Province.
Sumatra (Photograph: Nur Rachma.
RACHMAN ET AL.
The C.
prevostii is classified as Least Concern because of it is widespread and common, appearing in several conservation areas, it is tolerant to various habitat degradation, and it is unlikely to be decreasing at nearly the rate needed to qualify for listing in an imperiled category (Cassola 2.
Aceh Besar, the C.
prevostii piceus population is look like secure from hunting or other threats.
Cassola .
stated that the remaining habitat of lowland taxa is very fragmented and become a essential part of its native range has been converted by plantations.
In some parts of C.
prevostii piceus, particularly in North Sumatra Province, this subspecies is possibly threatened by hunting to be used as pets and for Further study on the impact of these threats is required.
Acknowledgments We thank Daemeter Consulting and Astra Agro Lestari (AAL) for facilitating us to conduct biodiversity surveys in Aceh.
We are very grateful to Agus Nurza.
Muhammad Iqbal (Restorasi Ekosistem Ria.
Mistar Kamsi and Tamara Muna for sharing their observations on the C.
prevostii piceus in Aceh and North Sumatra Province.
We thank anonymous reviewers who provided many valuable suggestions for this paper.
References