African striped squirrels ( genus '' Funisciurus''), or rope squirrels, form a taxon of

squirrel Squirrels are members of the family Sciuridae, a family that includes small or medium-size rodents. The squirrel family includes tree squirrels, ground squirrels (including chipmunks and prairie dogs, among others), and flying squirrels. Squ ...

s under the subfamily Xerinae and the tribe Protoxerini. They are only found in western and central Africa. There are nine species in the genus: *

Thomas's rope squirrel Thomas's rope squirrel or redless tree squirrel (''Funisciurus anerythrus'') is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is found in Benin, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, an ...

(''Funisciurus anerythrus'') * Lunda rope squirrel (''Funisciurus bayonii'') *

Carruther's mountain squirrel The Carruther's mountain squirrel (''Funisciurus carruthersi'') is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is found in Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist ...

(''Funisciurus carruthersi'') * Congo rope squirrel (''Funisciurus congicus'') * Lady Burton's rope squirrel (''Funisciurus isabella'') *

Ribboned rope squirrel The ribboned rope squirrel (''Funisciurus lemniscatus'') is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is found in Cameroon, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Equatorial Guinea. Its natural habitat is subtropical o ...

(''Funisciurus lemniscatus'') *

Red-cheeked rope squirrel The red-cheeked rope squirrel (''Funisciurus leucogenys'') is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is found in Benin, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Nigeria, and Togo. Its natural habitats are subtropica ...

(''Funisciurus leucogenys'') *

Fire-footed rope squirrel The fire-footed rope squirrel (''Funisciurus pyrropus'') is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. Description It is a relatively small rodent with an adult averaging at a height of 8.1 inches or 204.81 mm. Adults weigh between 225 and ...

(''Funisciurus pyrropus'') *

Kintampo rope squirrel The Kintampo rope squirrel (''Funisciurus substriatus'') is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is found in Benin, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Niger, and Togo. Its natural habitat is moist savanna A savanna or savannah i ...

(''Funisciurus substriatus'')

Zoonoses

African striped squirrels have been implicated in the spread of human

monkeypox Monkeypox (also called mpox by the WHO) is an infectious viral disease that can occur in humans and some other animals. Symptoms include fever, swollen lymph nodes, and a rash that forms blisters and then crusts over. The time from exposure to ...

in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. African striped squirrels were found to be a source of monkeypox in a 2003 Midwestern monkeypox outbreak. left, Congo rope squirrel photographed in Damaraland, Namibia.">Namibia.html" ;"title="Damaraland, Damaraland, Namibia.

References

* * Funisciurus"> {{Squirrel-stub Rodent genera">Namibia">Damaraland, Namibia.

References

* * Funisciurus"> {{Squirrel-stub Rodent genera