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do differing levels of boldness influence the success of translocation? a pilot study on red squirrels (sciurus vulgaris).conservation translocations, including reintroductions, are practices that are vital to restoring biodiversity and ecosystem function within conservation schemes globally. sadly, population translocations have had a poor success rate historically. at a time where biodiversity is constantly decreasing, improving translocation success is vital for future conservation schemes. often, to improve success, the selection of individuals is based on genetic characteristics and behaviours linked directly ...202032993075
field anaesthesia of eurasian red squirrels (sciurus vulgaris). 202032778454
predator avoidance behavior of nocturnal and diurnal rodents.animals trade-off predation risk against feeding opportunities and prey species may use signals or cues of predators to assess predation risk. we analyzed the mesopredators pine and stone marten (martes martes, m. foina) and nocturnal and diurnal rodents (glis glis, apodemus spp., sciurus vulgaris). the non-experimental approach used camera traps at feeders which were visited by both, predator and prey. as prey species can eavesdrop on predator signals/cues, there should show some avoidance beha ...202032768461
the genome sequence of the eurasian red squirrel, sciurus vulgaris linnaeus 1758.we present a genome assembly from an individual male sciurus vulgaris (the eurasian red squirrel; vertebrata; mammalia; eutheria; rodentia; sciuridae). the genome sequence is 2.88 gigabases in span. the majority of the assembly is scaffolded into 21 chromosomal-level scaffolds, with both x and y sex chromosomes assembled.202032587897
the choice and handling of supplemental food by red squirrels in an urban park.one of the main factors that allow the red squirrel (sciurus vulgaris) to live in cities may be the availability of supplemental food provided by people. in this article, preferences of red squirrels in relation to supplemental food, how it is handled, and whether change seasonally, is investigated. a cafeteria test was performed, in which squirrels could choose one from six kind of nuts. three types of nuts were used: walnuts, hazelnuts and peanuts, with unshelled and shelled nuts of each offer ...202032479840
adenovirus emergence in a red squirrel (sciurus vulgaris) in iberian peninsula.adenoviruses (adv) are pathogens capable of infecting animals and humans leading to a wide spectrum of diseases. they have a widespread geographical dissemination and infect several species, including red squirrels (sciurus vulgaris). in the iberian peninsula, there are no reports of infection of red squirrels by adv. in this study, we report for the first time the detection of squirrel adv in a red squirrel trapped in central portugal. the phylogenetic analysis showed that the sequences obtaine ...202032418319
reservoirs and transmission routes of leprosy; a systematic review.leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by mycobacterium leprae (m. leprae) and the more recently discovered mycobacterium lepromatosis (m. lepromatosis). the two leprosy bacilli cause similar pathologic conditions. they primarily target the skin and the peripheral nervous system. currently it is considered a neglected tropical disease, being endemic in specific locations within countries of the americas, asia, and africa, while in europe it is only rarely reported. the reason for a spati ...202032339201
spillover of an alien parasite reduces expression of costly behaviour in native host species.understanding the effects of invasive alien species (ias) on native host-parasite relationships is of importance for enhancing ecological theory and ias management. when ias and their parasite(s) invade a guild, the effects of interspecific resource competition and/or parasite-mediated competition can alter existing native host-parasite relationships and the dependent biological traits such as native species' behaviour. we used a natural experiment of populations of native red squirrels sciurus ...202032291765
native and invasive squirrels show different behavioural responses to scent of a shared native predator.invasive species pose a serious threat to native species. in europe, invasive grey squirrels (sciurus carolinensis) have replaced native red squirrels (sciurus vulgaris) in locations across britain, ireland and italy. the european pine marten (martes martes) can reverse the replacement of red squirrels by grey squirrels, but the underlying mechanism of how pine martens suppress grey squirrels is little understood. research suggests the reversal process is driven by direct predation, but why the ...202032257340
occurrence and genetic characteristics of cryptosporidium spp. and enterocytozoon bieneusi in pet red squirrels (sciurus vulgaris) in china.cryptosporidium spp. and enterocytozoon bieneusi are two well-known protist pathogens which can result in diarrhea in humans and animals. to examine the occurrence and genetic characteristics of cryptosporidium spp. and e. bieneusi in pet red squirrels (sciurus vulgaris), 314 fecal specimens were collected from red squirrels from four pet shops and owners in sichuan province, china. cryptosporidium spp. and e. bieneusi were examined by nested pcr targeting the partial small subunit rrna (ssu rrn ...202031974403
large-scale spatial synchrony in red squirrel populations driven by a bottom-up effect.spatial synchrony between populations emerges from endogenous and exogenous processes, such as intra- and interspecific interactions and abiotic factors. understanding factors contributing to synchronous population dynamics help to better understand what determines abundance of a species. this study focuses on spatial and temporal dynamics in the eurasian red squirrel (sciurus vulgaris) using snow-track data from finland from 29 years. we disentangled the effects of bottom-up and top-down forces ...202031927627
wild mammals as potential silent reservoirs of leishmania infantum in a mediterranean area.a molecular survey of wild mammals was performed to assess their potential as reservoirs of l. infantum. a total of 156 specimens of wild mammalian fauna were obtained for analysis from areas in catalonia with a reported incidence of canine leishmaniasis. they consisted of 124 small mammals: 35 mus spretus (muridae); 64 erinaceus europaeus (erinaceidae), 25 sciurus vulgaris (sciuridae) and 32 carnivores: 11 vulpes vulpes (canidae), 1 felis catus (felidae), 15 meles meles, 4 martes foina and 1 mu ...202031901603
bartonella washoensis infection in red squirrels (sciurus vulgaris) and their ectoparasites in lithuania.this is the first study to investigate the presence of bartonella infections in different internal organs of red squirrels and their ectoparasites in lithuania. a total of 39 roadkill red squirrels were collected. squirrels were infested with ixodes ricinus ticks (191) and ceratophyllus sciurorum fleas (36). the presence of bartonella spp. was screened using 16 s-23 s rrna internal transcribed spacer region and bacteria were detected in 38.5 % (15/39) samples of squirrels, 1.0 % (2/191) samples ...202031760364
lack of evidence for the presence of leprosy bacilli in red squirrels from north-west europe.leprosy is a human infectious disease caused by mycobacterium leprae or mycobacterium lepromatosis that can also occur in animals and even manifest as zoonosis. recently, both mycobacteria were detected in red squirrels (sciurus vulgaris) from the british isles. to further explore the presence of leprosy bacilli in north-west europe, we screened belgian and dutch squirrels. tissue samples from 115 animals tested by qpcr were negative for both pathogens. no molecular or pathological evidence was ...202031733134
prosthetic valve endocarditis with bartonella washoensis in a human european patient and its detection in red squirrels (sciurus vulgaris).members of the genus bartonella are fastidious gram-negative facultative intracellular bacteria that are typically transmitted by arthropod vectors. several bartonella spp. have been found to cause culture-negative endocarditis in humans. here, we report the case of a 75-year-old german woman with prosthetic valve endocarditis due to bartonella washoensis the infecting agent was characterized by sequencing of six housekeeping genes (16s rrna, ftsz, glta, groel, ribc, and rpob), applying a multil ...201931619523
interspecific competition affects the expression of personality-traits in natural populations.competition between animal species can cause niche partitioning and shape an individual's phenotype, including its behaviour. however, little is known about effects of interspecific competition on personality, the among-individual variation in behaviour that is consistent across different spatial and temporal contexts. we investigated whether alien grey squirrels (sciurus carolinensis) influenced the expression of personality traits in native red squirrels (sciurus vulgaris). in italy, alien gre ...201931371774
conservation of genetic uniqueness in remaining populations of red squirrels (sciurus vulgaris l.) in the south of england.the eurasian red squirrel (sciurus vulgaris) is an emblematic species for conservation, and its decline in the british isles exemplifies the impact that alien introductions can have on native ecosystems. indeed, red squirrels in this region have declined dramatically over the last 60 years due to the spread of squirrelpox virus following the introduction of the gray squirrel (sciurus carolinensis). currently, red squirrel populations in britain are fragmented and need to be closely monitored in ...201931236243
genospecies of borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato detected in 16 mammal species and questing ticks from northern europe.lyme borreliosis is the most common vector-borne zoonosis in the northern hemisphere, and the pathogens causing lyme borreliosis have distinct, incompletely described transmission cycles involving multiple host groups. the mammal community in fennoscandia differs from continental europe, and we have limited data on potential competent and incompetent hosts of the different genospecies of borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (sl) at the northern distribution ranges where lyme borreliosis is emerging. ...201930911054
the effect of landscape structure on dispersal distances of the eurasian red squirrel.landscape structure can affect dispersal and gene flow in a species. in urban areas, buildings, roads, and small habitat patches make the landscape highly fragmented and can inhibit movement and affect dispersal behavior. similarly, in rural forested areas, large open areas, such as fields, may act as barriers to movement. we studied how landscape structure affects natal dispersal distances of eurasian red squirrels (sciurus vulgaris) in an urban area and a rural area in finland, by monitoring j ...201930805150
british red squirrels remain the only known wild rodent host for leprosy bacilli.eurasian red squirrels (sciurus vulgaris) in the british isles are the most recently discovered animal reservoir for the leprosy bacteria mycobacterium leprae and mycobacterium lepromatosis. initial data suggest that prevalence of leprosy infection is variable and often low in different squirrel populations. nothing is known about the presence of leprosy bacilli in other wild squirrel species despite two others (siberian chipmunk [tamias sibiricus], and thirteen-lined ground squirrel [ictidomys ...201930775369
resource-area-dependence analysis: inferring animal resource needs from home-range and mapping data.an animal's home-range can be expected to encompass the resources it requires for surviving or reproducing. thus, animals inhabiting a heterogeneous landscape, where resource patches vary in size, shape and distribution, will naturally have home-ranges of varied sizes, so that each home-range encompasses a minimum required amount of a resource. home-range size can be estimated from telemetry data, and often key resources, or proxies for them such as the areas of important habitat types, can be m ...201830356319
widespread occurrence of squirrel adenovirus 1 in red and grey squirrels in scotland detected by a novel real-time pcr assay.the eurasian red squirrel (sciurus vulgaris) is distributed throughout large parts of europe and asia. however, its distribution in certain regions of europe is endangered by the invasive, non-native grey squirrel (sciurus carolinensis). adenoviruses were already described in squirrels in great britain almost two decades ago. in 2013, a squirrel adenovirus (sqadv-1) was additionally found in a red squirrel from germany, which suffered from acute diffuse catarrhal enteritis, and the complete geno ...201830237072
mortalities, amyloidosis and other diseases in free-living red squirrels (sciurus vulgaris) on jersey, channel islands.between 2007 and 2014, 337 free-living red squirrels (sciurus vulgaris) on jersey, channel islands, were examined post mortem as part of a mortality and disease surveillance scheme. road traffic accidents (rtas) were attributable for 50.7 per cent (171/337) of the casualties, 34.4 per cent (116/337) succumbed to diseases including fatal exudative dermatitis (fed), 7.1 per cent (24/337) to predation, 6.5 per cent (22/337) to other trauma and 1.2 per cent (4/337) to suspected poisoning. cat predat ...201830181130
a finding of the red squirrel (rodentia, sciuridae, sciurus vulgaris linnaeus, 1758) and forest dormouse (rodentia, gliridae, dryomys nitedula linnaeus, 1778) in the pleistocene of the southern urals.the study deals with a new sample of the mammalian fossils from the pleistocene deposits of the ignatievskaya cave in southern urals (54°53' n, 57°46' e). among the rodent fossils, the teeth of red squirrel (sciurus vulgaris) and forest dormouse (dryomys nitedula) have been identified. the enamel differentiation quotient (sdq) of the water vole teeth matches the arvicola terrestris species from locations of the end of middle and late pleistocene (oxygen isotope stages, ois 6 and ois 5-2, respect ...201830171471
[spatial-temporal dynamics of the pine marten (martes martes l.), mountain hare (lepus timidus l.) and red squirrel (sciurus vulgaris l.) trail activity in the european southern taiga].observations of trail activity of the martens, mountain hares, and red squirrels in winter along fixed routes in the central forest reserve showed its high variability and synchronism in time and space. polynomial dependence of the trail activity and correlation between spatial distribution of marten, mountain hare and squirrel are detected. the influence of weather on the trail activity is smaller, but statistically significant. it is proved that the space-time dynamics of the trail activity is ...201830024137
ecological aspects of unusual findings of animals nesting inside a mummified human corpse in natural conditions.we report, for the first time, a case of nesting by apis mellifera mellifera (l., 1758) (insecta: hymenoptera: apidae), vespula vulgaris (l., 1758) (insecta: hymenoptera: vespidae), and sciurus vulgaris l., 1758 (mammalia: rodentia: sciuridae) inside a mummified human corpse in natural conditions (lower silesia province, south-western poland). a case history, autopsy findings, and biological observations are provided. a list of the insect species found in the corpse is provided and compared with ...201829960258
stress in biological invasions: introduced invasive grey squirrels increase physiological stress in native eurasian red squirrels.invasive alien species can cause extinction of native species through processes including predation, interspecific competition for resources or disease-mediated competition. increases in stress hormones in vertebrates may be associated with these processes and contribute to the decline in survival or reproduction of the native species. eurasian red squirrels (sciurus vulgaris) have gone extinct across much of the british isles and parts of northern italy following the introduction of north ameri ...201829790583
small terrestrial mammals of albania: distribution and diversity (mammalia, eulipotyphla, rodentia).in this paper new records are reported for 23 species of small terrestrial mammals (stm) of albania collected during the field work campaigns organised in the framework of the project "strengthening capacity in national nature protection - preparation for natura 2000 network" (natural) in albania during the summer and autumn of 2016 and 2017 data on small mammals were primarily collected through sherman live-trapping campaigns in six high priority protected areas of albania: korab-koritnik, bred ...201829670434
differential growth of mycobacterium leprae strains (snp genotypes) in armadillos.leprosy (hansen's disease) has occurred throughout human history, and persists today at a low prevalence in most populations. caused by mycobacterium leprae, the infection primarily involves the skin, mucosa and peripheral nerves. the susceptible host range for mycobacterium leprae is quite narrow. besides humans, nine banded armadillos (dasypus novemcinctus) and red squirrels (sciurus vulgaris) are the only other natural hosts for m. leprae, but only armadillos recapitulate the disease as seen ...201829665434
predation risk landscape modifies flying and red squirrel nest site occupancy independently of habitat amount.habitat choice often entails trade-offs between food availability and predation risk. understanding the distribution of individuals in space thus requires that both habitat characteristics and predation risk are considered simultaneously. here, we studied the nest box use of two arboreal squirrels who share preferred habitat with their main predators. nocturnal ural owls (strix uralensis) decreased occurrence of night-active flying squirrels (pteromys volans) and diurnal goshawks (accipiter gent ...201829596438
eurasian red squirrels show little seasonal variation in metabolism in food-enriched habitat.energy expenditure and ambient temperature (ta) are intrinsically linked through changes in an animal's metabolic rate. while the nature of this relationship is stable, the breadth of change in thermoregulatory cost varies with body size and physiological acclimatization to season. to explore seasonal metabolic changes of small mammals, we studied a population of eurasian red squirrels (sciurus vulgaris) in a seminatural environment with a year-round supply of natural and supplemented food. in e ...201729048992
native and introduced squirrels in italy host different cryptosporidium spp.the present study was undertaken to describe cryptosporidium spp. infection in tree squirrels from 17 locations in northern italy. a total of 357 squirrels were examined, including species native to europe (sciurus vulgaris; n=123), and species introduced from north america (sciurus carolinensis; n=162) and southeast asia (callosciurus erythraeus; n=72). faecal samples of all squirrels were examined for the presence of cryptosporidium infection by microscopy (flotation method) and pcr/sequence a ...201728992520
assessment of dose rate to terrestrial biota in the area around coal fired power plant applying erica tool and resrad biota code.this paper presents the environmental radiation risk assessment based on two software program approaches erica tool (version 1.2) and resrad biota (version 1.5) to estimate dose rates to terrestrial biota in the area around the largest coal fired power plant in serbia. for dose rate assessment software's default reference animals and plants and the best estimated values of activity concentrations of 238u, 234u, 234th, 232th, 230th, 226ra, 210pb, 210po, 137cs in soil were used. both approaches re ...201728964597
berlin squirrelpox virus, a new poxvirus in red squirrels, berlin, germany.near berlin, germany, several juvenile red squirrels (sciurus vulgaris) were found with moist, crusty skin lesions. histology, electron microscopy, and cell culture isolation revealed an orthopoxvirus-like infection. subsequent pcr and genome analysis identified a new poxvirus (berlin squirrelpox virus) that could not be assigned to any known poxvirus genera.201728930029
a red squirrel associated adenovirus identified by a combined microarray and deep sequencing approach.in 2013, an adult red squirrel (sciurus vulgaris) was found dead showing, during necropsy, acute diffuse catarrhal enteritis. using a virus screening pipeline based on a pan-viral dna microarray with downstream next-generation sequencing a novel squirrel-associated virus was identified with mastadenovirus-typical sequence elements. phylogenetic analysis of hexon protein amino acid sequences demonstrated the highest similarity to equine adenovirus (adv) 2, but a strong divergence to a squirrel ad ...201728685288
atypical histiocytosis in red squirrels (sciurus vulgaris).four red squirrels (sciurus vulgaris) were subjected to necropsy examination over a 3-year period as part of a broader surveillance study. the squirrels presented with cutaneous, subcutaneous and/or internal swellings and nodules that consisted microscopically of sheets of atypical round cells and multinucleated giant cells. there was moderate anisokaryosis with rare mitoses. nuclei ranged from oval to indented or c-shaped and some were bizarre, twisted or multilobulated. many giant cells also h ...201728320532
nutrient content in fungi as a primary food of the red squirrel sciurus vulgaris l. 198428312343
[the locomotor activity of the squirrel (sciurus vulgaris)].the locomotor activity of sciurus vulgaris has been observed in the field and in caged animals.onset and cessation of activity (data from the cage only): activity starts before sunrise and correlation with sunrise is very high (0.838≤r≤0.990). cessation of activity normally lies before sunset, during summer late in the afternoon, in winter often already before noon. it is scatterd to a greater extent than onset of activity, correlation with sunset being 0.535≤r ≤0.798.daily pattern: it is a bige ...197528308935
effects of visitor numbers on captive european red squirrels (sciurus vulgaris) and impacts on visitor experience.visitors to zoological collections can have substantial effects on captive animals that vary according to species, enclosure design, visitor proximity, and husbandry methods. one particularly intense form of visitor interaction occurs in immersive exhibits such as walk-through enclosures. such enclosures are increasingly common but effects on animal behavior are currently understudied. here, the behavior of captive european red squirrels (sciurus vulgaris) is studied in relation to visitor numbe ...201728221674
molecular characterization of myoglobin from sciurus vulgaris meridionalis: primary structure, kinetics and spectroscopic studies.myoglobins (mbs) are heme-proteins involved in dioxygen storage necessary for metabolic respiration. mbs are intensely investigated as archetype to investigate structure/function relationship in globular proteins. in this work, the myoglobin from sciurus vulgaris meridionalis has been for the first time isolated and purified with a high yield and homogeneity. the primary structure characterization has been performed by applying a strategy based on high resolution tandem mass spectrometry. proxim ...201728216225
new data about the helminth fauna of the red squirrel (sciurus vulgaris linnaeus, 1758) in belorussian polesie.the result of helminthological examination of 5 red squirrels in belorussian polesie during 2003-2012 is presented. two species of helminths were found: taenia martis (zeder, 1803) larvae and syphacia thompsoni price, 1928. the red squirrel for the first time established as host of cestode t. martis. the nematode s. thompsoni registered as syphacia sp. in this region between 1985 and 2000.201627876996
red squirrels in the british isles are infected with leprosy bacilli.leprosy, caused by infection with mycobacterium leprae or the recently discovered mycobacterium lepromatosis, was once endemic in humans in the british isles. red squirrels in great britain (sciurus vulgaris) have increasingly been observed with leprosy-like lesions on the head and limbs. using genomics, histopathology, and serology, we found m. lepromatosis in squirrels from england, ireland, and scotland, and m. leprae in squirrels from brownsea island, england. infection was detected in overt ...201627846605
seasonal and diel activity patterns of eight sympatric mammals in northern japan revealed by an intensive camera-trap survey.the activity patterns of mammals are generally categorized as nocturnal, diurnal, crepuscular (active at twilight), and cathemeral (active throughout the day). these patterns are highly variable across regions and seasons even within the same species. however, quantitative data is still lacking, particularly for sympatric species. we monitored the seasonal and diel activity patterns of terrestrial mammals in hokkaido, japan. through an intensive camera-trap survey a total of 13,279 capture event ...201627732611
catenotaenia dendritica (cestoda: catenotaeniidae) and three ectoparasite species in the red squirrel, sciurus vulgaris, from cheongju, korea.parasites are recorded from the red squirrel, sciurus vulgaris, from cheongju, the republic of korea. a total of 5 road-killed squirrels were thoroughly examined for internal and external parasites from november 2011 to may 2014. total 4 parasite species, including 1 tapeworm and 3 ectoparasite species were recovered. they were morphologically identified as catenotaenia dendritica (cestoda: catenotaeniidae), hirstionyssus sciurinus, leptotrombidium pallidum, and ceratophyllus (monopsyllus) indag ...201627658604
spontaneous lipoprotein glomerulopathy-like nephropathy in a squirrel (sciurus vulgaris).lipoprotein glomerulopathy (lpg) is a rare human glomerular disease caused by abnormal lipid metabolism. naturally occurring lpg has not been reported in animals. we describe the histopathological characterization of spontaneous lpg-like nephropathy in a captive squirrel ( sciurus vulgaris ). macroscopically, swollen glomeruli were distinctively identified as fine white granules in the renal cortex. histologically, most glomeruli were markedly enlarged with distended capillaries containing faint ...201627468047
diversity and host specificity of coccidia (apicomplexa: eimeriidae) in native and introduced squirrel species.introduction of alien species into new areas can have detrimental effects on native ecosystems and impact the native species. the present study aims to identify coccidia infecting native and introduced squirrels in italy, to gain insight into possible transmission patterns and role of monoxenous coccidia in mediating the competition between alien and native hosts. we collected 540 faecal samples of native red squirrels, sciurus vulgaris, invasive alien grey squirrels, s. carolinensis, and introd ...201627268408
fatal systemic toxoplasma gondii infection in a red squirrel (sciurus vulgaris), a swinhoe's striped squirrel (tamiops swinhoei) and a new world porcupine (erethizontidae sp.).toxoplasmosis is a parasitic disease that affects man and animals worldwide. the primary hosts and major reservoir for toxoplasma gondii are felids and the intermediate hosts are most warm-blooded animals including man. this report describes fatal toxoplasmosis in three different rodent species in germany: a female red squirrel (sciurus vulgaris) and a male swinhoe's striped squirrel (tamiops swinhoei), both kept as pets, and a female new world porcupine (erethizontidae sp.) from a zoo. all thre ...201726987509
host-pathogen dynamics of squirrelpox virus infection in red squirrels (sciurus vulgaris).to improve our understanding of squirrelpox virus (sqpv) infection in the susceptible host, three red squirrels were challenged with wild-type sqpv via scarification of the hind-limb skin. all squirrels seroconverted to the infection by the end of the experiment (17 days post-challenge). challenged animals suffered disease characterised by the development of multiple skin and oral lesions with rapid progression of skin lesions at the infection site by day 10 post-challenge. no internal pathologi ...201626711024
toxoplasma gondii in wild red squirrels, the netherlands, 2014. 201526583779
mitochondrial genetic diversity of eurasian red squirrels (sciurus vulgaris) from denmark.melanistic eurasian red squirrels sciurus vulgaris are commonly found on the danish island of funen. they are thought to represent native danish squirrel types and are presently under threat from admixture with introduced red squirrels. in response, a conservation program was started in 2009 that involves the translocation of melanistic squirrels from funen to the squirrel-free island of langeland. using mitochondrial dna of 101 historical and modern samples from throughout denmark, we assess fo ...201526519513
[research progress on molecular ecology of sciurus vulgaris].today, the main threats for sciurus vulgaris are illegal hunting, deforestation, and subsequent population fragmentation, combined with interspecific competition from s. carolinensis in some regions of europe, which has led to a sharp reduction in the number of population. s. vulgaris has been listed as near threatened iucn red list and included in key protected wild animals in jilin province, china. the molecular ecology of s. vulgaris is developing rapidly with the rapid development of molecul ...201526211081
biodiversity threats from outside to inside: effects of alien grey squirrel (sciurus carolinensis) on helminth community of native red squirrel (sciurus vulgaris).biological invasions are among the major causes of biodiversity loss worldwide, and parasites carried or acquired by invaders may represent an added threat to native species. we compared gastrointestinal helminth communities of native eurasian red squirrels (sciurus vulgaris) in the presence and absence of introduced eastern grey squirrels (sciurus carolinensis) to detect alterations induced by the alien species. in particular, we investigated whether spillover of a north american nematode stron ...201525877391
asymmetry in food handling behavior of a tree-dwelling rodent (sciurus vulgaris).asymmetry in motor patterns is present in a wide variety of animals. many lateralized behaviors seem to depend on brain asymmetry, as it is the case of different tasks associated to food handling by several bird and mammal species. here, we analyzed asymmetry in handling behavior of pine cones by red squirrels (sciurus vulgaris). red squirrels devote most of their daily activity to feeding, thus this species constitutes an appropriate model for studying asymmetry in food processing. we aimed to ...201525714614
european red squirrel population dynamics driven by squirrelpox at a gray squirrel invasion interface.infectious disease introduced by non-native species is increasingly cited as a facilitator of native population declines, but direct evidence may be lacking due to inadequate population and disease prevalence data surrounding an outbreak. previous indirect evidence and theoretical models support squirrelpox virus (sqpv) as being potentially involved in the decline of red squirrels (sciurus vulgaris) following the introduction of the non-native gray squirrel (sciurus carolinensis) to the united k ...201425614793
immediate or lagged responses of a red squirrel population to pulsed resources.according to producer-consumer models, consumers should follow pulsed resources with a time lag. this view has been challenged by studies demonstrating that individuals may anticipate future resource pulses by increasing reproduction just before the pulse. we studied population fluctuations and reproduction in european red squirrels, sciurus vulgaris, in relation to seed masting of the main food resource (the norway spruce) in boreal coniferous forests between 1979 and 2013. red squirrels are pr ...201525413865
comparative anatomy and systematic implications of the turbinal skeleton in lagomorpha (mammalia).in order to elucidate the systematic relevance of the turbinal skeleton in lagomorpha the ethmoidal regions of 6 ochotonid, 21 leporid, and 2 outgroup species (sciurus vulgaris, tupaia sp.) species were investigated by high-resolution computed tomography (μct). number and shape of turbinals correspond to major clades and to several genera. all lagomorpha under study have a deeply excavated nasoturbinal that is continuous with the lamina semicircularis; a feature likely to be an autapomorphy of l ...201425312363
novel host-related virulence factors are encoded by squirrelpox virus, the main causative agent of epidemic disease in red squirrels in the uk.squirrelpox virus (sqpv) shows little evidence for morbidity or mortality in north american grey squirrels (sciurus carolinensis), in which the virus is endemic. however, more recently the virus has emerged to cause epidemics with high mortality in eurasian red squirrels (s. vulgaris) in great britain, which are now threatened. here we report the genome sequence of sqpv. comparison with other poxviridae revealed a core set of poxvirus genes, the phylogeny of which showed sqpv to be in a new chor ...201424983354
complete mitochondrial genome sequence of marmota himalayana (rodentia: sciuridae) and phylogenetic analysis within rodentia.this is the first report of a complete mitochondrial genome sequence from himalayan marmot (marmota himalayana, class marmota). we determined the m. himalayana mitochondrial (mt) genome sequence by using long-pcr methods and a primer-walking sequencing strategy with genus-specific primers. the complete mt genome of m. himalayana was 16,443 bp in length and comprised 13 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal rna (rrna) genes, 22 transfer rna (trna) genes, and a typical control region (cr). gene order ...201424782088
preliminary characterisation of pentlands paramyxovirus-1, -2 and -3, three new paramyxoviruses of rodents.a paramyxovirus was discovered by chance during the primary culture of grey squirrel (sciurus carolinensis) kidney cells from the uk. amplification, sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of part of the genome encoding a region of the rna polymerase (l gene) confirmed that the virus was a member of the paramyxovirinae subfamily, but that it did not partition with any of the currently recognised paramyxovirus genera and instead segregated with the unclassified rodent viruses, j-virus, beilong virus ...201424613080
causes of variation in biotic interaction strength and phenotypic selection along an altitudinal gradient.understanding the causes of variation in biotic interaction strength and phenotypic selection remains one of the outstanding goals of evolutionary ecology. here we examine the variation in strength of interactions between two seed predators, common crossbills (loxia curvirostra) and european red squirrels (sciurus vulgaris), and mountain pine (pinus uncinata) at and below tree limit in the pyrenees, and how this translates into phenotypic selection. seed predation by crossbills increased whereas ...201424593660
squirrelpox virus: assessing prevalence, transmission and environmental degradation.red squirrels (sciurus vulgaris) declined in great britain and ireland during the last century, due to habitat loss and the introduction of grey squirrels (sciurus carolinensis), which competitively exclude the red squirrel and act as a reservoir for squirrelpox virus (sqpv). the disease is generally fatal to red squirrels and their ecological replacement by grey squirrels is up to 25 times faster where the virus is present. we aimed to determine: (1) the seropositivity and prevalence of sqpv dn ...201424586845
melanocortin 1 receptor (mc1r) gene sequence variation and melanism in the gray (sciurus carolinensis), fox (sciurus niger), and red (sciurus vulgaris) squirrel.sequence variations in the melanocortin 1 receptor (mc1r) gene are associated with melanism in many different species of mammals, birds, and reptiles. the gray squirrel (sciurus carolinensis), found in the british isles, was introduced from north america in the late 19th century. melanism in the british gray squirrel is associated with a 24-bp deletion in the mc1r. to investigate the origin of this mutation, we sequenced the mc1r of 95 individuals including 44 melanic gray squirrels from both th ...201424534267
squirrelpox virus in red squirrels (sciurus vulgaris) in the republic of ireland.squirrelpox virus (sqpv) is a significant factor in red squirrel (sciurus vulgaris) population declines but has previously been unconfirmed in the republic of ireland. in 2011 a juvenile red squirrel from wicklow presented with facial, perivulval, and nail bed sqpv skin lesions confirmed by histopathology, pcr, and electron microscopy.201324502745
ljungan virus and an adenovirus in italian squirrel populations.we report ljungan virus infection in eurasian red squirrels (sciurus vulgaris) for the first time, and extend the known distribution of adenoviruses in both native red squirrels and alien gray squirrels (sciurus carolinensis) to southern europe.201424484493
modern analyses on an historical data set: skull morphology of italian red squirrel populations.recent molecular evidence suggests that sciurus vulgaris populations from calabria (southern italy) are distinct from those occurring in northern and central italy. here, we re-analyzed using multivariate and univariate techniques an historical dataset provided by cavazza (1913), who documented measurements for the now extinct squirrel population from campania. both univariate and multivariate analyses confirmed that the sample from calabria was homogenous and relatively distinct compared to the ...201424478584
high prevalence of borrelia burgdorferi s.l. in the european red squirrel sciurus vulgaris in france.the european red squirrel (sciurus vulgaris) has long been suspected to be a reservoir host of the agents of lyme borreliosis, in particular b. burgdorferi sensu stricto (s.s.). however, very few data support this hypothesis. hereafter, we investigated the infections with b. burgdorferi genospecies in road-killed red squirrels collected across france. we also characterized the diversity of hard tick species collected from a subsample of hosts. dna of b. burgdorferi genospecies were detected and ...201424446554
effects of parasitism and morphology on squirrelpox virus seroprevalence in grey squirrels (sciurus carolinensis).invasive species have been cited as major causes of population extinctions in several animal and plant classes worldwide. the north american grey squirrel (sciurus carolinensis) has a major detrimental effect on native red squirrel (sciurus vulgaris) populations across britain and ireland, in part because it can be a reservoir host for the deadly squirrelpox virus (sqpv). whilst various researchers have investigated the epizootiology of sqpv disease in grey squirrels and have modelled the conseq ...201424416155
food availability and animal space use both determine cache density of eurasian red squirrels.scatter hoarders are not able to defend their caches. a longer hoarding distance combined with lower cache density can reduce cache losses but increase the costs of hoarding and retrieving. scatter hoarders arrange their cache density to achieve an optimal balance between hoarding costs and main cache losses. we conducted systematic cache sampling investigations to estimate the effects of food availability on cache patterns of eurasian red squirrels (sciurus vulgaris). this study was conducted o ...201324265833
causes of mortality and pathological lesions observed post-mortem in red squirrels (sciurus vulgaris) in great britain.the red squirrel population in great britain has declined dramatically in recent decades, principally due to squirrelpox. concern exists that red squirrels may become extinct nationally and, as there has been limited research in to diseases other than squirrelpox, this study aimed to identify additional causes of mortality.201324238087
using gps telemetry to validate least-cost modeling of gray squirrel (sciurus carolinensis) movement within a fragmented landscape.in britain, the population of native red squirrels sciurus vulgaris has suffered population declines and local extinctions. interspecific resource competition and disease spread by the invasive gray squirrel sciurus carolinensis are the main factors behind the decline. gray squirrels have adapted to the british landscape so efficiently that they are widely distributed. knowledge on how gray squirrels are using the landscape matrix and being able to predict their movements will aid management. th ...201323919175
macroparasite community of the eurasian red squirrel (sciurus vulgaris): poor species richness and diversity.the eurasian red squirrel (sciurus vulgaris) is the only naturally occurring tree squirrel throughout its range. we aim at improving current knowledge on its macroparasite fauna, expecting that it will have a poor parasite diversity because in species that have no sympatric congeners parasite richness should be lower than in hosts sharing their range with several closely related species, where host-switching events and lateral transmission are promoted. we examined gastro-intestinal helminth and ...201323873618
genetic structure of introduced populations: 120-year-old dna footprint of historic introduction in an insular small mammal population.wildlife populations have been introduced to new areas by people for centuries, but this human-mediated movement can disrupt natural patterns of genetic structure by altering patterns of gene flow. insular populations are particularly prone to these influences due to limited opportunities for natural dispersal onto islands. consequently, understanding how genetic patterns develop in island populations is important, particularly given that islands are frequently havens for protected wildlife. we ...201323532702
association of a lukm-positive clone of staphylococcus aureus with fatal exudative dermatitis in red squirrels (sciurus vulgaris).fatal exudative dermatitis (fed) is a recently described condition affecting red squirrels (sciurus vulgaris) on the isle of wight and jersey (simpson et al., 2010a). staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from skin lesions in cases of fed were characterised by molecular and phenotypic approaches. the strains were found to belong to a single mlst clonal complex (cc49) representing either st49 or a novel single locus variant thereof (st1957), were closely related by other molecular typing approac ...201323182436
genetic structure of the french red squirrel populations: implication for conservation.the decline of the red squirrel (sciurus vulgaris) in several european countries due to the introduction of the american grey squirrel (s. carolinensis) and the predicted arrival of the grey squirrel in france in the near future has lead to the development of a preventative conservation project in this country. in this study, we conducted an extensive survey of mitochondrial dna variation in french red squirrels using a fragment of the mitochondrial d-loop and we compared the results with previo ...201223082180
sampling for microsatellite-based population genetic studies: 25 to 30 individuals per population is enough to accurately estimate allele frequencies.one of the most common questions asked before starting a new population genetic study using microsatellite allele frequencies is "how many individuals do i need to sample from each population?" this question has previously been answered by addressing how many individuals are needed to detect all of the alleles present in a population (i.e. rarefaction based analyses). however, we argue that obtaining accurate allele frequencies and accurate estimates of diversity are much more important than det ...201222984627
the use of diazacon™ to limit fertility by reducing serum cholesterol in female grey squirrels, sciurus carolinensis.the grey squirrel, sciurus carolinensis gmelin, is an invasive alien species introduced into great britain in the late nineteenth century and into northern italy during the early twentieth century. grey squirrels have displaced the native european red squirrel, sciurus vulgaris l., throughout much of great britain and have a significant impact on trees and woodlands through bark-stripping activity. in britain, eradication is no longer an option at a regional scale, but fertility control offers a ...201322791583
systematic assessment of the impact of adenovirus infection on a captive reintroduction project for red squirrels (sciurus vulgaris).pcr was used to amplify adenoviral dna, and transmission electron microscopy (tem) to detect adenovirus particles in tissue and intestinal content samples from red squirrels (sciurus vulgaris) associated with a reintroduction study on anglesey (north wales), from other populations on the island and from stock held at the welsh mountain zoo, 38 km to the east. samples were collected during the routine surveillance postmortem examinations of all 60 red squirrels with carcases retrieved in a ...201222791517
acute fatal toxoplasmosis in three eurasian red squirrels (sciurus vulgaris) caused by genotype ii of toxoplasma gondii.toxoplasma gondii parasites belonging to endemic genotype ii caused fatal infection in three (16%) of 19 eurasian red squirrels (sciurus vulgaris) sent for necropsy in finland between may 2006 and april 2009. the liver, spleen, and lungs were the organs most affected in all three cases, and high numbers of t. gondii parasites were visualized immunohistochemically in all the tissue samples available from them. the genotyping of the parasite strains was based on the results of analysis of length p ...201222493121
adenovirus particles from a wild red squirrel (sciurus vulgaris) from northern ireland. 201222354657
feeding of grey squirrels (sciurus carolinensis) with the contraceptive agent diazacon™: effect on cholesterol, hematology, and blood chemistry.grey squirrels (sciurus carolinensis) are an invasive species in britain and italy. they have replaced native red squirrels (sciurus vulgaris) throughout most of britain, and cause damage to trees. currently, lethal control is used to manage grey squirrel populations in britain, but nonlethal methods might be more acceptable to the public. one such method is contraception with 20,25-diazacholesterol dihydrochloride (diazacon™). diazacon™ inhibits the conversion of desmosterol to cholesterol, res ...201122182332
rotavirus in a wild english red squirrel (sciurus vulgaris) identified by electron microscopy. 201121821691
the kinematic consequences of locomotion on sloped arboreal substrates in a generalized (rattus norvegicus) and a specialized (sciurus vulgaris) rodent.small mammals must negotiate terrains that consist of numerous substrates that vary in diameter, surface structure, rigidity and orientation. most studies on mammals have focused on the effects of substrate diameter during horizontal locomotion, especially in small- to medium-sized primates and marsupials. locomotion across sloped arboreal substrates, however, is poorly understood. here, in order to determine which locomotor parameters a terrestrial mammal, the rat, and a tree-dwelling mammal, t ...201121753049
Squirrel adenovirus type 1 in red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris) in Germany. 201121697189
functional differentiation of trailing and leading forelimbs during locomotion on the ground and on a horizontal branch in the european red squirrel (sciurus vulgaris, rodentia).mammalian locomotion is characterized by the frequent use of in-phase gaits in which the footfalls of the left and right fore- or hindlimbs are unevenly spaced in time. although previous studies have identified a functional differentiation between the first limb (trailing limb) and the second limb (leading limb) to touch the ground during terrestrial locomotion, the influence of a horizontal branch on limb function has never been explored. to determine the functional differences between trailing ...201121658923
epizootiology and pathologic findings associated with a newly described adenovirus in the red squirrel, sciurus vulgaris.an infectious disease caused by squirrelpox virus has contributed to the decline of red squirrels, sciurus vulgaris, in the british isles. because of the heightened disease surveillance activity in red squirrels, adenovirus infection with associated mortality has been detected. adenoviral disease is described in other rodent species usually associated with stressors. here we 1) describe the pathologic findings in red squirrels found dead with adenoviral infection and gastrointestinal disease, an ...201121441198
retrospective detection by negative contrast electron microscopy of faecal viral particles in free-living wild red squirrels (sciurus vulgaris) with suspected enteropathy in great britain.transmission electron microscopy identified adenovirus particles in 10 of 70 (14.3 per cent) samples of large intestinal content collected at postmortem examination from free-living wild red squirrels (sciurus vulgaris) across great britain between 2000 and 2009. examination was limited to cases in which an enteropathy was suspected on the basis of predetermined macroscopic criteria such as semi-solid or diarrhoeic faeces, suspected enteritis or the presence of intussusception. in most cases, me ...201021262731
poxvirus identified in a red squirrel (sciurus vulgaris) from spain. 201121257595
loss of octarepeats in two processed prion pseudogenes in the red squirrel, sciurus vulgaris.the n-terminal region of the mammalian prion protein (prp) contains an 'octapeptide' repeat which is involved in copper binding. this eight- or nine-residue peptide is repeated four to seven times, depending on the species, and polymorphisms in repeat number do occur. alleles with three repeats are very rare in humans and goats, and deduced prp sequences with two repeats have only been reported in two lemur species and in the red squirrel, sciurus vulgaris. we here describe that the red squirrel ...201020878152
causes of red squirrel (sciurus vulgaris) mortality in england. 201020852252
epidemiological and postmortem findings in 262 red squirrels (sciurus vulgaris) in scotland, 2005 to 2009.postmortem and virological examinations for squirrelpox virus (sqpv) were carried out on 262 red squirrels (sciurus vulgaris) found dead or moribund in scotland between september 2005 and july 2009, to determine the likely causes of death and highlight factors that might be threats to the red squirrel population. most of the squirrels were submitted from dumfries and galloway, and 71 per cent of them were adults. road traffic accidents, squirrelpox, trauma or starvation were responsible for deat ...201020729517
adenovirus in a red squirrel (sciurus vulgaris) from scotland. 201020675636
mortality in red squirrels (sciurus vulgaris) associated with exudative dermatitis.red squirrels (sciurus vulgaris) found dead or dying on the isle of wight and the island of jersey were suffering from exudative, ulcerative dermatitis and superficial staphylococcal pyoderma. the principal gross lesions were on the lips, eyelids and feet and showed similarities to those of squirrelpox. the histopathological lesions were also similar and, although there was no ballooning degeneration of epidermal cells, intracytoplasmic inclusions resembling those seen in poxvirus infections wer ...201020622205
detection of squirrel poxvirus by nested and real-time pcr from red (sciurus vulgaris) and grey (sciurus carolinensis) squirrels.squirrel poxvirus (sqpv) is highly pathogenic to red squirrels (sciurus vulgaris), and is a significant contributing factor to the local extinction of the species in most parts of england and wales, where infection is endemic in eastern grey squirrel (sciurus carolinensis) populations. although a nested pcr assay has been used successfully to study the epidemiology of sqpv, samples have a long processing time and the assay is not quantifiable.201020529323
habitat area and structure affect the impact of seed predators and the potential for coevolutionary arms races.both habitat patch size and structure affect the abundance and occurrence of species and thereby can affect the ecology and evolution of species interactions. here we contrast the level of seed predation and selection exerted by common crossbills (loxia curvirostra complex) and red squirrels (sciurus vulgaris) in the extensive mountain pine (pinus uncinata) forests in the pyrenees with their level of seed predation in two small, isolated forests. crossbills consumed 5.1 times more seeds in the p ...201020426338
assessing the effects of management alternatives on habitat suitability in a forested landscape of northeastern china.forest management often has cumulative, long-lasting effects on wildlife habitat suitability and the effects may be impractical to evaluate using landscape-scale field experiments. to understand such effects, we linked a spatially explicit landscape disturbance and succession model (landis) with habitat suitability index (hsi) models to assess the effects of management alternatives on habitat suitability in a forested landscape of northeastern china. landis was applied to simulate future forest ...201020354853
poxvirus infection in an american red squirrel (tamiasciurus hudsonicus) from northwestern canada.there are two recognized poxviruses that are associated with disease in tree squirrels: squirrel fibroma virus (sqfv), leporipoxvirus, which affects eastern grey squirrels (sciurus carolinensis) in eastern north america, and squirrelpox virus (sqpv), a member of a newly identified poxvirus genus, which affects european red squirrels (sciurus vulgaris) in the united kingdom. in august 2008, a cutaneous poxvirus-associated disease was identified in a north american red squirrel (tamiasciurus hudso ...200919901387
first report of eimeria lancasterensis in a red squirrel (sciurus vulgaris l.) in turkey.a case of coccidiosis in a young, red male squirrel (sciurus vulgaris l.) has been described in this report. the squirrel was found dead and presented to the department of pathology for necropsy. a traumatic lesion was observed on the face that could have caused death. at necropsy the large and small intestines were swollen due to fluid and gas. during the examination of gut content numerous coccidia oocysts were observed. after sporulation, the oocysts were identified as those of eimeria lancas ...200919851975
molecular phylogeography of european sciurus vulgaris: refuge within refugia?the red squirrel (sciurus vulgaris) is a well-known forest animal distributed all over europe. still, we are far from having a firm knowledge of the species' phylogeography. this study investigates the genetic differentiation of s. vulgaris across the species' eurasian range, using sequence data from the mitochondrial dna gene (d-loop, 252 base pairs, cytochrome b, 359 base pairs), and eight variable autosomal microsatellite loci genotyped for 236 individuals. the results reveal the presence of ...200919457179
first cases of squirrelpox in red squirrels (sciurus vulgaris) in scotland.squirrelpox, caused by a poxvirus, is a major threat to the remaining uk red squirrel population. the spread of antibody-positive grey squirrels has been monitored in the uk for the past decade. in 2005 grey squirrels that had been exposed to the virus appeared in the south of scotland for the first time, followed approximately two years later by the appearance of squirrelpox disease in the local red squirrels. four squirrels were examined. they all had gross external lesions and histological le ...200919395718
fatal candidiasis in a wild red squirrel (sciurus vulgaris). 200919287034
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