Distribution and habitat of the Arizona gray squirrel (Sciurus arizonensis) in New Mexico

摘要

Little is known about the Arizona gray squirrel (Sciurus arizonensis), which is endemic to mid-elevation riparian habitats in Arizona, New Mexico, and Sonora. In New Mexico, previous compilations of specimen records were restricted to the San Francisco River drainage in western Carron County. We compiled information on museum specimens, literature records, and observations by credible persons to document the distribution and habitats of S. arizonensis in New Mexico. Sciurus arizonensis is broadly distributed throughout the southern Mogollon Plateau region of Carron, Grant, and Sierra counties, including the San Francisco, Gila, Mimbres, and Rio Grande river drainages. All records were closely associated with riparian areas and most were from broadleaf riparian habitats. Sciurus arizonensis was observed to interact with other tree squirrels, including the Abert's squirrel (Sciurus aberti) and red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus). We conclude that there has been neither a recent range expansion nor a range decline of this species in New Mexico.