[NatureNS] Black Melanistic Red-squirrel Reported

From: Christopher Majka <c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca>
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Date: Mon, 31 Mar 2008 16:01:03 -0300
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Hi Sherman,

I posted the following on January 13, 2008 in response to a question  
by Jeannie Shermerthorn:

A number of sources sources (The Mammals of Canada, Environment Yukon,  
Mammals in the Great Smoky Mountains, etc.) that I consulted report  
that melanistic red squirrels (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) are  
"occasionally" seen. None that I could locate give statistics on the  
incidence of these, but it's clear that they are much less common than  
the melanistic phase of the gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis),  
which is very regular. Many species of squirrels have some incidence  
of melanism. Melanistic individuals if the Eurasian red squirrel  
(Sciurus vulgaris) are quite regular and I even came across some  
excellent photos of a relatively rare melanistic eastern chipmunk  
(Tamias striatus).

http://www.pbase.com/lilwings/image/29384908
http://www.pbase.com/lilwings/image/29409320

Cheers!

Chris

On Mar 31, 2008, at 3:14 PM, Sherman Williams wrote:

> I received a report about a BLACK SQUIRREL that spent the day around  
> their bird feeding area in HANTSPORT, yesterday.   In every other  
> way it looks and acts like a red squirrel.   I shared what I knew  
> about the existence of MELANISTIC RED SQUIRRELS; in the last five  
> years there have been at least THREE black squirrels  seen here on  
> the Bluff Rd in Avonport (about 7 km from where this one was  
> reported).
>
> One of the melanistic squirrels spent the summer on my property.  I  
> have a number of photos and a video I took of it.  I'm not able to  
> say whether these were three different squirrels or the same one  
> seen over a 5-year period. The last one (about a year ago) was one  
> that someone had found dead and had passed it on to me.  I  
> photographed that one as well.
>
> I am curious about HOW FREQUENTly is this form of the red squirrel  
> is seen?  How many on our list have seen a black squirrel in the  
> last year?  I understand that the characteristic is carried by a  
> recessive gene.
>
> The person who reported the Hantsport squirrel took photos and plans  
> to make one available to share.
>
> Sherman
>

Christopher Majka
Nova Scotia Museum, 1747 Summer St., Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada  B3H  
3A6
c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca




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<html><body style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; =
-webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">Hi =
Sherman,<div><br></div><div>I posted the following on January 13, 2008 =
in response to a question by Jeannie =
Shermerthorn:</div><div><br></div><div><div>A number of sources sources =
(The Mammals of Canada, Environment Yukon, Mammals in the Great Smoky =
Mountains, etc.) that I consulted report that melanistic red squirrels =
(<i>Tamiasciurus hudsonicus</i>) are "occasionally" seen. None that I =
could locate give statistics on the incidence of these, but it's clear =
that they are much less common than the melanistic phase of the gray =
squirrel (<i>Sciurus carolinensis</i>), which is very regular. Many =
species of squirrels have some incidence of melanism. Melanistic =
individuals if the Eurasian red squirrel (<i>Sciurus vulgaris</i>) are =
quite regular and I even came across some excellent photos of a =
relatively rare melanistic eastern chipmunk (<i>Tamias =
striatus</i>).</div><div><br =
class=3D"webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div><a =
href=3D"http://www.pbase.com/lilwings/image/29384908">http://www.pbase.com=
/lilwings/image/29384908</a></div><div><a =
href=3D"http://www.pbase.com/lilwings/image/29409320">http://www.pbase.com=
/lilwings/image/29409320</a></div><div><br =
class=3D"webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>Cheers!</div><div><br =
class=3D"webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>Chris</div><div><br></div><d=
iv><html>On Mar 31, 2008, at 3:14 PM, Sherman Williams wrote:</html><br =
class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type=3D"cite">I received =
a report about a BLACK SQUIRREL that spent the day around their bird =
feeding area in HANTSPORT, yesterday. &nbsp;&nbsp;In every other way it =
looks and acts like a red squirrel. &nbsp;&nbsp;I shared what I knew =
about the existence of MELANISTIC RED SQUIRRELS; in the last five years =
there have been at least THREE black squirrels &nbsp;seen here on the =
Bluff Rd in Avonport (about 7 km from where this one was =
reported).<br><br>One of the melanistic squirrels spent the summer on my =
property. &nbsp;I have a number of photos and a video I took of it. =
&nbsp;I'm not able to say whether these were three different squirrels =
or the same one seen over a 5-year period. The last one (about a year =
ago) was one that someone had found dead and had passed it on to me. =
&nbsp;I photographed that one as well.<br><br>I am curious about HOW =
FREQUENTly is this form of the red squirrel is seen? &nbsp;How many on =
our list have seen a black squirrel in the last year? &nbsp;I understand =
that the characteristic is carried by a recessive gene.<br><br>The =
person who reported the Hantsport squirrel took photos and plans to make =
one available to =
share.<br><br>Sherman<br><br></blockquote></div><br><div =
apple-content-edited=3D"true"> <span class=3D"Apple-style-span" =
style=3D"border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px 0px; color: =
rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: =
normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: =
normal; line-height: normal; text-align: auto; =
-khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: none; text-indent: 0px; =
-apple-text-size-adjust: auto; text-transform: none; orphans: 2; =
white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; "><div =
style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -khtml-nbsp-mode: space; =
-khtml-line-break: after-white-space; "><div>Christopher =
Majka</div><div>Nova Scotia Museum, 1747 Summer St., Halifax, Nova =
Scotia, Canada&nbsp; B3H 3A6</div><div><a =
href=3D"mailto:c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca">c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca</a></div><=
div><br class=3D"khtml-block-placeholder"></div></div><br =
class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"></span> =
</div><br></div></body></html>=

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