Feeding habits of the Asiatic red-bellied squirrel Callosciurus erythraeus introduced in Argentina

A ZARCO; V BENITEZ; L FASOLA; G FUNES; ML GUICHÓN

HYSTRIX

ASSOC TERIOLOGICA ITAL

Año: 2018 vol. 29 p. 223 - 228

0394-1914

´interactions in the invaded community. The Asiatic red-bellied squirrel Callosciurus erythraeushas been introduced in Asia, Europe and South America. We studied feeding habits of red-belliedsquirrels in Argentina in two sites 600 km apart where wild populations have become established.We used both faecal microhistological analysis and behavioural records to describe diet compositionand feeding habits. We also analysed diet selection and the potential role of the squirrels as seeddisperser. Squirrels consumed items from 35 species of exotic trees and shrubs and one native treespecies; fruits and seeds represented the bulk of the diet in all seasons (faeces analysis: >44%;behavioural observations: >38%). Squirrels also consumed epiphytic and climbing plants, ferns,invertebrates, fungi, lichens, mosses and bird eggs. Diet composition varied throughout the yearaccording to food availability. We did not find evidence of endozoochoric dispersal but we observedsquirrels carrying and dropping nuts and acorns during transport. The consumption of a widerange of food items and species, the ability to modify the diet according to food availability, andthe capacity to hoard food indicate that feeding habits of red-bellied squirrels favour their invasivepotential.