Posted by John Boyd on March 19, 2004 at 05:54:30:
In Reply to: Re: Sighting and question re: Golden Yellow Warblers and mangrove squirrel posted by Vince on March 18, 2004 at 21:42:15:
Three subspecies of Fox Squirrel occur in Florida. The one that occurs in the western panhandle (Sciurus niger niger) is sometimes called the Southern Fox Squirrel.
The Big Cypress (Mangrove) Fox Squirrel (Sciurus niger avicennia) occurs south and west of Lake Okeechobee. The northern boundary is roughly the Caloosahatchee. (Fox Squirrels immediately to the north of the Caloosahatchee are most likely avicennia).
Sherman's Fox Squirrel (S. niger shermani) occupies the peninsula north of a line running through Tampa and Lake Okeechobee on the west and north of Broward on the east.
Fox Squirrels that formerly occurred on the Miami rock ridge were considered intergrades between shermani and avicennia.
Both shermani and avicennia are considered threatened and have accounts (including maps) in vol 1 of "Rare and Endangered Biota of Florida".