African striped squirrel
African striped squirrels, or rope squirrels, form a taxon of squirrels under the subfamily Xerinae and the tribe Protoxerini. They are only found in western and central Africa.
There are ten species in the genus:
- Thomas's rope squirrel
- Lunda rope squirrel
- Carruther's [mountain squirrel]
- Congo rope squirrel
- Du Chaillu's rope squirrel
- Lady [Burton's rope squirrel]
- Ribboned rope squirrel
- Red-cheeked rope squirrel
- Fire-footed rope squirrel
- Kintampo rope squirrel
Zoonoses
African striped squirrels have been implicated in the spread of human monkeypox in the Democratic [Republic of the Congo].African striped squirrels were found to be a source of monkeypox in a 2003 Midwestern monkeypox outbreak.
file:Congo rope squirrel.jpg|thumb|left|Congo rope squirrel photographed in Damaraland, Namibia.