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Xerospermophilus
Pygmy ground squirrels are small ground squirrels in the genus ''Xerospermophilus'', family Sciuridae, containing four species from Mexico and the United States. The members of this genus were formerly placed in the large ground squirrel genus ''Spermophilus''. Since DNA sequencing of the cytochrome ''b'' gene has shown ''Spermophilus'' to be paraphyletic to the prairie dogs and marmots, this group is now separated, along with six other genera. Within the genus, the Mohave ground squirrel and the round-tailed ground squirrel were thought to be close relatives, sometimes a subgenus ''Xerospermophilus'', while the spotted ground squirrel and the Perote ground squirrel were placed in the subgenus (now a genus) ''Ictidomys''. The name of the genus is a combination of the Greek word ''xeros'', "dry", and ''Spermophilus'', which also comes from Greek, meaning "seed lovers". Species The four species in ''Xerospermophilus'' are listed below. These are the same species that were previ ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Round-tailed Ground Squirrel
The round-tailed ground squirrel (''Xerospermophilus tereticaudus''), known as "Ardillón cola redonda" in Spanish, live in the desert of the Southwestern United States and Northwestern Mexico. They are called "ground squirrels" because they burrow in loose soil, often under mesquite trees and Larrea tridentata, creosote bushes. Characteristics Most round-tailed ground squirrels are very small. Weight at birth is approximately . Adults weigh around .AnAge entry for Spermophilus tereticaudus (HAGRID 03372) All have a long round tail and long, hairy hind feet. They have no fur markings, instead having a uniform sandy color, which matches the soil they burrow in. The underside of their body is usually a lighter shade. Round tailed squirre ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Xerospermophilus
Pygmy ground squirrels are small ground squirrels in the genus ''Xerospermophilus'', family Sciuridae, containing four species from Mexico and the United States. The members of this genus were formerly placed in the large ground squirrel genus ''Spermophilus''. Since DNA sequencing of the cytochrome ''b'' gene has shown ''Spermophilus'' to be paraphyletic to the prairie dogs and marmots, this group is now separated, along with six other genera. Within the genus, the Mohave ground squirrel and the round-tailed ground squirrel were thought to be close relatives, sometimes a subgenus ''Xerospermophilus'', while the spotted ground squirrel and the Perote ground squirrel were placed in the subgenus (now a genus) ''Ictidomys''. The name of the genus is a combination of the Greek word ''xeros'', "dry", and ''Spermophilus'', which also comes from Greek, meaning "seed lovers". Species The four species in ''Xerospermophilus'' are listed below. These are the same species that were previ ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Round-tailed Ground Squirrel
The round-tailed ground squirrel (''Xerospermophilus tereticaudus''), known as "Ardillón cola redonda" in Spanish, live in the desert of the Southwestern United States and Northwestern Mexico. They are called "ground squirrels" because they burrow in loose soil, often under mesquite trees and Larrea tridentata, creosote bushes. Characteristics Most round-tailed ground squirrels are very small. Weight at birth is approximately . Adults weigh around .AnAge entry for Spermophilus tereticaudus (HAGRID 03372) All have a long round tail and long, hairy hind feet. They have no fur markings, instead having a uniform sandy color, which matches the soil they burrow in. The underside of their body is usually a lighter shade. Round tailed squirre ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Perote Ground Squirrel
The Perote ground squirrel (''Xerospermosphilus perotensis'') is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is endemic to Mexico and is currently at risk of extinction. Perote ground squirrels live within the same area as rock squirrels ('' Otospermophilus variegatus'') but they use different microhabitats. In one case it also shares its habitat with the Mexican ground squirrel (''Ictidomys mexicanus'').Valdéz, Manuel, Gerardo Ceballos. "Conservation of Endemic Mammals of Mexico: The Perote Ground Squirrel (''Spermophilus perotensis'')." Journal of Mammalogy 78.1 (1997): 74. Perote ground squirrels have traits similar to those of spotted ground squirrels ('' X. spilosoma pallescens'') found in the northern Mexican Plateau; however they are larger, have shorter tails and yellow backs. Its skull is relatively narrow with a large braincase and they have heavy, thick teeth.Fernández, Jesús A. "Phylogenetics and Biogeography of the Microendemic Rodent(Perote Ground Squirrel) in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mohave Ground Squirrel
The Mohave ground squirrel (''Xerospermophilus mohavensis'') is a species of ground squirrel found only in the Mojave Desert in California. The squirrel was first described in 1886 by Frank Stephens of San Diego. It is listed as a threatened species under the California Endangered Species Act, but not under the federal Endangered Species Act. The IUCN lists this species as near threatened. Description The Mohave ground squirrel measures about nine inches from nose to tail and feeds on leaves and seeds from February to July. Near the end of July, the squirrels begin a period of estivation, but this may occur as early as April in drought years. Populations generally do not reproduce following winters with less than 80mm of precipitation. Local populations can be wiped out if a drought lasts for multiple years. Habitat and diet This squirrel inhabits the western Mojave Desert in portions of Inyo, Kern, Los Angeles, and San Bernardino counties. It can occupy Joshua tree woodlands ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Spotted Ground Squirrel
The spotted ground squirrel (''Xerospermophilus spilosoma'') is a species of ground squirrel in the rodent family Sciuridae. It is found throughout Mexico and the central and western United States. Characterized by a white spotted back, the spotted ground squirrel is one of the smallest squirrels found in North America. They are mainly herbivorous, but also eat insects. A burrowing mammal, the spotted ground squirrel will make tunnels to store its food, as well as shelter and hibernation quarters. Description The spotted ground squirrel is one of the smallest squirrels to inhabit the northern hemisphere. It has many white linear dorsal spots, as well as a white underbelly. Coloration of the rest of its body varies greatly and can be different shades of brown, black, gray and white. Its skull resembles that of the thirteen-lined ground squirrel, but is slightly broader in the interorbital and rostral regions. A unique characteristic of the skull is the presence of especially large ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Spotted Ground Squirrel
The spotted ground squirrel (''Xerospermophilus spilosoma'') is a species of ground squirrel in the rodent family Sciuridae. It is found throughout Mexico and the central and western United States. Characterized by a white spotted back, the spotted ground squirrel is one of the smallest squirrels found in North America. They are mainly herbivorous, but also eat insects. A burrowing mammal, the spotted ground squirrel will make tunnels to store its food, as well as shelter and hibernation quarters. Description The spotted ground squirrel is one of the smallest squirrels to inhabit the northern hemisphere. It has many white linear dorsal spots, as well as a white underbelly. Coloration of the rest of its body varies greatly and can be different shades of brown, black, gray and white. Its skull resembles that of the thirteen-lined ground squirrel, but is slightly broader in the interorbital and rostral regions. A unique characteristic of the skull is the presence of especially large ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ground Squirrel
Ground squirrels are members of the squirrel family of rodents (Sciuridae), which generally live on or in the ground, rather than trees. The term is most often used for the medium-sized ground squirrels, as the larger ones are more commonly known as marmots (genus ''Marmota'') or prairie dogs, while the smaller and less bushy-tailed ground squirrels tend to be known as chipmunks (genus ''Tamias''). Together, they make up the "marmot tribe" of squirrels, Marmotini, a division within the large and mainly ground squirrel subfamily Xerinae, and containing six living genera. Well-known members of this largely Holarctic group are the marmots (''Marmota''), including the American groundhog, the chipmunks, the susliks (''Spermophilus''), and the prairie dogs (''Cynomys''). They are highly variable in size and habitus, but most are remarkably able to rise up on their hind legs and stand fully erect comfortably for prolonged periods. They also tend to be far more gregarious than other sq ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Spermophilus
''Spermophilus'' is a genus of ground squirrels in the Sciuridae, squirrel family. As traditionally defined the genus was very species-rich, ranging through Europe, Asia and North America, but this arrangement was found to be paraphyletic to the certainly distinct prairie dogs, marmots, and antelope squirrels. As a consequence, all the former ''Spermophilus'' species of North America have been moved to other genera, leaving the European and Asian species as true ''Spermophilus'' (the only exceptions are two Asian ''Urocitellus''). Some species are sometimes called susliks (or sousliks). This name comes from Russian :ru:Суслики, суслик, ''suslik''. In some languages, a derivative of the name is in common usage, for example ''suseł'' in Polish. The scientific name of this genus means "seed-lovers" (gr. σπέρμα ''sperma'', genitive σπέρματος ''spermatos'' – seed; φίλος ''philos'' – friend, lover). Habitat and behavior As typical ground squirr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Prairie Dog
Prairie dogs (genus ''Cynomys'') are herbivorous burrowing ground squirrels native to the grasslands of North America. Within the genus are five species: black-tailed, white-tailed, Gunnison's, Utah, and Mexican prairie dogs. In Mexico, prairie dogs are found primarily in the northern states, which lie at the southern end of the Great Plains: northeastern Sonora, north and northeastern Chihuahua, northern Coahuila, northern Nuevo León, and northern Tamaulipas. In the United States, they range primarily to the west of the Mississippi River, though they have also been introduced in a few eastern locales. They are also found in the Canadian Prairies. Despite the name, they are not actually canines; prairie dogs, along with the marmots, chipmunks, and several other basal genera belong to the ground squirrels (tribe ''Marmotini''), part of the larger squirrel family (''Sciuridae''). Prairie dogs are considered a keystone species with their mounds often being used by other s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ictidomys
''Ictidomys'' is a North American genus of rodent in the squirrel family, which contains the thirteen-lined ground squirrel, the Mexican ground squirrel, and the Rio Grande ground squirrel. These species were included in the species-rich ground squirrel genus ''Spermophilus'' until molecular data showed that this genus was not a natural, monophyletic In cladistics for a group of organisms, monophyly is the condition of being a clade—that is, a group of taxa composed only of a common ancestor (or more precisely an ancestral population) and all of its lineal descendants. Monophyletic gro ... grouping. References * * Rodent genera Taxa named by Joel Asaph Allen {{ground-squirrel-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Subgenus
In biology, a subgenus (plural: subgenera) is a taxonomic rank directly below genus. In the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, a subgeneric name can be used independently or included in a species name, in parentheses, placed between the generic name and the specific epithet: e.g. the tiger cowry of the Indo-Pacific, ''Cypraea'' (''Cypraea'') ''tigris'' Linnaeus, which belongs to the subgenus ''Cypraea'' of the genus ''Cypraea''. However, it is not mandatory, or even customary, when giving the name of a species, to include the subgeneric name. In the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (ICNafp), the subgenus is one of the possible subdivisions of a genus. There is no limit to the number of divisions that are permitted within a genus by adding the prefix "sub-" or in other ways as long as no confusion can result. Article 4 The secondary ranks of section and series are subordinate to subgenus. An example is ''Banksia'' subg. ''Isostylis'', ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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