The red-cheeked ground squirrel (''Spermophilus erythrogenys'') is a species of

rodent Rodents (from Latin , 'to gnaw') are mammals of the order Rodentia (), which are characterized by a single pair of continuously growing incisors in each of the upper and lower jaws. About 40% of all mammal species are rodents. They are n ...

in the family

Sciuridae Squirrels are members of the family Sciuridae, a family that includes small or medium-size rodents. The squirrel family includes tree squirrels, ground squirrels (including chipmunks and prairie dogs, among others), and flying squirrels. Squ ...

. It is commonly referred to as the red-cheeked ground souslik and there are several recognized subspecies. It is found in central

Asia Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an are ...

. ''Spermophilus brunnescens'' (Belyaev, 1943), ''Spermophilus heptneri'' (Vasil’eva, 1964) and ''Spermophilus ungae'' (Martino, 1923) are accepted as synonyms. There is some controversy over whether '' Spermophilus pallidicauda'' and '' Spermophilus brevicauda'' should be regarded as synonyms or full species.

Characteristics

The red-cheeked ground squirrel has a stout, low-slung body supported by short legs and a well-furred tail measuring about a third the length of the body. It has internal cheek pouches for carrying food. The head, neck and body are varying shades of grayish brown and there is a reddish-ochre patch on the bridge of the nose.

Distribution

The red-cheeked ground squirrel is distributed across the territory of the former Soviet Union, in

Kazakhstan Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country located mainly in Central Asia and partly in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the north and west, China to the east, Kyrgyzstan to the southeast, Uzbeki ...

, Altai and Western

Siberia Siberia ( ; rus, Сибирь, r=Sibir', p=sʲɪˈbʲirʲ, a=Ru-Сибирь.ogg) is an extensive region, geographical region, constituting all of North Asia, from the Ural Mountains in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east. It has been a ...

Mongolia Mongolia; Mongolian script: , , ; lit. "Mongol Nation" or "State of Mongolia" () is a landlocked country in East Asia, bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south. It covers an area of , with a population of just 3.3 million, ...

and China (

Xinjiang Xinjiang, SASM/GNC: ''Xinjang''; zh, c=, p=Xīnjiāng; formerly romanized as Sinkiang (, ), officially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR), is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China (PRC), located in the northwest ...

province). It inhabits steppes, forest-steppes, deserts and semi-deserts, favouring pastures, fallow lands, road sides and uncultivated land. In mountainous regions the species is found up to 2,100 metres above sea level.

Ecology

Behaviour and daily activity varies greatly across the distribution range. Hibernation occurs in some areas and aestivation in others. This species is diurnal and feeds on the green parts of plants, seeds and roots. The burrows have permanent vertical entrances and temporary slanting ones. They are up to 2.8 metres in depth with the tunnels totaling up to 4.75 metres. 100 holes and 15-20 individuals have been recorded on 1 hectare. Reproduction rates vary depending on the weather conditions and are reduced during a prolonged cold spring. There are 2 to 12 young in a litter, typically 7 to 9.IUCN Red List
/ref> These ground squirrels are abundant and considered to be pests in parts of their range. They are hunted for meat and skins for local trade but their population is stable and adjudged to be of least concern in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q1766551 Spermophilus Mammals described in 1841 Taxonomy articles created by Polbot