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Urocitellus
''Urocitellus'' is a genus of ground squirrels. They were previously believed to belong to the much larger genus '' Spermophilus'', but DNA sequencing of the cytochrome ''b'' gene showed that this group was paraphyletic to the prairie dogs and marmots, and could therefore no longer be retained as a single genus. As a result, ''Urocitellus'' is now considered as a genus in its own right. All but two species are native to the northern and western parts of North America, from California and Minnesota through the north-western United States and western Canada; the Arctic ground squirrel inhabits Arctic terrain on both sides of the Bering Strait, while the long-tailed ground squirrel is exclusively found in Asia. The name of the genus is said to be derived from the Latin ''uro'', meaning "tail" and ''citellus'' for "ground squirrel". The proper word for "tail" in classical Latin is ''cauda''.Lewis, C.T. & Short, C. (1879). ''A Latin dictionary founded on Andrews' edition of Freund' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Urocitellus
''Urocitellus'' is a genus of ground squirrels. They were previously believed to belong to the much larger genus '' Spermophilus'', but DNA sequencing of the cytochrome ''b'' gene showed that this group was paraphyletic to the prairie dogs and marmots, and could therefore no longer be retained as a single genus. As a result, ''Urocitellus'' is now considered as a genus in its own right. All but two species are native to the northern and western parts of North America, from California and Minnesota through the north-western United States and western Canada; the Arctic ground squirrel inhabits Arctic terrain on both sides of the Bering Strait, while the long-tailed ground squirrel is exclusively found in Asia. The name of the genus is said to be derived from the Latin ''uro'', meaning "tail" and ''citellus'' for "ground squirrel". The proper word for "tail" in classical Latin is ''cauda''.Lewis, C.T. & Short, C. (1879). ''A Latin dictionary founded on Andrews' edition of Freund' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Columbian Ground Squirrel
The Columbian ground squirrel (''Urocitellus columbianus'') is a species of rodent common in certain regions of Canada and the northwestern United States. It is the second largest member of the genus '' Urocitellus'', which is part of the tribe Marmotini, along with marmots, chipmunks, prairie dogs, and other holarctic ground squirrels. They are stout, with short dense fur, which is characteristically tawny across the bridge of the nose. Social encounters sometimes are initiated with kissing behavior and the most common activity above ground is standing at attention. Residing in mountainous terrain and high plains in northern latitudes, they hibernate for 8 to 9 months of the year in burrows, which may be used for many years. They are emaciated when emerging in the spring. The Columbian ground squirrel came to the attention of the scientific community through writings produced by Lewis and Clark, while 21st century molecular genetics has more finely illuminated its ties with other ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Merriam's Ground Squirrel
Merriam's ground squirrel (''Urocitellus canus'') is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It occurs in the western United States in Idaho, Nevada, and Oregon. Description Merriam's ground squirrel is a small, grey, ground squirrel with a relatively nondescript appearance. Adults range from in head-body length, with a tail. Although their weight varies throughout the year, depending on nutrition, typical adult weights of have been recorded for females, and for males. The fur is short and lacks any distinctive markings such as stripes or spots. It is greyish buff over most of the body, and pale buff to white on the underparts. The tail is relatively short and narrow compared with most other related ground squirrels, and the ears are small. However, it can only be reliably distinguished from Townsend's ground squirrel and the Piute ground squirrel by genetic testing, and, for a long time, these species were not considered to be separate. Distribution and habitat The sp ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Arctic Ground Squirrel
The Arctic ground squirrel (''Urocitellus parryii'') (Inuktitut: ''ᓯᒃᓯᒃ, siksik'') is a species of ground squirrel native to the Arctic and Subarctic of North America and Asia. People in Alaska, particularly around the Aleutians, refer to them as "parka" squirrels, most likely because their pelt is good for the ruff on parkas and for clothing. Taxonomy Subspecies listed alphabetically. *''U. p. ablusus'' Osgood, 1903 *''U. p. kennicottii'' Ross, 1861 – Barrow ground squirrel (northern Alaska, northern Yukon, and northern Northwest Territories) *''U. p. kodiacensis'' Ross, 1861 *''U. p. leucostictus'' Brandt, 1844 *''U. p. lyratus'' Hall and Gilmore, 1932 *''U. p. nebulicola'' Osgood, 1903 *''U. p. osgoodi'' Merriam, 1900 *''U. p. parryii'' Richardson, 1825 *''U. p. plesius'' Osgood, 1900 *''U. p. stejnegeri'' J. A. Allen, 1903 Description The Arctic ground squirrel has a beige and tan coat with a white-spotted back. This squirrel has a short face, small ears, a dark ta ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Belding's Ground Squirrel
Belding's ground squirrel (''Urocitellus beldingi''), also called pot gut, sage rat or picket-pin, is a squirrel that lives on mountains in the western United States. In California, it often is found at in meadows between Lake Tahoe Lake Tahoe (; was, Dáʔaw, meaning "the lake") is a freshwater lake in the Sierra Nevada of the United States. Lying at , it straddles the state line between California and Nevada, west of Carson City. Lake Tahoe is the largest alpine lake i ... and Kings Canyon National Park, Kings Canyon. This species is not of conservation concern, and its range includes some protected areas. Physical description The Belding's ground squirrel is medium-sized with "a relatively short tail, short limbs, and small ears".Stephen H Jerkins, Bruce Eshelman. 1984. Spermophilus beldingi. Mammalian Species. 221:1–8 It has a gray pelage become more cinnamon at the underside and reddish-brown on the back. Its body length is . The tail is and is bushy but also flatt ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Wyoming Ground Squirrel
The Wyoming ground squirrel (''Urocitellus elegans'') is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is endemic to the Northwestern United States The Northwestern United States, also known as the American Northwest or simply the Northwest, is an informal geographic region of the United States. The region consistently includes the states of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming. .... References * A pale mutation in the ground squirrel: An Albinoid Color-phase in ''Citellus elegans'' Resembling the Recessive Cream Mutation in the Rat. Frank H. Clark and William L. Jellison, J Hered (1937) 28 (7), pages 259–260, * Life-history studies of the Wyoming ground squirrel (''Citellus elegans elegans'') in Colorado. William L. Burnett, Bulletin of the Colorado Agricultural Experiment Station, 1931URL Urocitellus Endemic fauna of the United States Fauna of the Northwestern United States Mammals of the United States Natural history of Wyoming Mammals descri ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Northern Idaho Ground Squirrel
The northern Idaho ground squirrel (''Urocitellus brunneus'') is a species of the largest genus of ground squirrels. This species and the Southern Idaho ground squirrel were previously considered conspecific, together called the Idaho ground squirrel. The species is about 233mm in length and weighs 120 to 290 grams. The northern Idaho ground squirrel has sexual dimorphism and a dark-reddish gray coat. The squirrel hibernates for 8 months and lives in dry meadows in Adams and Valley Counties in western-central Idaho. They eat forbs, grasses, shrubs, trees, rushes, and sedges. The mating season occurs within two weeks from the start of the active period and lasts about 12–13 days. Females only have one litter per years and there is about five weaned babies per litter who leave the burrow around late March-early April. The species constructs three types of burrows- nest burrows, auxiliary burrows, and hibernation burrows. In 2000, the species was classified as threatened under ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Richardson's Ground Squirrel
Richardson's ground squirrel (''Urocitellus richardsonii''), also known as the dakrat or flickertail, is a North American ground squirrel in the genus ''Urocitellus''. Like a number of other ground squirrels, they are sometimes called prairie dogs or gophers, though the latter name belongs more strictly to the pocket gophers of family Geomyidae, and the former to members of the genus ''Cynomys''. Taxonomy This squirrel was named after the Scottish naturalist Sir John Richardson. North Dakota is nicknamed the Flickertail state after the squirrel. The nickname Dakrat is derived from "Dakota Rat" and is a commonly used name around Minot, North Dakota and on Minot Air Force Base. Habitat Native to the short grass prairies, Richardson's ground squirrel is found mainly in the northern states of the United States, such as North Dakota and Montana, and in western Canada, including central and southern Alberta and southern Saskatchewan. The range of this animal expanded as forests w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Long-tailed Ground Squirrel
The long-tailed ground squirrel or Eversmann's souslik (''Urocitellus undulatus'') is a species of rodent in the squirrel family Sciuridae. It is found in China, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, and Russia. Description The long-tailed ground squirrel has a compact, low-slung body, short legs and a long bushy tail. The body length reaches up to and the tail . The back is brown with a linear pattern of dark, small spots. The underparts are a paler ochre-brown with a reddish tinge along the side. The tail is barred in brown and black with a prominent light edge stripe and a pale tip. Distribution and range This species is found in submontane steppes up to , plains, meadows, the edges of pine forests and birch woods, clearings and agricultural land from Southern Siberia and Altai (Russia) to Manchuria. There are two isolated populations in Eastern Siberia, one in southeastern Yakutia and the other in the south of the Amur region. It also occurs in Mongolia and in the northwestern and northeas ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Townsend's Ground Squirrel
Townsend's ground squirrel (''Urocitellus townsendii'') is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is found in high desert shrublands in several areas of the United States. Distribution Townsend's ground squirrel is found in the Great Basin and the Columbia Plateau. Its range includes south-central Washington, eastern Oregon, southern Idaho, western Utah, most of Nevada, and extreme eastern California. The subspecies are distributed as follows:Hall, E. Raymond. (1981). ''The mammals of North America''. 2nd ed. Vol. 2. New York: John Wiley and Sons *''Urocitellus townsendii artemesiae'' – south-central Idaho *''U. t. canus'' ( Merriam's ground squirrel) – eastern Oregon; northeastern corner of California; northwestern corner of Nevada *''U. t. idahoensis'' – southwestern Idaho *''U. t. mollis'' ( Piute ground squirrel) – eastern California; southeastern Oregon; southern Idaho; western Utah; Nevada; most widely distributed subspecies *''U. t. nancyae'' – south-ce ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Uinta Ground Squirrel
The Uinta ground squirrel (''Urocitellus armatus''), commonly called a "chisler" and ''Potgut'' in northern Utah,Noble, Katie"Animal of the Week: What is a Potgut?" ''The Green Life'', 13 April 2011. Retrieved 24 February 2019. is a species of rodent native to the western United States. Description The Uinta ground squirrel is a moderately sized ground squirrel, measuring in total length. They weigh about when they emerge from hibernation, a figure that steadily increases until they are ready to hibernate again in the fall. Their fur is brown to cinnamon in color, being paler on the underside and grey on the sides of the head and neck. The tail is buff with a grey underside, as distinct from the ochraceous or reddish color found in closely related species such as Belding's or Wyoming ground squirrels. Females have ten teats. Distribution and habitat First described from the Uinta Mountains, the squirrels are found in Wyoming west of the Green River, in southwestern Montana, ea ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Piute Ground Squirrel
The Piute ground squirrel (''Urocitellus mollis'') is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is endemic to the Great Basin region of the western United States, where it is found in parts of California, Idaho, Nevada Nevada ( ; ) is a state in the Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. Nevada is the 7th-most extensive, ..., Oregon, Utah, and Washington. References Urocitellus Endemic fauna of the United States Fauna of the Northwestern United States Fauna of the Southwestern United States Fauna of the Great Basin Mammals of the United States Mammals described in 1863 Taxonomy articles created by Polbot Taxa named by Robert Kennicott {{ground-squirrel-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
