Merriam's chipmunk (''Neotamias merriami'') is a species of

chipmunk Chipmunks are small, striped rodents of subtribe Tamiina. Chipmunks are found in North America, with the exception of the Siberian chipmunk which is found primarily in Asia. Taxonomy and systematics Chipmunks are classified as four genera: '' ...

in the family

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

. It is found in central and southern

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

in the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

and a small area in northern

Baja California Baja California, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Baja California, is a state in Mexico. It is the northwesternmost of the 32 federal entities of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1952, the area was known as the North Territory of B ...

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

Description

Its fur is grayish-brown, with dark and light-colored dorsal stripes. It has light gray or white stripes around the eyes and a white underbelly. The tail is very bushy, often measuring over 80% of the head and body length. They experience molting of the fur on their bodies and tails. The dental formula for Tamias merriami is

Distribution and habitat

The Merriam’s chipmunk lives in parts of central and southern California and Baja California, including along the western slope of the

Sierra Nevada The Sierra Nevada ( ) is a mountain range in the Western United States, between the Central Valley of California and the Great Basin. The vast majority of the range lies in the state of California, although the Carson Range spur lies primari ...

mountains. They have been observed at altitudes of up to 2,940 meters but most often live at elevations under 1,200 meters. They primarily inhabit forests and

chaparral Chaparral ( ) is a shrubland plant plant community, community found primarily in California, southern Oregon, and northern Baja California. It is shaped by a Mediterranean climate (mild wet winters and hot dry summers) and infrequent, high-intens ...

-covered shrubland habitats. They live in areas with a variety of trees, shrubs, logs, rocks, and plant litter, which are features utilized for their food and shelter.

Diet

The merriam’s chipmunk has a mainly herbivorous diet. It forages daily for food and carries seeds or acorns in its cheek pouches, often to be cached in the ground. Acorns are a major part of its diet, especially from valley oak trees. Other sources of food include the seeds, nuts, and berries of a variety of plants, insects, and larvae.

Reproduction

When mating, females attract males by calling to them. The duration of the female call is ten to fifteen minutes. A male will hear the call and respond to it by running to and jumping around the female. The female then squats down, and the male performs 12-24 thrusts. The entire process of mating lasts about fifteen seconds.

References

Neotamias Mammals described in 1889 Taxonomy articles created by Polbot Rodents of the United States Rodents of Mexico Taxa named by Joel Asaph Allen {{ground-squirrel-stub