{{Short description|Genus of rodents}} {{Automatic taxobox | fossil_range = | image = | image_caption = | taxon = Notocitellus | authority = A. H. Howell, 1938 | type_species = ''Spermophilus annulatus'' | type_species_authority = Audubon & Bachman, 1842<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Arthur |first1=Howell |title=Revision of the North American Ground Squirrels With a Classification of the North American Sciuridae |journal=North American Fauna |date=April 1938 |volume=56 |page=44|bibcode=1938usgs.rept....2H }}</ref> | subdivision_ranks = Species | subdivision = ''N. adocetus''<br /> ''N. annulatus'' | range_map = Notocitellus distribution map.png | range_map_caption = Distribution of the ''Notocitellus'' ground squirrels }}

'''''Notocitellus''''' is a genus of ground squirrels, containing two species from Mexico. These species are the tropical ground squirrel (''Notocitellus adocetus''), and the ring-tailed ground squirrel (''N.&nbsp;annulatus''). ''Notocitellus'' was formerly placed in the large ground squirrel genus ''Spermophilus'', as a subgenus or species group. Since DNA sequencing of the cytochrome ''b'' gene has shown ''Spermophilus'' to be paraphyletic to the marmots, antelope squirrels, and prairie dogs,<ref>{{cite journal| first1 = Matthew D. |last1=Herron|first2=Todd A. |last2=Castoe|first3= Christopher L. |last3=Parkinson| year = 2004| title = Sciurid phylogeny and the paraphyly of Holarctic ground squirrels (''Spermophilus'') | journal = Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution | volume = 31| doi =10.1016/j.ympev.2003.09.015| issue = 3 | pmid=15120398 | pages=1015–30|bibcode=2004MolPE..31.1015H |url=https://stars.library.ucf.edu/facultybib2000/4421 }}</ref> it is now separated, along with six other genera.<ref name=Helgen>{{cite journal|author1=Helgen, Kristofer M.|author2=Cole, F. Russel|author3=Helgen, Lauren E.|author4=Wilson, Don E|name-list-style=amp|year=2009|title=Generic Revision in the Holarctic Ground Squirrel Genus ''Spermophilus''|journal=Journal of Mammalogy|volume=90|issue=2|pages=270–305|doi=10.1644/07-MAMM-A-309.1|doi-access=free}}</ref> The exact relations of this genus are unclear, though a relation to the antelope squirrels is possible.<ref name=Helgen/>

== References == {{reflist}}

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Category:Notocitellus Category:Rodent genera Category:Taxa named by Arthur H. Howell

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