# Spermophilus

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Genus of rodents

Spermophilus Temporal range: Late Miocene - Recent Spermophilus xanthoprymnus Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Infraclass: Placentalia Order: Rodentia Family: Sciuridae Tribe: Marmotini Genus: Spermophilus F. Cuvier, 1825 Type species Mus citellus Linnaeus, 1766 Species See text.

***Spermophilus***, also known as the **Old World ground squirrels**, **sousliks** or, sometimes, **spermophiles**, is an [Old World](/source/Old_World) [genus](/source/Genus) of [ground squirrels](/source/Ground_squirrel) in the squirrel family ([Sciuridae](/source/Sciuridae)).[1] Formerly, the genus was more species rich, but it has since been reduced to contain only species from Eurasia, with many former species having been moved to other genera. The 18 known species are distributed across the [Eurasian steppe belt](/source/Eurasian_Steppe) and adjacent regions between [Central Europe](/source/Central_Europe) and [Manchuria](/source/Manchuria). They inhabit steppe and comparable short grassland habitats, including airports, as well semi-deserts and, in some cases, agricultural fields. Their diet is dominated by seeds, grasses, forbs, roots and tubers, but may also include small invertebrates. *Spermophilus* live in colonial burrows, and spend much of the year in [hibernation](/source/Hibernation) and, in dry regions, [aestivation](/source/Aestivation).

## Etymology

Some species are called *susliks* (or sousliks), which comes from Russian суслик, *[suslik](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/suslik)*. In some languages, a variation of the name is in common usage, for example *[suseł](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/suse%C5%82)* in [Polish](/source/Polish_language), or *[Ziesel](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Ziesel)* in [German](/source/German_language), all of which probably ultimately descend from a common [Proto-Slavic](/source/Proto-Slavic) root. The scientific name of this genus means "seed-lovers" (gr. σπέρμα *sperma*, genitive σπέρματος *spermatos* – seed; φίλος *philos* – friend, lover).[2]

## Ecology and behavior

As typical ground squirrels, *Spermophilus* live in open habitats like grasslands, meadows, [steppe](/source/Steppe) and semideserts throughout the [Eurasian steppe](/source/Eurasian_Steppe) and adjacent regions, feed on the low plants, and use burrows as nests and refuge.[3][4] They are [diurnal](/source/Diurnality) and mostly live in colonies, although some species also can occur singly.[5] They are found in both lowlands to highlands, [hibernate](/source/Hibernate) during the colder months (up to c. 81⁄2 months each year in some species) and in arid regions they may also [aestivate](/source/Aestivate) during the summer or fall.[3] The distributions of the various species are mostly separated, often by large rivers or mountain ranges, although there are regions inhabited by as many as three species and rarely two species may even form mixed colonies.[3] Generally, however, [interspecific competition](/source/Interspecific_competition) is intense and thus, sufficient differences in size (as per [Hutchinson's rule](/source/Hutchinson's_rule)) seem to be a necessary precondition for [sympatry](/source/Sympatry).[6] A few species are known to [hybridize](/source/Hybrid_(biology)) where their ranges come into contact.[3]

In contrast to most other, smaller grassland rodents, such as [voles](/source/Vole), [gerbils](/source/Gerbillinae) or the [steppe pika](/source/Steppe_pika), but like other ground squirrels, *Spermophilus* are mainly active during the day, and rely on their good vision and their agility to detect and evade predators. Therefore, *Spermophilus* require open and low-growing habitats, and can cope well even with overgrazing.[7] On the contrary, dense vegetation makes them vulnerable to predation by their many predators, including the [steppe](/source/Steppe_eagle) and [eastern imperial eagles](/source/Eastern_imperial_eagle), and [steppe](/source/Steppe_polecat) and [marbled polecats](/source/Marbled_polecat), often rendering them dependent on the presence of large grazing animals.[6][8][9] Like other colonial ground squirrels, *Spermophilus* use high-pitched calls to communicate and warn colony members of predators.[10]

## Appearance

*Spermophilus* are overall yellowish, light orangish, light brownish or greyish. Although many are inconspicuously mottled or spotted, or have orange markings on the head, overall they lack strong patterns, except in *[S. suslicus](/source/Speckled_ground_squirrel)* and *[S. odessanus](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Spermophilus_odessanus&action=edit&redlink=1)*, which commonly have brown upperparts with clear white spotting.[3] Size varies with species and they have a head-and-body length of c. 17–40 cm (6.7–15.7 in). Before hibernation the largest *[S. fulvus](/source/Yellow_ground_squirrel)* may weigh up to 2 kg (4.4 lb) and the largest *[S. major](/source/Russet_ground_squirrel)* up to almost 1.4 kg (3.1 lb), but they always weigh much less earlier in the year and other species are considerably smaller, mostly less than 0.5 kg (1.1 lb) even in peak condition before hibernation.[3] All have a fairly short tail that—depending on exact species—is around 10–45% of the length of the head-and-body.[3]

## Taxonomy

As traditionally defined the genus was very species-rich, ranging through Europe, Asia and North America, but this arrangement was found to be [paraphyletic](/source/Paraphyletic) to the certainly distinct prairie dogs (*[Cynomys](/source/Prairie_dog)*), marmots (*[Marmota](/source/Marmot)*), and antelope squirrels (*[Ammospermophilus](/source/Antelope_squirrel)*). 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 being the two Asian *[Urocitellus](/source/Urocitellus)* species).[11] The exact relations between these clades are slightly unclear.[12] According to Simonov et al. (2024), *Spermophilus* consists of 18 species. Also according to this study, the genus can be divided into four major clades that diverged during the [Late Miocene](/source/Late_Miocene).[4]

Internal phylogeny after Simonov et al. 2024[4] Spermophilus European ground squirrel (S. citellus) Taurus ground squirrel (S. taurensis) Asia Minor ground squirrel (S. xanthoprymnus) Speckled ground squirrel (S. suslicus) Spermophilus odessanus Spermophilus selevini Russet ground squirrel (S. major) Brandt's ground squirrel (S. brevicauda) Red-cheeked ground squirrel (S. erythrogenys) Spermophilus vorontsovi Pallid ground squirrel (S. pallidicauda) Tian Shan ground squirrel (S.nilkaensis) Relict ground squirrel (S. relictus) Yellow ground squirrel (S. fulvus) Caucasian Mountain ground squirrel (S. musicus) Little ground squirrel (S. pygmaeus) Daurian ground squirrel (S. dauricus) Alashan ground squirrel (S. alashanicus)

Clade Image Name Common name Distribution East Asian clade Spermophilus alashanicus Alashan ground squirrel Northern China west of the Yellow River. Spermophilus dauricus Daurian ground squirrel Northern China and Manchuria between the Yellow River and the Amur River. Pygmaeus clade Spermophilus musicus Caucasus Mountain ground squirrel Southern Pontic-Caspian steppe between the Dnieper and Volga rivers; Crimea. Spermophilus pygmaeus Little ground squirrel Northern Central Asia east of the Volga. Europe/Asia Minor clade Spermophilus citellus European ground squirrel Balkan Peninsula to the Czech Republic and Poland, Moldova and western Ukraine. Spermophilus odessanus Polonian ground squirrel Eastern Europe between the Carpathian Mountains and the Dnieper River. Spermophilus suslicus Speckled ground squirrel Northern Pontic steppe between the Dnieper and Volga rivers. Spermophilus taurensis Taurus ground squirrel South-central Anatolia. Spermophilus xanthoprymnus Anatolian ground squirrel South-western, central and eastern Anatolia; Armenian highlands. Colobotis clade Spermophilus brevicauda Brandt's ground squirrel Border region between Kazakhstan and China along the Tian Shan. Spermophilus erythrogenys Red-cheeked ground squirrel Western Siberia between the Irtysh and Ob rivers. Spermophilus fulvus Yellow ground squirrel Central Asia and the northern Iranian Plateau. Spermophilus major Russet ground squirrel Ural Mountains between the Volga and Tobol rivers. Spermophilus pallicauda Pale-bellied ground squirrel Mongolia and Gobi Desert Altai Mountains. Spermophilus nilkaensis Tian Shan ground squirrel Endemic to the Tian Shan. Spermophilus relictus Relict ground squirrel Central Asia between the Tian Shan and the Pamir Mountains. Spermophilus seleveni Central Asia between the Tobol and Irtysh rivers, Lake Balkhash and the Tian Shan. Spermophilus vorontsovi Western Siberia between the Ob and the Kuznetsk Alatau Mountains.

### Extinct species

Discovery and examination of one of the best preserved Eurasian ground squirrel fossils yet recovered allowed the study of many previously unknown aspects of ground squirrel cranial anatomy, and prompted a critical reassessment of their phylogenetic position.[13] As a result, three [Pleistocene](/source/Pleistocene) species previously considered members of the *[Urocitellus](/source/Urocitellus)* genus were moved to *Spermophilus*:[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

- - [†](/source/Extinction)*[Spermophilus nogaici](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Spermophilus_nogaici&action=edit&redlink=1)* - [†](/source/Extinction)*[Spermophilus polonicus](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Spermophilus_polonicus&action=edit&redlink=1)* - [†](/source/Extinction)*[Spermophilus primigenius](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Spermophilus_primigenius&action=edit&redlink=1)*

In addition to the recent species, three now-extinct species are known from the Pleistocene of Europe:

*[Spermophilus citelloides](/source/Spermophilus_citelloides)* is known from the Middle Pleistocene to early Holocene of central Europe. It appears to be most closely related to the living *S. suslicus*.[14]

*[Spermophilus severskensis](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Spermophilus_severskensis&action=edit&redlink=1)* is known from the late Pleistocene ([Weichselian](/source/Weichselian_glaciation)) of the [Desna](/source/Desna_(river)) area, Ukraine. It appears to have been a highly specialised grazer and close relative of the living *S. pygmaeus*.[6]

*[Spermophilus superciliosus](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Spermophilus_superciliosus&action=edit&redlink=1)* is known from the Middle Pleistocene to reportedly the early 20th century, with a vast range across much of Europe, from southern England to the [Volga](/source/Volga) and the [Ural Mountains](/source/Ural_Mountains). It was similar in size to the recent *S. major*, and a probable ancestor of *S. fulvus*.[15]

## Relationship with humans

Ground squirrels may carry fleas that transmit diseases to humans (see [Black Death](/source/Black_Death)), and have been destructive in tunneling underneath human habitation.[16]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** [Wilson, D. E.](/source/Don_E._Wilson); [Reeder, D. M.](/source/DeeAnn_M._Reeder), eds. (2005). [*Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference*](http://www.departments.bucknell.edu/biology/resources/msw3/browse.asp?id=12400978) (3rd ed.). Baltimore: [Johns Hopkins University Press](/source/Johns_Hopkins_University_Press). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-8018-8221-0](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-8018-8221-0). [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [62265494](https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/62265494).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Palmer, T.S. (1904). ["Index Generum Mammalium: a List of the Genera and Families of Mammals"](https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/88553#page/647/mode/1up). *North American Fauna*. **23**: 639. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.3996/nafa.23.0001](https://doi.org/10.3996%2Fnafa.23.0001). Retrieved 9 February 2018.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Krystufek2012_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Krystufek2012_3-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Krystufek2012_3-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Krystufek2012_3-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-Krystufek2012_3-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-Krystufek2012_3-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-Krystufek2012_3-6) Kryštufek, B.; B. Vohralík (2012). "Taxonomic revision of the Palaearctic rodents (Rodentia). Part 1 (Eutamias and Spermophilus)". *Lynx, N. S. (Praha)*. **43**: 17–111.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_4-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:0_4-2) Simonov, Evgeniy; Lopatina, Natalia V.; Titov, Sergey V.; Ivanova, Anastasiya D.; Brandler, Oleg V.; Surin, Vadim L.; Matrosova, Vera A.; Dvilis, Alisa E.; Oreshkova, Nataliya V.; Kapustina, Svetlana Yu.; Golenishchev, Fedor N.; Ermakov, Oleg A. (1 June 2024). ["Traditional multilocus phylogeny fails to fully resolve Palearctic ground squirrels (Spermophilus) relationships but reveals a new species endemic to West Siberia"](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1055790324000496). *Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution*. **195** 108057. [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[2024MolPE.19508057S](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2024MolPE.19508057S). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1016/j.ympev.2024.108057](https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.ympev.2024.108057). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [1055-7903](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/1055-7903). [PMID](/source/PMID_(identifier)) [38471598](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38471598).

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1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:1_6-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:1_6-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:1_6-2) Popova, L. V.; Maul, L. C.; Zagorodniuk, I. V.; Veklych, Yu. M.; Shydlovskiy, P. S.; Pogodina, N. V.; Bondar, K. M.; Strukova, T. V.; Parfitt, S. A. (10 March 2019). ["'Good fences make good neighbours': Concepts and records of range dynamics in ground squirrels and geographical barriers in the Pleistocene of the Circum-Black Sea area"](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1040618217307267). *Quaternary International*. Bridging Europe and Asia: Quaternary stratigraphy and paleolithic human occupation. **509**: 103–120. [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[2019QuInt.509..103P](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2019QuInt.509..103P). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1016/j.quaint.2018.03.023](https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.quaint.2018.03.023). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [1040-6182](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/1040-6182).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Cao, Chan; Shuai, Ling-Ying; Xin, Xiao-Ping; Liu, Zhi-Tao; Song, Yan-Ling; Zeng, Zhi-Gao (2016). ["Effects of cattle grazing on small mammal communities in the Hulunber meadow steppe"](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5012293). *PeerJ*. **4** e2349. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.7717/peerj.2349](https://doi.org/10.7717%2Fpeerj.2349). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [2167-8359](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/2167-8359). [PMC](/source/PMC_(identifier)) [5012293](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5012293). [PMID](/source/PMID_(identifier)) [27635323](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27635323).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Koshkina, Alyona; Freitag, Martin; Grigoryeva, Irina; Hölzel, Norbert; Stirnemann, Ingrid; Velbert, Frederike; Kamp, Johannes (2023). ["Post-Soviet fire and grazing regimes govern the abundance of a key ecosystem engineer on the Eurasian steppe, the yellow ground squirrel Spermophilus fulvus"](https://doi.org/10.1111%2Fddi.13668). *Diversity and Distributions*. **29** (3): 395–408. [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[2023DivDi..29..395K](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2023DivDi..29..395K). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1111/ddi.13668](https://doi.org/10.1111%2Fddi.13668). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [1472-4642](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/1472-4642).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** Surkova, Elena; Popov, Sergey; Tchabovsky, Andrey (2019). ["Rodent burrow network dynamics under human-induced landscape transformation from desert to steppe in Kalmykian rangelands"](https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1749-4877.12392). *Integrative Zoology*. **14** (4): 410–420. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1111/1749-4877.12392](https://doi.org/10.1111%2F1749-4877.12392). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [1749-4877](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/1749-4877). [PMID](/source/PMID_(identifier)) [30983144](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30983144).

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1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** Helgen Kristofer M; et al. (2009). ["Generic revision in the Holarctic ground squirrel genus Spermophilus"](https://doi.org/10.1644%2F07-mamm-a-309.1). *Journal of Mammalogy*. **90** (2): 270–305. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1644/07-mamm-a-309.1](https://doi.org/10.1644%2F07-mamm-a-309.1).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** Helgen, Kristofer M.; Cole, F. Russel; Helgen, Lauren E. & Wilson, Don E (2009). ["Generic Revision in the Holarctic Ground Squirrel Genus *Spermophilus*"](https://doi.org/10.1644%2F07-MAMM-A-309.1). *Journal of Mammalogy*. **90** (2): 270–305. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1644/07-MAMM-A-309.1](https://doi.org/10.1644%2F07-MAMM-A-309.1).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** Maxim V. Sinitsa; Natalia V. Pogodina; Lyudmila Y. Кryuchkova (2019). "The skull of *Spermophilus nogaici* (Rodentia: Sciuridae: Xerinae) and the affinities of the earliest Old World ground squirrels". *Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society*. **186** (3): 826–864. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1093/zoolinnean/zly092](https://doi.org/10.1093%2Fzoolinnean%2Fzly092).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** Sinitsa, Maxim V.; Virág, Attila; Pazonyi, Piroska; Knitlová, Markéta (29 October 2019). ["Redescription and phylogenetic relationships of Spermophilus citelloides (Rodentia: Sciuridae: Xerinae), a ground squirrel from the Middle Pleistocene – Holocene of Central Europe"](https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/08912963.2019.1677640). *Historical Biology*. **33**: 19–39. [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[2021HBio...33...19S](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2021HBio...33...19S). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1080/08912963.2019.1677640](https://doi.org/10.1080%2F08912963.2019.1677640). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0891-2963](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0891-2963). [S2CID](/source/S2CID_(identifier)) [208578857](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:208578857).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** Popova, L. V. (28 October 2016). ["Evolutionary lineage of Spermophilus superciliosus – S. fulvus (Rodentia, Sciuridae) in the quaternary of the Dnieper area: An ability of a biostratigraphical implication"](https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.quaint.2015.10.104). *Quaternary International*. The Quaternary of the Urals: Global trends and Pan-European Quaternary records. **420**: 319–328. [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[2016QuInt.420..319P](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2016QuInt.420..319P). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1016/j.quaint.2015.10.104](https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.quaint.2015.10.104). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [1040-6182](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/1040-6182).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** [Encyclopædia Britannica](http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/246960/ground-squirrel)

## External links

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[Wikispecies](/source/Wikispecies) has information related to ***[Spermophilus](https://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/Spermophilus)***.

v t e Living species of tribe Marmotini (ground squirrels) Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Rodentia Suborder: Sciuromorpha Family: Sciuridae Subfamily: Xerinae Ammospermophilus (antelope squirrels) Harris's antelope squirrel (A. harrisii) Espíritu Santo antelope squirrel (A. insularis) Texas antelope squirrel (A. interpres) White-tailed antelope squirrel (A. leucurus) San Joaquin antelope squirrel (A. nelsoni) Callospermophilus (golden-mantled ground squirrels) Golden-mantled ground squirrel (C. lateralis) Sierra Madre ground squirrel (C. madrensis) Cascade golden-mantled ground squirrel (C. saturatus) Cynomys (prairie dogs) Gunnison's prairie dog (C. gunnisoni) White-tailed prairie dog (C. leucurus) Black-tailed prairie dog (C. ludovicianus) Mexican prairie dog (C. mexicanus) Utah prairie dog (C. parvidens) Eutamias Siberian chipmunk (E. sibiricus) Ictidomys (little ground squirrels) Mexican ground squirrel (I. mexicanus) Rio Grande ground squirrel (I. parvidens) Thirteen-lined ground squirrel (I. tridecemlineatus) Marmota (marmots) Subgenus Marmota: Gray marmot (M. baibacina) Bobak marmot (M. bobak) Alaska marmot (M. broweri) Black-capped marmot (M. camtschatica) Long-tailed marmot (M. caudata) Himalayan marmot (M. himalayana) Alpine marmot (M. marmota) Menzbier's marmot (M. menzbieri) Groundhog or woodchuck (M. monax) Tarbagan marmot (M. sibirica) Subgenus Petromarmota: Hoary marmot (M. caligata) Yellow-bellied marmot (M. flaviventris) Olympic marmot (M. olympus) Vancouver Island marmot (M. vancouverensis) Neotamias (western chipmunks) Alpine chipmunk (N. alpinus) Yellow-pine chipmunk (N. amoenus) Buller's chipmunk (N. bulleri) Gray-footed chipmunk (N. canipes) Gray-collared chipmunk (N. cinereicollis) Cliff chipmunk (N. dorsalis) Durango chipmunk (N. durangae) Merriam's chipmunk (N. merriami) Least chipmunk (N. minimus) California chipmunk (N. obscurus) Yellow-cheeked chipmunk (N. ochrogenys) Palmer's chipmunk (N. palmeri) Panamint chipmunk (N. panamintinus) Long-eared chipmunk (N. quadrimaculatus) Colorado chipmunk (N. quadrivittatus) Red-tailed chipmunk (N. ruficaudus) Hopi chipmunk (N. rufus) Allen's chipmunk (N. senex) Siskiyou chipmunk (N. siskiyou) Sonoma chipmunk (N. sonomae) Lodgepole chipmunk (N. speciosus) Townsend's chipmunk (N. townsendii) Uinta chipmunk (N. umbrinus) Notocitellus Tropical ground squirrel (N. adocetus) Ring-tailed ground squirrel (N. annulatus) Otospermophilus (rock squirrels) Baja California rock squirrel (O. atricapillus) California ground squirrel (O. beecheyi) Douglas ground squirrel (O. douglasii) Rock squirrel (O. variegatus) Poliocitellus Franklin's ground squirrel (P. franklinii) Sciurotamias (Asian rock squirrels) Père David's rock squirrel (S. davidianus) Forrest's rock squirrel (S. forresti) Spermophilus sensu stricto (Old World ground squirrels) Alashan ground squirrel (S. alashanicus) Brandt's ground squirrel (S. brevicauda) European ground squirrel (S. citellus) Daurian ground squirrel (S. dauricus) Red-cheeked ground squirrel (S. erythrogenys) Yellow ground squirrel (S. fulvus) Russet ground squirrel (S. major) Caucasian mountain ground squirrel (S. musicus) Tian Shan ground squirrel (S. nilkaensis) Pallid ground squirrel (S. pallidicauda) Little ground squirrel (S. pygmaeus) Relict ground squirrel (S. relictus) Speckled ground squirrel (Spermophilus suslicus) Taurus ground squirrel (Spermophilus taurensis) Asia Minor ground squirrel (Spermophilus xanthoprymnus) Tamias Eastern chipmunk (T. striatus) Urocitellus (Holarctic ground squirrels) Uinta ground squirrel (U. armatus) Belding's ground squirrel (U. beldingi) Northern Idaho ground squirrel (U. brunneus) Merriam's ground squirrel (U. canus) Columbian ground squirrel (U. columbianus) Wyoming ground squirrel (U. elegans) Southern Idaho ground squirrel (U. endemicus) Piute ground squirrel (U. mollis) Arctic ground squirrel (U. parryii) Richardson's ground squirrel (U. richardsonii) Townsend's ground squirrel (U. townsendii) Long-tailed ground squirrel (U. undulatus) Washington ground squirrel (U. washingtoni) Xerospermophilus (pygmy ground squirrels) Mohave ground squirrel (X. mohavensis) Perote ground squirrel (X. perotensis) Spotted ground squirrel (X. spilosoma) Round-tailed ground squirrel (X. tereticaudus) Category

v t e Sciuromorpha Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Rodentia †Allomyidae Allomys Alwoodia Campestrallomys Downsimus Haplomys Oropyctis Parallomys Pelycomys Plesispermophilus Rudiomys Spurimus Aplodontiidae †Altasciurus †Ameniscomys †Ansomys Aplodontia †Dakotallomys †Disallomys †Ephemeromys †Haplomys †Leptoromys †Liodontia †Meniscomys †Niglarodon †Ninamys †Oligopetes †Paracitellus †Paransomys †Proansomys †Prosciurus †Pseudaplodon †Sciurodon †Selenomys †Sewelleladon †Tardontia †Trigonomys Gliridae †Bransatoglirinae Bransatoglis Oligodyromys Glirinae Glirulus Glis Graphiurinae Graphiurus Leithiinae Chaetocauda Dryomys Eliomys †Hypnomys †Leithia Muscardinus Myomimus Selevinia †Mylagaulidae Galbreathia †Mesogaulinae Mesogaulus †Mylagaulinae Alphagaulus Ceratogaulus Hesperogaulus Mylagaulus Notogaulus Pterogaulus Umbogaulus Simpligaulus †Promylagaulinae Crucimys Promylagaulus Trilaccogaulus †Reithroparamyidae Reithroparamys Uriscus Sciuridae †Hesperopetes †Kherem †Lagrivea †Oligosciurus †Plesiosciurus †Prospermophilus †Sciurion †Similisciurus †Sinotamias †Vulcanisciurus Callosciurinae Callosciurini Callosciurus Dremomys Exilisciurus Glyphotes Hyosciurus Lariscus Menetes Nannosciurus Prosciurillus Rhinosciurus Rubrisciurus Sundasciurus Tamiops Funambulini Funambulus †Cedromurinae Cedromus Oligospermophilus Ratufinae Ratufa Sciurillinae Sciurillus Sciurinae Pteromyini Aeretes Aeromys Belomys Biswamoyopterus Eoglaucomys Eupetaurus Glaucomys Hylopetes Iomys †Miopetaurista †Neopetes Petaurillus Petaurista Petinomys †Pliopetaurista Priapomys Pteromys Pteromyscus Trogopterus Sciurini †Douglassciurus †Freudenthalia Guerlinguetus Microsciurus †Miosciurus †Plesiosciurus †Protosciurus Rheithrosciurus Sciurus Syntheosciurus Xerinae Marmotini Ammospermophilus †Arctomyoides Callospermophilus Cynomys Eutamias Ictidomys Marmota †Miospermophilus Neotamias Notocitellus †Nototamias Otospermophilus †Paenamarmota †Palaearctomys †Palaeosciurus Poliocitellus †Protospermophilus Sciurotamias †Spermophilinus Spermophilus Tamias Urocitellus Xerospermophilus Protoxerini Epixerus Funisciurus Heliosciurus Myosciurus Paraxerus Protoxerus Xerini †Aragoxerus Atlantoxerus Euxerus Geosciurus †Heteroxerus Spermophilopsis Xerus

Taxon identifiers Spermophilus Wikidata: Q199251 Wikispecies: Spermophilus ADW: Spermophilus BOLD: 4740 CoL: 7KBZ EoL: 15104 EPPO: 1SPRMG Fauna Europaea: 305738 Fauna Europaea (new): 2675585c-425e-4347-b6a5-003b2a27404f GBIF: 2437289 iNaturalist: 179974 ITIS: 180145 MSW: 12400978 NBN: NHMSYS0000376534 NCBI: 9996 Open Tree of Life: 631007 Paleobiology Database: 41528

Authority control databases National Czech Republic Israel Other Yale LUX

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Spermophilus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spermophilus) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spermophilus?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.