Spermophilus

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Spermophilus
Temporal range: Middle Miocene - Recent
Spermophilus in Turkey
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Family: Sciuridae
Tribe: Marmotini
Genus: Spermophilus
F. Cuvier
, 1825
Type species
Mus citellus
Species

See text.

Ammospermophilus

Notocitellus

Urocitellus

Marmota

Spermophilus

sensu stricto

Ictidomys

Poliocitellus

Relationships among the
Marmotini according to cytochrome b
data (Helgen et al., 2009: fig. 2): Genera that were formerly included in Spermophilus are in bold.

Spermophilus is a

paraphyletic to the certainly distinct prairie dogs, marmots, and antelope squirrels. 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 are two Asian Urocitellus).[2]

Some species are sometimes called susliks (or sousliks). This name comes from Russian суслик, suslik.[3] In some languages, a derivative of the name is in common usage, for example suseł in Polish. The scientific name of this genus means "seed-lovers" (gr. σπέρμα sperma, genitive σπέρματος spermatos – seed; φίλος philos – friend, lover).[4]

Habitat and behavior

As typical ground squirrels, Spermophilus live in open habitats like grasslands, meadows,

aestivate during the summer or fall.[5] The distributions of the various species are mostly separated, often by large rivers, although there are regions inhabited by as many as three species and rarely two species may even form mixed colonies.[5] A few species are known to hybridize where their ranges come into contact.[5]

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, which commonly has brown upperparts with clear white spotting.[5] 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 may weigh up to 2 kg (4.4 lb) and the largest S. major 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.[5] All have a fairly short tail that—depending on exact species—is around 10–45% of the length of the head-and-body.[5]

Relationship with humans

Ground squirrels may carry fleas that transmit diseases to humans (see Black Death), and have been destructive in tunneling underneath human habitation.[7]

Species

Spermophilus suslicus
, a species that commonly has clearly white-spotted upperparts

A generic revision was undertaken in 2007 by means of

Palearctic species are retained as the genus Spermophilus sensu stricto (in the strictest sense).[8]

Prehistoric 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.[9] As a result, three Pleistocene species previously considered members of the Urocitellus genus were moved to Spermophilus:

Spermophilus citelloides is known from the Middle Pleistocene to early Holocene of Europe. It appears to be most closely related to the living S. suslicus.[10]

References

  1. OCLC 62265494
    .
  2. doi:10.1644/07-mamm-a-309.1
    .
  3. ^ The Free Dictionary
  4. doi:10.3996/nafa.23.0001
    . Retrieved 9 February 2018.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Kryštufek, B.; B. Vohralík (2012). "Taxonomic revision of the Palaearctic rodents (Rodentia). Part 1 (Eutamias and Spermophilus)". Lynx, N. S. (Praha). 43: 17–111.
  6. ISBN 978-0-691-09984-2
    .
  7. ^ Encyclopædia Britannica
  8. doi:10.1644/07-MAMM-A-309.1
    .
  9. doi:10.1093/zoolinnean/zly092
    .
  10. S2CID 208578857
    .

External links

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