Tian Shan ground squirrel

Species of rodent

Tian Shan ground squirrel
Conservation status

Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Family: Sciuridae
Genus: Spermophilus
Species:
S. nilkaensis
Binomial name
Spermophilus nilkaensis
Lanxin & Sibo, 1989

The Tian Shan ground squirrel (Spermophilus nilkaensis) is a species of squirrel found in the grasslands of western China, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. A close relative of Spermophilus relictus, it was formerly considered the same species. It was formerly known as Spermophilus ralli, but that name is now known to be a synonym of S. relictus.[2]

Description

This ground squirrel is about twenty centimetres (8 in) long with a tail of six centimetres (2 in) and weighs 300 to 400 grams (11 to 14 oz). In the summer the coat is grayish or yellowish brown above with some indistinct lighter coloured spots, paler on the sides and yellowish-gray underneath. In the winter it is altogether paler and grayer. The tail has a distinctive dark coloured band and a yellowish white tip. There are no facial markings like those found in several closely related species.[3]

Distribution

This species is found in pastureland in western Xinjiang and Kazakhstan whereas S. relictus is found in the westernmost part of the Tian Shan mountains.[3]

Biology

This species digs a complex of tunnels with a number of entrances close to each other. It is diurnal but retreats underground during the heat of the day. It often stands erect outside its burrow on its hind legs surveying the scene and is quite vocal at times. The diet consists of grasses and other vegetation, insects and other small arthropods. It hibernates for about six months from early September and the female gives birth after emergence in the spring. The gestation period is about twenty six days with three to seven young in a litter.[3]

References

  1. ^ Smith, A.T. & Johnston, C.H. (2016). "Spermophilus ralli". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T136455A22266455. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T136455A22266455.en.
  2. ^ "Spermophilus nilkaensis Hou Lanxin & Wang Sibo, 1989". ASM Mammal Diversity Database. American Society of Mammalogists. Retrieved 2021-08-28.
  3. ^ a b c Smith, Andrew T.; Xie, Yan; Hoffmann, Robert S.; Lunde, Darrin; MacKinnon, John; Wilson, Don E.; Wozencraft, W. Chris (April 23, 2010). A Guide to the Mammals of China. Princeton University Press. ISBN 978-1400834112 – via Google Books.
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Living species of tribe Marmotini (ground squirrels)
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) 
    • 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
    Taxon identifiers
    Spermophilus ralli