Tamias

Genus of rodents

Tamias

Eastern chipmunk (Tamias striatus)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:  | Animalia
Phylum:  | Chordata
Class:  | Mammalia
Order:  | Rodentia
Family:  | Sciuridae
Subtribe:  | Tamiina
Genus:  | Tamias
Illiger, 1811
Type species
Sciurus striatus

Linnaeus, 1758

Species

Tamias striatus

Tamias is a genus of chipmunks in the tribe Marmotini of the squirrel family. The genus includes a single living species, the eastern chipmunk (Tamias striatus).[1] The genus name Tamias (Greek: ταμίας) means "treasurer", "steward", or "housekeeper",[2] which is a reference to the animals' role in plant dispersal through their habit of collecting and storing food for winter use.[3]

Caged Tamias chipmunk, Tokyo area

The genus Tamias was formerly divided into three subgenera that, in sum, included all chipmunk species: Tamias, the eastern chipmunk and other fossil species; Eutamias, of which the Siberian chipmunk (E. sibiricus) is the only living member; and Neotamias, which includes the 23 remaining, mostly western, species. These classifications are subjective, and most taxonomies over the twentieth century have placed the chipmunks in a single genus. However, studies of mitochondrial DNA show that the divergence between each of the three chipmunk groups is comparable to the genetic dissimilarity between Marmota and Spermophilus,[4][5][6][7] so they are now often considered as separate genera.

In addition to the eastern chipmunk, some fossil species from Eurasia have been assigned to this genus:

* †Tamias allobrogensis; Mein and Ginsburg, 2002 – Miocene of France[8]
* †Tamias anatoliensis; Bosma et al., 2013 – Miocene of Turkey[9]
* †Tamias atsali; De Bruijn, 1995 – Pliocene of Greece[10]
* †Tamias eviensis; De Bruijn et al., 1980 – Miocene of Greece[11]
* †Tamias urialis; Munthe, 1980, described from the Miocene of Pakistan, may be more closely related to Tamiops.[12]

One American fossil species, †Tamias aristus from the late Pleistocene, has been identified.[13]

## References

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tamias.

Wikispecies has information related to Tamias.

1. ^ Musser et al., 2010, p. 22
2. ^ Henry George Liddell; Robert Scott. (1940). A Greek-English Lexicon, revised and augmented throughout by Sir Henry Stuart Jones with the assistance of Roderick McKenzie. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
3. ^ Snyder, D.P. (1982). "Tamias striatus". Mammalian Species (168): 1–8\. doi:10.2307/3503819. JSTOR 3503819.
4. ^ Wilson, D. E.; D. M. Reeder (2005). "Mammal Species of the World". Archived from the original on 2007-06-23. Retrieved 2007-06-27.
5. ^ Piaggio, A. J.; Spicer, G. S. (2001). "Molecular phylogeny of the chipmunks inferred from mitochondrial cytochrome b and cytochrome oxidase II gene sequences" (PDF). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 20 (3): 335–350\. Bibcode:2001MolPE..20..335P. doi:10.1006/mpev.2001.0975. PMID 11527462. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-08-23. Retrieved 2018-11-02.
6. ^ Piaggio, Antoinette J.; Spicer, Greg S. (2000). "Molecular Phylogeny of the Chipmunk Genus Tamias Based on the Mitochondrial Cytochrome Oxidase Subunit II Gene" (PDF). Journal of Mammalian Evolution. 7 (3): 147–166\. doi:10.1023/a:1009484302799. S2CID 7623018. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-09-13. Retrieved 2018-11-02.
7. ^ Musser, G. G.; Durden, L. A.; Holden, M. E.; Light, J. E. (2010). "Systematic review of endemic Sulawesi squirrels (Rodentia, Sciuridae), with descriptions of new species of associated sucking lice (Insecta, Anoplura), and phylogenetic and zoogeographic assessments of sciurid lice". Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History. 339 (339): 1–260\. doi:10.1206/695.1. hdl:2246/6067. S2CID 82712592.
8. ^ Mein and Ginsburg, 2002
9. ^ Bosma, Anneke A.; De Bruijn, Hans; Wessels, Wilma (25 June 2013). "Late Miocene Sciuridae (Mammalia, Rodentia) from Anatolia, Turkey". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 33 (4): 924–942\. doi:10.1080/02724634.2013.755990. ISSN 0272-4634. Retrieved 19 April 2025 – via Taylor and Francis Online.
10. ^ De Bruijn, 1995
11. ^ Doukas, 2003, table 2
12. ^ Qiu et al., 2008, p. 115
13. ^ Ray, Clayton E (September 1965). "A New Chipmunk, Tamias aristus, from the Pleistocene of Georgia". Journal of Paleontology. 39 (5): 1016–1022\. JSTOR 3555320.

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* 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

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* 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

†Promylagaulinae|

* Crucimys
* Promylagaulus
* Simpligaulus
* 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

Tamias|

* Wikidata: Q22364
* Wikispecies: Tamias
* ADW: Tamias
* BOLD: 4909
* EoL: 34417
* EPPO: 1TAMIG
* Fauna Europaea: 305744
* Fauna Europaea (new): 14135d69-05f5-40cf-b86e-140dbf336184
* GBIF: 2437422
* iNaturalist: 46210
* IRMNG: 1045918
* ITIS: 180188
* MSW: 12401131
* NCBI: 13712
* Open Tree of Life: 194271
* Paleobiology Database: 41529

*[†]: Extinct
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