On the genetic structure and origin of the little ground squirrel Spermophilus pygmaeus (Pallas, 1778) in the North Caucasus
Journal: Vavilov Journal of Genetics and Breeding
Year: 2025

Little ground squirrel Spermophilus pygmaeus (Pallas, 1778) is a polytypic species of significant interest for the study of taxonomic diversity, genetic structure, gene flow and genetic diversity. Despite the long history of study, the taxonomy of representatives of the genus Spermophilus in the North Caucasus remains poorly developed. Among the unresolved issues are the phylogenetic relationships between the "mountain" and "plain" ground squirrels of the North Caucasus. An equally important asp