Spermophilus relictus
Creators: name: Wilson, Don E.
name: Thomas E. Lacher, Jr
name: Mittermeier, Russell A.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2016
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Chordata
Mammalia
Rodentia
Sciuridae
Spermophilus
Spermophilus relictus

description: 236. Relict Ground Squirrel <i>Spermophilus relictus</i> <b>French:</b> Spermophile relique / <b>German:</b> Westliches Tienschan-Ziesel / <b>Spanish:</b> Ardilla terrestre relicta <b>Taxonomy.</b> Citellus relictus Kashkarov, 1923, “Kara-Bura Gorge and Kumysh-Tagh Gorge in the Talus Ala Tau, Talassk. Obl., Kyrgyzstan.” This species is monotypic. <b>Distribution.</b> Tian Shan Mts in SE Kazakhstan, E Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and NW Tajikistan. <b>Descriptive notes.</b> Head-body 230-270 mm, tail 58-76 mm. No specific data are available for body weight. Dorsal pelage of the Relict Ground Squirrelis a mix of gray, cinnamon, and straw yellow, with indistinct speckles. Head is slightly paler than dorsum, gray suffused with straw. Sides and venter are light gray to straw yellow. Tailis frosted with white to cream, dorsally cinnamon grayish yellow at base and darkening to grizzled appearance near tip; ventrally, it is cinnamon to rust. <b>Habitat.</b> Mountain and piedmont steppes and meadows of mixed grasses with good drainage at elevations of 600-2800 m. <b>Food and Feeding.</b> Diet of the Relict Ground Squirrel consists of roots, bulbs, grasses, forbs, and flowers. When available, insects are consumed in substantial amounts. <b>Breeding.</b> Female Relict Ground Squirrels give birth in burrows;litters have 3-6 young; number of young is greater at lower elevations. <b>Activity patterns.</b> The Relict Ground Squirrel is diurnal and hibernates in burrows from late summer (August-September) until late winter or spring (February to early May). <b>Movements, Home range and Social organization.</b> Burrow structure is relatively simple, usually with single tunnel and one nest chamber, 1-2 m belowground in hibernation burrows. During summer, burrows are used primarily for escape and have c.1 m depth. The Relict Ground Squirrelis relatively shy and quickly seeks cover of burrows after detecting a potential threat. It is able to climb trees, and vocalizations are described as quiet and low squeaks. <b>Status and Conservation.</b> Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. Current population trend of the Relict Ground Squirrel is unknown. It is harvested for food and pelts, but this is probably not currently occurring at levels high enough to be a major threat, and annual number of pelts in trade is decreasing. In the 1950s up to 45,000 skins/year were collected, but by the 1990s, this decreased to 10,000 skins/year. Indications are that trade in pelts has continued to decrease. The Relict Ground Squirrel occurs in protected areas in Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan. Further research is warranted to understand population trends, but it is unlikely to be at great risk. <b>Bibliography.</b> Harrison et al. (2003), Ognev (1963), Thorington et al. (2012), Tsvirka et al. (2008), Volzheninov et al. (1986).
description: Published as part of <i>Don E. Wilson, Thomas E. Lacher, Jr &amp; Russell A. Mittermeier, 2016, Sciuridae, pp. 648-837 in Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 6 Lagomorphs and Rodents I, Barcelona :Lynx Edicions</i> on page 814, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6840226