Merriam's chipmunk

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Merriam's chipmunk
Neotamias merriami.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Family: Sciuridae
Genus: Neotamias
Species:
N. merriami
Binomial name
Neotamias merriami
(J. A. Allen, 1889)
Synonyms

Tamias merriamiJ. A. Allen, 1889

Merriam's chipmunk (Neotamias merriami) is a species of chipmunk in the family Sciuridae. It is found in central and southern California [2] in the United States and a small area in northern Baja California, Mexico. [1]

Contents

Description

Its fur is grayish-brown, with dark and light-colored dorsal stripes. It has light gray or white stripes around the eyes and a white underbelly. The tail is very bushy, often measuring over 80% of the head and body length. They experience molting of the fur on their bodies and tails. [3]

The dental formula for Tamias merriami is 1.0.2.3.1.0.1.3. × 2 = 22 [3]

Distribution and habitat

The Merriam’s chipmunk lives in parts of central and southern California and Baja California, [1] including along the western slope of the Sierra Nevada mountains. [3] They have been observed at altitudes of up to 2,940 meters but most often live at elevations under 1,200 meters. They primarily inhabit forests and chaparral-covered shrubland habitats. They live in areas with a variety of trees, shrubs, logs, rocks, and plant litter, which are features utilized for their food and shelter. [3]

Diet

The merriam’s chipmunk has a mainly herbivorous diet. It forages daily for food and carries seeds or acorns in its cheek pouches, often to be cached in the ground. Acorns are a major part of its diet, especially from valley oak trees. Other sources of food include the seeds, nuts, and berries of a variety of plants, insects, and larvae. [3]

Reproduction

When mating, females attract males by calling to them. The duration of the female call is ten to fifteen minutes. A male will hear the call and respond to it by running to and jumping around the female. The female then squats down, and the male performs 12-24 thrusts. The entire process of mating lasts about fifteen seconds. [4]

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hopi chipmunk</span> Species of rodent

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cliff chipmunk</span> Species of rodent

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alpine chipmunk</span> Species of rodent

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Merriam's kangaroo rat</span> Species of rodent

Merriam's kangaroo rat is a species of rodent in the family Heteromyidae. The species name commemorates Clinton Hart Merriam. It is found in the Upper and Lower Sonoran life zones of the southwestern United States, Baja California, and northern Mexico.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yellow-pine chipmunk</span> Species of rodent

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gray-footed chipmunk</span> Species of rodent in the family Sciuridae

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yellow-cheeked chipmunk</span> Species of rodent

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Palmer's chipmunk</span> Species of rodent

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Long-eared chipmunk</span> Species of rodent

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colorado chipmunk</span> Species of rodent

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Allen's chipmunk</span> Species of rodent

Allen's chipmunk, also known as the shadow chipmunk, is a species of chipmunk native to the western United States. Occurring in California, Oregon, and Nevada, it is a common species of the Sierra Nevada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Siskiyou chipmunk</span> Species of rodent

The Siskiyou chipmunk is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is endemic to northern California and central Oregon in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sonoma chipmunk</span> Species of rodent

The Sonoma chipmunk is a species of rodent in the squirrel family Sciuridae. It is endemic to northwestern California in the United States. Members of Neotamias are characterized by having two premolars. N. sonomae has two subspecies: N. s. alleni and N. s. sonomae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lodgepole chipmunk</span> Species of rodent

The Lodgepole chipmunk is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is found in the U.S. state of California at elevations from 1,500 to 3,000 metres. The Lodgepole chipmunk has a variety of common names including: Tahoe chipmunk, Sequoia chipmunk, Mt. Pinos chipmunk, and San Bernardino chipmunk.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Uinta chipmunk</span> Species of rodent

The Uinta chipmunk or hidden forest chipmunk, is a species of chipmunk in the family Sciuridae. It is endemic to the United States. Formerly known as Tamias umbrinus, phylogenetic studies have shown it to be sufficiently distinct from the eastern chipmunk as to be placed in a separate genus, Neotamias. The same studies have also suggested that Palmer's chipmunk may actually be a subspecies of Uinta chipmunk, although the two are still generally regarded as separate species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ezo chipmunk</span> Subspecies of mammal

The Ezo chipmunk is a subspecies or local population of the Siberian chipmunk; it is found in what was once known as Ezo, namely Hokkaidō, Japan, and Sakhalin and the Southern Kuriles, Russia.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Álvarez-Castañeda, S.T.; Castro-Arellano, I.; Lacher, T. (2016). "Neotamias merriami". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T21358A22269203. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T21358A22269203.en . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. "California Mammal Maps - Merriam's Chipmunk (Tamias merriami)". Archived from the original on 2010-12-16. Retrieved 2010-08-26.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Best, Troy L.; Granai, Nancy J. (1994-12-02). "Tamias merriami". Mammalian Species (476): 1–9. doi:10.2307/3504203. ISSN   0076-3519. JSTOR   3504203.
  4. Compton, Stephen B (January 1995). ""REPRODUCTIVE BEHAVIOR IN MERRIAM'S CHIPMUNK (TAMIAS MERRIAMI)."". The Great Basin Naturalist. 55 (1). ISSN   0017-3614. JSTOR   41712869.