Palmer's chipmunk

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Palmer's chipmunk
Palmer's chipmunk.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. palmeri
Binomial name
Neotamias palmeri
(Merriam, 1897)
Synonyms
  • Tamias palmeri (Merriam, 1897)
  • Eutamias palmeri Merriam, 1897

Palmer's chipmunk (Neotamias palmeri) is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae, endemic to Nevada. Its natural habitat is temperate forests. It is threatened by habitat loss. [1] It is named after Theodore Sherman Palmer, an American botanist and zoologist. [2]

Description

Palmer's chipmunk resembles other chipmunks in that it has solid black and white stripes that run down its body dorsally. The body of the chipmunk is tan while its ventral side is more pale. Total body length is 210–223 millimetres (8.3–8.8 in), with a tail of 86.5–101.5 millimetres (3.41–4.00 in). Adults weigh between 50 and 69.4 grams. [3]

Distribution and habitat

Palmer's chipmunk is found only in the Spring Mountains of Clark County, southern Nevada. It mostly occurs at altitudes of 7,000–10,000 feet (2,100–3,000 m), inhabiting cliffs and forested areas between the upper pinyon pine and juniper regions, up and into the fir-pine and bristlecone pine communities. [4] There are some indications that the species prefers to associate with water sources. [1]

Ecology

The caches of Palmer's chipmunk have been found to contain seeds from the ponderosa pine, which are an important food resource of the chipmunk. This species has also been known to eat local fruits, grass, insects, and the seeds of other conifers. [4] The species hibernates during cold weather, but is not an obligate hibernator. On warm winter days, Palmer's chipmunk will come out of its burrow to visit their caches for food. [5]

Reproduction

Nests are most commonly built on the ground but can occasionally be found in trees. In late spring to early summer, female chipmunks have litters of 3 or 4 pups which are born hairless. After a month or so, the pups have developed a smooth fur coat and begin to move in and out of the nest. At about 6 weeks old, the pups have moved to a mostly solid food diet. [6]

Conservation

The species has been classified as endangered by the IUCN. Its habitat is being reduced by the extension of campgrounds, woodcutting, and the increasing sprawl of Las Vegas. Predation by feral dogs and cats is also likely to be a factor. [1]

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Siberian chipmunk</span> Species of mammal

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

The Hopi chipmunk, Neotamias rufus, is a small chipmunk found in Colorado, Utah and Arizona in the southwestern United States. It was previously grouped with the Colorado chipmunk, T. quadrivittatus. This species is listed as "Least Concern" on the IUCN Red List as it is common, widespread, and without any major threats. It was last evaluated in 2016.

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

The cliff chipmunk is a small, bushy-tailed squirrel that typically lives along cliff walls or boulder fields bordering Pinyon-juniper woodlands in the Western United States and Mexico. Cliff chipmunks are very agile, and can often be seen scaling steep cliff walls. Cliff chipmunks do not amass body fat as the more common ground squirrel does. They create caches of food which they frequent during the cold winter months.

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

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<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

The gray-footed chipmunk is a terrestrial and forest-dwelling species of chipmunk and rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is endemic to New Mexico and in the Sierra Diablo and Guadalupe Mountains in the Trans-Pecos region of Texas in the United States. Its natural habitat are coniferous forests. First discovered in 1902, they are distinguished by the unique gray dorsal colouring on the hind feet, hence the common name. They demonstrate sexual dimorphism, and the female is larger than the male.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gray-collared 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">Red-tailed chipmunk</span> Species of rodent

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

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<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.

<i>Neotamias</i> Genus of rodents

Neotamias is a genus of chipmunks within the tribe Marmotini of the squirrel family. It contains 23 species, which mostly occur in western North America. Along with Eutamias, this genus is often considered a subgenus of Tamias.

<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 4 Lowrey, C. (2016). "Neotamias palmeri". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016: e.T21355A22267875. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T21355A22267875.en . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2009). The Eponym Dictionary of Mammals. 2715 North Charles Street Baltimore, Maryland 21218-4363: Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 305–306. ISBN   978-0-8018-9304-9.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  3. Ruff, Wilson (1999). The Smithsonian Book of North American Mammals. The Smithsonian Institution Press in Association with the American Society of Mammalogists. pp. 372–373.
  4. 1 2 "Palmer's chipmunk". Nevada Department of Wildlife. Retrieved 2016-11-14.
  5. Hirshfeld, J. (1975). Reprodution, Growth, and Development of Two Species of Chipmunk: Eutamias panamintinus and Eutamias palmeri (Thesis). Las Vegas: University of Nevada.
  6. "North American Mammals: Tamias palmeri". Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 2016-11-14.