The Xerinae comprise a

subfamily In biological classification, a subfamily (Latin: ', plural ') is an auxiliary (intermediate) taxonomic rank, next below family but more inclusive than genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classifica ...

squirrel Squirrels are members of the family Sciuridae, a family that includes small or medium-size rodents. The squirrel family includes tree squirrels, ground squirrels (including chipmunks and prairie dogs, among others), and flying squirrels. ...

s, many of which are highly terrestrial. It includes the

tribes The term tribe is used in many different contexts to refer to a category of human social group. The predominant worldwide usage of the term in English is in the discipline of anthropology. This definition is contested, in part due to confli ...

Marmotini (

marmot Marmots are large ground squirrels in the genus ''Marmota'', with 15 species living in Asia, Europe, and North America. These herbivores are active during the summer, when they can often be found in groups, but are not seen during the winter, ...

chipmunk Chipmunks are small, striped rodents of the family Sciuridae. Chipmunks are found in North America, with the exception of the Siberian chipmunk which is found primarily in Asia. Taxonomy and systematics Chipmunks may be classified either as ...

prairie dog Prairie dogs (genus ''Cynomys'') are herbivorous Burrow, burrowing Marmotini , ground squirrels native to the grasslands of North America. Within the genus are five species: black-tailed prairie dog, black-tailed, white-tailed prairie dog, wh ...

s, and other

Holarctic The Holarctic realm is a biogeographic realm that comprises the majority of habitats found throughout the continents in the Northern Hemisphere. It corresponds to the floristic Boreal Kingdom. It includes both the Nearctic zoogeographical reg ...

ground squirrels),

Xerini Xerini is a tribe of ground squirrels occurring in Africa and Asia. With the tribes Marmotini (Holarctic ground squirrels) and Protoxerini (African tree squirrels), they form the subfamily Xerinae. There are five living genera—'' Xerus'', the ...

(African and some Eurasian ground squirrels), and

Protoxerini The Protoxerini comprise a tribe of squirrels found in Africa. The 30 species in six genera are:Thorington, R. W. and R. S. Hoffmann. 2005. Family Sciuridae. Pp 754–818 in Mammal Species of the World A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference. Johns ...

(African tree squirrels).Thorington, R. W. and R. S. Hoffmann (2005). "Family Sciuridae". pp. 754–818 in Wilson, E. D. and Reeder, D. M. (eds.),
Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference
', Vol. 2. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore.

Taxonomy

Tribe

six species of ground squirrels in five genera, occurring in Africa and Asia. :'' Atlantoxerus'' :'' Euxerus'' :'' Geosciurus'' :'' Spermophilopsis'' :'' Xerus'' Tribe

thirty species of tree squirrels in six genera, occurring in Africa. :'' Epixerus'' :'' Funisciurus'' :'' Heliosciurus'' :'' Myosciurus'' :'' Paraxerus'' :'' Protoxerus'' Tribe Marmotini ground squirrels in fifteen genera, occurring world wide. Includes the

prairie dogs Prairie dogs (genus ''Cynomys'') are herbivorous burrowing ground squirrels native to the grasslands of North America. Within the genus are five species: black-tailed, white-tailed, Gunnison's, Utah, and Mexican prairie dogs. In Mexico ...

, the marmots (including woodchuck), and

chipmunks Chipmunks are small, striped rodents of the family Sciuridae. Chipmunks are found in North America, with the exception of the Siberian chipmunk which is found primarily in Asia. Taxonomy and systematics Chipmunks may be classified either as ...

. :'' Ammospermophilus'' :''

Callospermophilus ''Callospermophilus'' is a genus of ground squirrel from North America. Etymology ''Callospermophilus'': gr. καλλος ''kallos'' – beauty, from καλος ''kalos'' – beautiful; genus '' Spermophilus'' F. Cuvier, 1825 Species The ge ...

'' :'' Cynomys'' :''

Eutamias ''Eutamias'' is a genus of chipmunks within the tribe Marmotini of the squirrel family. It includes a single living species, the Siberian chipmunk (''Eutamias sibiricus''). The genus is often treated as a subgenus of ''Tamias'', which is now r ...

'' :'' Ictidomys'' :'' Marmota'' :''

Neotamias ''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''. Spe ...

'' :''

Notocitellus ''Notocitellus'' is a genus of ground squirrels, containing two species from Mexico. These species are the tropical ground squirrel (''Notocitellus adocetus''), and the ring-tailed ground squirrel (''N. annulatus''). ''Notocitellus'' was f ...

'' :'' Otospermophilus'' :'' Poliocitellus'' :'' Sciurotamias'' :'' Spermophilus'' :''

Tamias ''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''). The genus name ''Tamias'' ( el, ταμίας) means "treasurer", "steward ...

'' :'' Urocitellus'' :'' Xerospermophilus''

References

Xerinae Mammal subfamilies Taxa named by Henry Fairfield Osborn {{Squirrel-stub