Urocitellus columbianus (Columbian ground squirrel)
| Class | Mammalia |
| Order | Rodentia |
| Family | Sciuridae |
| Genus | Urocitellus |
| Species | Urocitellus columbianus |
| Common | Columbian ground squirrel |
| Diet | herbivore (primarily) |
| Habitat | Native grasslands of the upper Columbian basin |
| Description | Formerly in genus Spermophilus. Medium size, dark gray with very small white spots. Face, legs and tail reddish. Hind foot long compared to similar species, >49 mm. |
| Skull Characteristics | Similar to other ground squirrels: Zygomatic arches are twisted and flattened horizontally and converge toward the front, with a more streamlined appearance than tree squirrels, good for squeezing through burrows. Postorbital process projection is often narrow and fragile. In the mandible, the notch between the coronoid process and the condyloid process is deeper in ground squirrels than in tree squirrels. |
| Notes | Links to more species information:
Smithsonian Animal Diversity Web |