Fisheries & Wildlife

Mammal Collection

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Tamias townsendii (Townsend's chipmunk)

Specimen Images | FW928 | FW7374 |


Class Mammalia
Order Rodentia
Family Sciuridae
Genus Tamias
Species Tamias townsendii
Common Townsend's chipmunk
Diet Herbivore, generalist. Fruits, seeds, fungi, invertebrates.
Habitat Forests and forest openings of the Pacific Northwest.
Description Chipmunks are similar to ground squirrels, but smaller with stripes on the face as well as the back. Stripes extend to head and face and outline the eyes in white (unlike Callospermophilus or Ammospermophilus). Stripes are less distinct in some species than others.
Skull Characteristics Tamias spp: Proportionally smaller postorbital process and larger braincase than ground squirrels. Infraorbital foramina are round and pierce the zygomatic plate (in squirrels, they are smaller and on the side of the rostrum). Incisors have fine lengthwise grooves on the front, visible under magnification.
Notes Links to more species information:
Smithsonian
Animal Diversity Web