Spermophilus
Translingual
Spermophilus citellus
Etymology
New Latin, from Ancient Greek σπέρμα (spérma, “seed, semen”) + φίλος (phílos, “fond of”).
Proper noun
Spermophilus m
- A taxonomic genus within the family Sciuridae – the Old World ground squirrels.
Usage notes
Until recently, genus Spermophilus included most of the ground squirrels in Marmotini, but this grouping was found to be paraphyletic. A 2007 revision on phylogenetic lines split the old genus into a number of clades, substantially increasing the number of genera in Marmotini. Where distinction is necessary, the genus as presently configured may be referred to as Spermophilus sensu stricto. For details see 
Hypernyms
- (genus): Eukaryota - superkingdom; Animalia - kingdom; Bilateria - subkingdom; Deuterostomia - infrakingdom; Chordata - phylum; Vertebrata - subphylum; Gnathostomata - infraphylum; Tetrapoda - superclass; Mammalia - class; Theria - subclass; Eutheria/Placentalia - infraclass; Rodentia - order; Sciuromorpha - suborder; Sciuridae - family; Marmotini - tribe
Hyponyms
- (genus): Spermophilus alashanicus (Alashan ground squirrel), Spermophilus brevicauda (Brandt’s ground squirrel), Spermophilus citellus (European ground squirrel), Spermophilus dauricus (Daurian ground squirrel), Spermophilus erythrogenys (red-cheeked ground squirrel), Spermophilus fulvus (yellow ground squirrel), Spermophilus major (russet ground squirrel), Spermophilus pallidicauda (pallid ground squirrel), Spermophilus pygmaeus (little ground squirrel), Spermophilus ralli (possibly = S. relictus), Spermophilus relictus (Tien Shan ground squirrel), Spermophilus suslicus (speckled ground squirrel), Spermophilus xanthoprymnus (Asia Minor ground squirrel) (species)
See also
- (genera comprising species previously in Spermophilus): Callospermophilus, Ictidomys, Notocitellus, Otospermophilus, Poliocitellus, Urocitellus, Xerospermophilus
Further reading
