Xerinae

European ground squirrel

The ground squirrels ( Xerinae ) are a subfamily of squirrels ( Sciuridae ), are among the among other marmots and ground squirrels.

Not all ground squirrels live on the ground, just inside the living in Africa Tribus Protoxerini there are a number of species are arboreal in part. The togetherness of this subfamily has been recognized only recently, the following system is by Michael Carleton and G. Musser ( 2005), which have redefined the classification based on morphological and molecular genetic studies:

• Subfamily ground squirrels ( Xerinae ) Tribus Borstenhörnchen ( Xerini ) Atlashörnchen ( Atlantoxerus )
• African Ground Squirrel ( Xerus )
• Ground squirrels ( Spermophilopsis )

• African palm squirrel ( Epixerus )
• Rotschenkelhörnchen ( Funisciurus )
• Sun squirrel ( Heliosciurus )
• African pygmy squirrel ( Myosciurus )
• African Bush Squirrel ( Paraxerus )
• Oil palm squirrel ( Protoxerus )

• Chinese red squirrels ( Sciurotamias )
• Ground squirrel ( Spermophilus )
• Antilopenziesel ( Ammospermophilus )
• Prairie Dogs (Cynomys )
• Marmots (Marmota )
• Chipmunk ( Tamias )

Camouflage

American ground squirrels protect themselves with snake scent from attacks by rattlesnakes: they eat away at the skins, which were repulsed by snakes after molting, then lick their fur and can cover their own scent. This preserves especially young animals and females who practice this behavior most extensively, before nightly attacks under construction.