Spermophilus (Spermophilus) mollis Kennicott 1863

Spermophilus (Spermophilus) mollis Kennicott 1863, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, 15: 157.

Type Locality: "Camp Floyd, near Fairfield, [Utah Co.,] Utah [USA]." .

Vernacular Names: Piute Ground Squirrel.

Subspecies::

Subspecies Spermophilus (Spermophilus) mollis subsp. mollis Kennicott 1863

Subspecies Spermophilus (Spermophilus) mollis subsp. artemesiae Merriam 1913

Subspecies Spermophilus (Spermophilus) mollis subsp. idahoensis Merriam 1913

Distribution: Two disjunct populations: in Washington, N of Yakima, and W of Columbia, rivers; and SE corner of Oregon, Snake River valley (Idaho) southward through Nevada (except extreme S), extreme EC California, and W Utah.

Conservation: IUCN – Lower Risk (lc).

Discussion: Subgenus Spermophilus (Hall, 1981:383) . Formerly considered a subspecies of townsendii (Hall, 1981:383), but differs chromosomally (Nadler et al., 1984). No hybridization between mollis (2n=38) and adjacent canus (incl. vigilis) (2n=46) has been reported (Rickart et al., 1985:97-98). Reviewed (in part) by Rickart (1987) as S. townsendii; see that account below.