Spermophilus townsendii Bachman, 1839 . J. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, 8:61.

TYPE LOCALITY: "On the Columbia River, about 300 miles above its mouth." Restricted by Howell (1938:60, 62) to west bank of Walla Walla River near confluence with Columbia River, [near Wallula, Walla Walla Co., Washington, USA] .

DISTRIBUTION: SE Washington (USA), S of Yakima River and W and N of Columbia River.

SYNONYMS: [ mollis] yakimensis Merriam, 1898.

COMMENTS: Subgenus Spermophilus (Hall, 1981:382) . Formerly included two cytotypes ( mollis, canus) now considered distinct species (Nadler et al., 1984; Vorontsov and Lyapunova, 1970). Reviewed by Rickart (1987, Mammalian Species, 268).