Basic info Taxonomic history Classification Included Taxa
Morphology Ecology and taphonomy External Literature Search Age range and collections

Citellus (Otospermophilus) argonautus

Mammalia - Rodentia - Sciuridae

Taxonomy
Otospermophilus argonautus was named by Stirton and Goeriz (1942). Its type specimen is UCMP 34281, a partial skeleton (A fragment of a right mandibular ramus with P4 and M1, and pieces of the pelvis), and it is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is Schell Ranch, which is in a Hemphillian terrestrial tuff in the Mehrten Formation of California.

It was recombined as Citellus (Otospermophilus) argonautus by Bryant (1945); it was recombined as Citellus argonautus by Wilson (1949) and Black (1963); it was recombined as Spermophilus argonautus by Shotwell (1968), Wilson and Reeder (1993) and Korth (1994).

Sister species lacking formal opinion data
C. major, C. parryi, C. primigenius, C. superciliosus, C. tridecemlineatus, C. xanthoprymnus

Synonymy list
YearName and author
1942Otospermophilus argonautus Stirton and Goeriz
1945Citellus (Otospermophilus) argonautus Bryant p. 353
1949Citellus argonautus Wilson
1963Citellus argonautus Black
1968Spermophilus argonautus Shotwell
1986Otospermophilus argonautus Barnosky
1993Spermophilus argonautus Wilson and Reeder
1994Spermophilus argonautus Korth

Is something missing? Join the Paleobiology Database and enter the data

RankNameAuthor
kingdomAnimalia()
—Bilateria
—EubilateriaAx 1987
—Deuterostomia
phylumChordataHaeckel 1874
subphylumVertebrata
superclassGnathostomata
—Osteichthyes()
subclassSarcopterygii()
subclassDipnotetrapodomorpha(Nelson 2006)
subclassTetrapodomorpha()
—Tetrapoda
—Reptiliomorpha
—Anthracosauria
subclassAmphibiosauriaKuhn 1967
—Cotylosauria()
—Amniota
subclassSynapsida
—Therapsida()
infraorderCynodontia()
—Mammaliamorpha
—Mammaliaformes
RankNameAuthor
classMammalia
—Theriamorpha(Rowe 1993)
—Theriiformes()
—Trechnotheria
—Cladotheria
—Zatheria
subclassTribosphenida()
subclassTheria
—Eutheria()
—Placentalia
—Boreoeutheria
—EuarchontogliresMurphy et al. 2001
—GliriformesWyss and Meng 1996
—Glires()
—Simplicidentata()
orderRodentiaBowdich 1821
superfamilySciuroidea
familySciuridae
tribeMarmotini
genusCitellusBrandt 1844
subgenusOtospermophilus
speciesargonautus()

If no rank is listed, the taxon is considered an unranked clade in modern classifications. Ranks may be repeated or presented in the wrong order because authors working on different parts of the classification may disagree about how to rank taxa.

†Citellus (Otospermophilus) argonautus Stirton and Goeriz 1942
show all | hide all
Diagnosis
ReferenceDiagnosis
M. D. Bryant 1945Mandibular ramus small, about the size of that of Citellus gidleyi; p4 and m1 relatively large; m1 long in relation to width, nearly rhomboidal in occlusal view; mesostylids absent; ectolophids situated well in from labial margin of m1. Masseteric crests more prominent than in C. gidleyi.
Measurements
No measurements are available
Composition: phosphaticsubp
Environment: terrestrialsubc
Locomotion: actively mobilec
Life habit: scansorialf
Diet: granivoref
Diet 2: frugivoref
Reproduction: viviparoussubc
Created: 2005-06-08 10:11:09
Modified: 2005-08-26 13:04:24
Source: f = family, subc = subclass, c = class, subp = subphylum
References: Nowak 1991, Carroll 1988, Hendy et al. 2009, Ji et al. 2002, Lillegraven 1979

Age range: base of the Hemphillian to the top of the Clarendonian or 10.30000 to 9.40000 Ma

Collections (3 total)


Time interval Ma Country or state Original ID and collection number
Clarendonian12.5 - 9.4USA (California) Citellus sp. (19393)
Hemphillian10.3 - 4.9USA (Nevada) Citellus argonautus (19095)
Hemphillian10.3 - 4.9USA (California) Otospermophilus argonautus (type locality: 19537)