Southwestern Red Squirrel
Tamiasciurus fremonti
This is a small tree squirrel with a grayish to reddish-brown coat. It has a distinct dark stripe along its sides, bordered by a lighter stripe. The underside is typicall…
How to identify
This is a small tree squirrel with a grayish to reddish-brown coat. It has a distinct dark stripe along its sides, bordered by a lighter stripe. The underside is typically whitish or pale. The tail is relatively short and bushy.
Range
T. fremonti is found in the Rocky Mountains and southwestern United States, including parts of Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico.
Habitat
It inhabits coniferous forests, particularly those dominated by ponderosa pine, lodgepole pine, and spruce-fir.
Similar species
T. fremonti can be confused with T. hudsonicus, but T. hudsonicus generally has a more reddish coat and a less distinct dark lateral stripe. It also overlaps in range with T douglasii in some areas, but T. douglasii tends to be darker and have a less prominent light stripe.
Name and etymology
Genus
Tamiasciurus
Greek for storekeeper (tamias) shadow (skia) tail (oura)
Origin
Sources
- Palmer, Index Generum Mammalium (1904) ↗
Palmer, T. S. 1904. Index Generum Mammalium: a list of the genera and families of mammals. North American Fauna 23. Government Printing Office, Washington. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.39809
Species epithet
fremonti
Honoring American explorer John C. Fremont
Origin
Honors
Sources
- Wikipedia: Tamiasciurus fremonti ↗
“Tamiasciurus fremonti.” Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southwestern_red_squirrel
Explore more names in the etymology index.
At a glance
Range
T. fremonti is found in the Rocky Mountains and southwestern United States, including parts of Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Color…
Habitat
It inhabits coniferous forests, particularly those dominated by ponderosa pine, lodgepole pine, and spruce-fir.
Guide
Mammals of North America
Range map
Approximate range. © Mapbox © OpenStreetMap