The antelope squirrels or antelope ground squirrels of the genus Ammospermophilus are sciurids found in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico.

A type of ground squirrel, the antelope squirrels live in desert or dry scrub areas. They are able to resist hyperthermia and can survive body temperatures over 104 °F (40 °C).

Five species are currently recognised, with ranges that overlap little. They are:

• Harris's antelope squirrel, A. harrisii (southern Arizona, Sonora)
• San Joaquin antelope squirrel or Nelson's Antelope squirrel, A. nelsoni (San Joaquin Valley of California); endangered
• White-tailed antelope squirrel, A. leucurus (New Mexico, southern Arizona, California, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, and north to Oregon). The most widely distributed species in the genus.
• Texas antelope squirrel, A. interpres (Texas, New Mexico)
• Insular or Espíritu Santo antelope squirrel, A. insularis Espiritu Santo Island Baja California Sur (some authorities treat this as a subspecies of A. leucurus).

All are somewhat similar in appearance and behavior. They are around 14–17 cm long with a 6–10 cm tail, and weigh 110–150 grams. The tail is somewhat flattened. They have a single white stripe on the body and none on the face. They live in burrows, which they dig for themselves. They are diurnal, and do not hibernate (though they become less active during the winter), so they are fairly easily seen.

White-tailed antelope squirrel

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Ammospermophilus (Antelope squirrels)

• Thorington, R. W. Jr. and R. S. Hoffman. 2005. Family Sciuridae. pp. 754–818 in Mammal Species of the World a Taxonomic and Geographic Reference. D. E. Wilson and D. M. Reeder eds. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore.