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A Study of the Golden-Mantled Ground Squirrel (Citellus Lateralis) in a Sagebrush-Grass Community

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A Study of the Golden-Mantled Ground Squirrel (Citellus Lateralis) in a Sagebrush-Grass Community Brigham Young University BYU ScholarsArchive Theses and Dissertations 1967-05-01 A study of the golden-mantled ground squirrel (Citellus lateralis) in a sagebrush-grass community Dennis E. Peterson Brigham Young University - Provo Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd BYU ScholarsArchive Citation Peterson, Dennis E., "A study of the golden-mantled ground squirrel (Citellus lateralis) in a sagebrush- grass community" (1967). Theses and Dissertations. 7849. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/7849 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. ',.,..., { ,,,l ptl 2 ··1 1 I A STUDY OF THE GOLDEN-MANTLED GROUND SQUIRREL (CITELLUS LATERALIS) IN A SAGEBRUSH-GRASS COMMUNITY A Thesis Presented to the Department of Zoology and Entomology Brigham Young University In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Science by Dennis E. Peterson Mayl967 This thesis by Dennis E. Peterson is accepted in its present form by the Department of Zoology and Entomology of Brigham Young University as satisfying the thesis requirement for the degree of Master of Science. Date Typed by Sonja W. Peterson iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS To Dr. C. Lynn Hayward, who served as committee chairman, and Dr. Joseph R. Murdock, committee member, I express sincere appre- ciation for much valuable assistance during the research and preparation of the manuscript for this thesis. Grateful acknowledgment is also extended to other individuals who contributed to the successful completion of this work: Dr. Kenneth E. Duke, Duke University, for financial assistance; Dr. Stephen D. Durrant, University of Utah, for his cooperation, helpful suggestions , and for making available the University of Utah mammal collection; Dr. D Elden Beck and Selby Herrin, Brigham Young University, for identification of the ectoparasites; Richard H. Weissert and Donald J. Proctor, U. S. Forest Service, for their generous cooperation. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ••• iii LIST OF TABLES •••••• vi LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS .... vii INTRODUCTION •••••••• . 1 REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE 5 Taxonomy • • • • • • • •• 5 Biology and Seasonal Changes • 6 Reproduction and Development •••••• 7 Feeding Habits and Economic Importance 7 Behavior and Natural History •• 9 STUDY AREA •••• 0 • • • • • • • • 10 Location ••••••••• 0 e O O O • O O 0 10 Historical Background 10 Description ••••••• 14 METHODS AND PROCEDURES 21 Field Studies ••••• • • • • • • 0 • 21 0 bservations of Animal Activity 21 Trapping 23 Burrows 25 Vegetation 25 Laboratory Studies • •••••••••••••• 0 • • • • • • • • 2 6 Captive Animals 2 6 Preparation and Study of Preserved Materials 27 RESULTS . ................. 29 Trapping ..................... 29 Description of _Q_.lateralis Specimens •• 29 0 ther Animals ••••••••••••• 33 Population Density and Dynamics ••••••• 38 V Page Activity Periods •• 40 Food and Drink. •• 43 Elimination • • 46 Economic Importance and Relationship With Man • 4 7 Sounds ......... •• 49 Climbing Behavior ••••••••••••• • • 5 0 Home Range ••••••• • • 51 Burrows •••• . 51 Reproduction 59 Growth and Development • • • o O O O O O o • 65 D !SC USS ION . • . • . • . • . • . • . • . • • • . o • • • • • 7 7 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS ••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 92 LITERATURE CITED ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 9 7 vi LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1 Monthly Means and Ranges of Temperatures and Amounts of Precipitation •••••• •• 17 2 Vegetation Cover and Composition Percentages •• 18 3 Body Measurements of Adult C. lateralis •••• • • 3 1 4 Cranial Measurements of Adult _g_.lateralis •• •••• 31 5 Checklist of Principal Vertebrate Species •••. • • 34 6 Ectoparasites Taken From Mantled Squirrel Specimens ••.••. 3 8 7 Dates of Birth and Sizes of Captive Litters •.• • •• 6 3 8 Mean Growth Rates of Young Mantled Squirrels •• 7 5 vii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Figure Page 1. Distribution of Citellus lateralis and Allies • 2 2. Aerial View of the South End of Sheep Creek Canyon and Vicinity ..•••• 11 3. Distribution of .Q_. lateralis in Utah 12 4. Study Area •• 15 5. Study Area •• 15 6. Diagram of the Study Area • ••• 2 2 7. Types of Cages and Traps Used in This Study .•••••.•.• 24 8. Burrow Location in the Stream Bank •• . • 53 9. Burrow Location in the Road-cut .••• • ••• 5 3 10. Burrow Location Under a Rock Pile •• 54 11. Burrow Location on Rocky Hillside Near Alfalfa Field •• 54 12. Burrow Location Under Serviceberry Plant •• • ••• 5 5 13. Burrow Location Under Sagebrush • • • 5 5 14. Burrow Location Under Sagebrush ••• • • 5 6 15 . Excavated Burrow •••••••• 56 16. Diagrams of Burrow Patterns . 58 17. Diagram of Mating Cage . 60 18. New-born .Q_. lateralis . • . 66 19. Three-day-old Litter of _g_.lateralis 66 20. New-born and 16-day-old Squirrels . 70 21. A 23-day-old C. lateralis •••••.•• 70 viii Figure Page 22. Weight Increase Curve for Young _g_.lateralis •. •• 76 23. Comparative Specimens of C. lateralis ••••.• • ••• 7 8 INTRODUCTION The golden-mantled ground squirrel (Citellus lateralis Say) is a common inhabitant of the mountainous areas of the Western United States and Southwestern Canada. It ranges from British Columbia and Western Alberta south to Central New Mexico, Central Arizona, and to Southern California. Figure 1 indicates approximately the known distribution of this group of rodents. Ci tell us lateralis attains its greatest abundance in open, sunny coniferous forests, or at the edges of mountain meadows bordered by timber. The open forest habitat is considered to be characteristic for the species. However, it is also known to occur sparsely in dense forests, in certain desert shrub areas of the Great Basin, and has been observed 2,000 feet above timber line on Mt. Las sen, an isolated volcanic peak in California (McKeever, 1964). Despite the fact that _Q_.lateralis occurs so abundantly in Western North America, relatively little is known regarding many of the aspects of its natural history. Information is particularly lacking with regard to the ecology of this species as it occurs in certain marginal habitats, or in communities apart from the normally preferred open-forest or forest-edge environment. 2 01 t:::=~~~- scale of miles 39 ·7 I---·--·- ·-· / I ! i:=.·=··7 -·-· .I I. I I Fig· 1. of Citellus latera 1is, and allies• Distribution d Kelson, 1959) (after Hall an C. l. an 'zonensis. 1 cinerascens 12. C. 1 • trepidus . 1 • C 1. cary1 . 7. C. 1 · connectens 8 C. • 1· 13. C. l • trinitat1s i 2 • • 1 bernardrnus 9 • c. 1 . latera is 14. C. l • wortman 3. C • • t nurus 4 C. 1. cas a lo • c. l . mitratus 15. C. saturatu~ • 1 certus 11 .• C. l • tescorum 16. C. madrens1s 6.5. c.C. l: chrysodeirus 3 Although it is known that mantled ground squirrels occasionally inhabit portions of the desert shrub communities, little has been done to investigate populations of these animals specifically in this environment. This study was conducted for the purpose of observing a population of mantled squirrels in a sagebrush-grass community, and to compare these observations with similar ones made by workers who investigated _Q_.lateralis population centers in coniferous forests. Particular emphasis was placed upon observations of daily and seasonal activity patterns, burrowing habits, reproductive behavior, and upon growth and development of the young. Possible adaptations to the arid, desert environment were also especially noted. A study of this type is desirable from an economic standpoint. In certain areas of heavy squirrel population, the mantled ground squirrel damages grain crops, is detrimental to reforestation in coniferous forests, and is implicated as a host in the life cycle of possible disease-carrying parasites. On occasion it has become a nuisance in recreational areas by carrying away food supplies of campers. Citellus lateralis was one of several rodent species considered detrimental to the success of a rangeland reseeding project conducted by the U. S. Forest Service near the area chosen for this study. If _Q_.lateralis is a possible destructive nuisance in econom- ically important regions, it would be of value to determine as much as pos- sible concerning its life history and habits so that the most efficient control measures might be utilized. Owing to the particular location of the study area chosen for this 4 work, it was considered important to determine the subspecies on which the observations were made. The study site is situated between the ranges of two subspecies. A considerable amount of research by other workers has been con- ducted with regard to hibernation of .Q_. lateralis. Therefore, the subject of hibernation was not investigated in this study. 5 REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE Taxonomy The first generally recognized observations of mantled ground squirrels were noted in Long's (1823) account of an expedition from Pittsburgh to the Rocky Mountains in 1819 and 1820. S(ciurus). lateralis Say was the name originally applied to the species at that time. Thomas Say, a member of that expedition, also recorded information concerning their findings (Say, 1823). Harlan (1825), however, states that some of these animals were observed as early as 1804-1806 at the base of the Rocky Mountains by Lewis and Clark. Since the time of those early initial observations, mantled ground squirrels have been found throughout the mountainous areas
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