What animals are closely related to prairie dogs?

Answer 1

Related Species

Prairie Dogs are the most social members of the Squirrel Family and are closely related to ground squirrels, chipmunks and marmots. There are 5 species of Prairie Dogs (genus Cynomys):

Black-tailed Prairie Dog (C. ludovicianus) occupies narrow bands of dry plains stretching from central Texans to Canada.

White-tailed Prairie Dog (C. leucurus) inhabits Western US: Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, and Montana.

Gunnison's Prairie Dog (C. gunnisoni) has a much shorter tail than other Prairie Dogs, and it is uniquely colored and centers around the Four Corners from 5000-11000 feet.

Mexican Prairie Dog (C. mexicanus) is an endangered species with a limited distribution only within parts of Mexico.

Utah Prairie Dog (C. parvidens) is the smallest of all Prairie Dogs and threatened.

Answer 2

Prairie Dog Taxonomy/Description

Prairie dogs belong to the squirrel family, Sciuridae, which includes squirrels, chipmunks, and marmots, in the Mammalian Order Rodentia. Their scientific name is Cynomys ludovicianus, which means "dog mouse of Louisiana".

Answer 3

Prairie dogs aren't actually dogs. They are rodents and members of the squirrel family. I've included a link that has some great faqs about prairie dogs.

Answer 4

Prarie dogs are their own species, they live in holes in the desert. They kind of look like Meerkats mixed with moles...

Answer 5

Prairie dogs are rodents related to burrowing ground squirrels, marmots and chipmunks.

Answer 6

Five species of prairie dogs in North America are Utah prairie dog, Gunnison prairie dog, White- tailed prairie dog, Mexican prairie dog, and Black-tailed prairie dog that live in colonies.