322 Tamias dorsalissize: Female—Mass 70–74 g.
Male—Mass 61–64.5 g.
Both sexes—TL 230 mm (217–249 mm); T 100 mm (85–
115 mm).
distribution: This species is found in southern Idaho,
eastern Nevada, Utah, southwest Wyoming, and northwest
Colorado south through Arizona and western New Mexico
(USA) to western Coahuila and northwest Durango, and in
coastal Sonora (México).
geographic variation: Six subspecies are recognized.
T. d. dorsalis—Arizona and New Mexico (USA) southward
along the Sierra Madre to the southern extent of the
range in México. It is a large subspecies, with relatively
dark and distinct colors.
T. d. carminis—two isolated and disjunct localities in Coa-
huila (México). This subspecies is dark, with more dis-
tinct stripes.
T. d. grinnelli—most of the species’ range in Nevada (USA). It
is a pale form, with less distinctive and narrower stripes
on the face and the body.
T. d. nidoensis—central Chihuahua (México). No description
is available.
T. d. sonoriensis—an isolated disjunct population in coastal So-
nora (México). This form is distinctly smaller than T. d.
dorsalis, found to the east and north of T. d. sonoriensis.
T. d. utahensis—northeastern portion of the range, including
Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, and Colorado (USA). This form
is smaller and paler in nearly all characters.conservation: IUCN status—least concern. Population
trend—stable.habitat: Cliff chipmunks are found in a variety of habitats
in diff erent portions of their range; however, a common
structural component is usually rocks, boulders, or cliff s.
Major habitats include montane forests of pine (Pinus) and
spruce (Picea); pinyon-juniper (Pinus, Juniperus) and oak (Quer-
cus) woodlands; riparian areas; or shrublands.natural history: This squirrel is diurnal. Cliff chip-
munks do not hibernate and can be active year-round in
favorable weather; individuals will remain in nests during
poor weather and may enter short bouts of torpor, emerg-
ing rapidly to forage when the weather permits. T. dorsalis
has a prolonged breeding season. Males are reproductively
active from January to July, whereas most females breed in
April and June. Litters of four to six young are born in
nests from late April to August. Nests occur in rocky crev-
ices, piles, or cliff s; underground burrows; and trees. The
young emerge from May to September. A few females are
able to produce two litters per year, but most females seem
to be unable to reproduce even once ever y yea r, sug gest ing
slow population growth. Cliff chipmunks are primarily
terrestrial but frequently climb rocks and cliff s, and even
shrubs and trees. T. dorsalis is a generalist herbivore, eating
many parts of forbs, grasses, shrubs, cacti, and trees; how-
ever, it is opportunistic and will occasionally consume in-
sects and other animal matter. Seeds are the principal com-
ponent of cliff chipmunk diets; these are gathered in cheek
pouches and transported to dispersed temporary cache
sites or to nests for storage and use over winter. Individu-
als are shy and secretive as they scurry about their home
ranges, which average from 0.9 to 1.3 ha. Groups of femalesTamias dorsalis. Photo courtesy Melissa J. Merrick.