Table 3.1 A review of the described mating systems in rodents, and if multiple mating by females has also been recorded
Multiple Litter Relative
Described mating paternity testes
common name Scientific name Mating system common examined size* References
Family Sciuridae
White-tailed antelope Ammospermophilus non-defense polygyny large Belk and Duane Smith
squirrel leucurus 1991
Gunnison’s prairie dog Cynomys gunnisoni promiscuity yes yes Travis 1993; Hoogland
1998, 2001
Black-tailed prairie dog C. ludovicianus defense polygyny rarely yes Hoogland 1995
Utah prairie dog C. parvidens promiscuity yes yes Hoogland 2001;
Haynie et al. 2003
Yellow-bellied marmot Marmota flaviventris defense polygyny no yes Armitage 1986b;
Schwartz and Armi-
tage 1980
Alpine marmot M. marmota monogamy/polyandry yes yes Goossens et al. 1998
Woodchuck M. monax monogamy/polygyny small Meier 1983; Armitage
1986b; Allaine 2000
Olympic marmot M. olympus monogamy Allaine 2000
Vancouver marmot M. vancouverensis monogamy/polygyny no Allaine 2000
Long-tailed marmot M. caudata monogamy/polyandry yes Allaine 2000
Hoary marmot M. caligata monogamy/polygyny possibly Holmes 1984a; Barash
1981
Bobak marmot M. bobak monogamy/polygyny Allaine 2000
Menzbier’s marmot M. menzbieri monogamy Allaine 2000
Tarbagan marmot M. sibirica monogamy Allaine 2000
Gray marmot M. baibacina monogamy Allaine 2000
Black-capped marmot M. camtschatica monogamy Allaine 2000
Yellow-footed bush Paraxerus cepapi promiscuity yes Skinner and Smithers
squirrel 1990
Abert’s squirrel Sciurus aberti non-defense polygyny yes Farentinos 1980
Arizona gray squirrel Sciurus arizonensis non-defense polygyny Best and Riedel 1995
Eastern gray squirrel Sciurus carolinensis non-defense polygyny yes large Koprowski 1993a
Fox squirrel Sciurus niger non-defense polygyny yes Koprowski 1993b
Eurasian red squirrel Sciurus vulgaris non-defense polygyny yes large Wauters et al.1990
Uinta ground squirrel Spermophilus armatus non-defense /defense possibly Balph and Stokes
polygyny 1963; Eshelman and
Sonnemann 2000
California ground Spermophilus beecheyi defense polygyny yes yes large Dobson 1984; Boells-
squirrel storff et al. 1994
Belding’s ground Spermophilus beldingi non-defense polygyny yes yes Hanken and Sherman
squirrel 1981; Sherman and
Morton 1984
Idaho ground squirrel Spermophilus brunneus non-defense polygyny yes yes Sherman 1989
European ground Spermophilus citellus non-defense polygyny no Millesi et al. 1998;
squirrel Huber et al. 2002
Columbian ground Spermophilus colombianus defense polygyny yes yes Dobson 1984; Murie
squirrel 1995
Golden-mantled Spermophilus lateralis defense polygyny yes large Phillips 1981; Kenagy
ground squirrel pers. comm
Mexican ground Spermophilus mexicanus defense polygyny Edwards 1946
squirrel
Mohave ground Spermophilus mohavensis defense polygyny Best 1995
squirrel
Arctic ground squirrel Spermophilus parryii defense polygyny yes yes Lacey et al. 1997
Richardson’s ground Spermophilus richardsonii non-defense /defense yes Davis and Murie 1985;
squirrel polygyny Michener and McLean
1996
Round-tailed ground Spermophilus tereticaudus non-defense polygyny Dunford 1977b
squirrel
(continued)