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Home/Species/ Panamint Chipmunk

Neotamias panamintinus

(Merriam, 1893)

Panamint Chipmunk

G4Apparently Secure Found in 9 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G4Apparently SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
LowThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.100573
Element CodeAMAFB02180
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicendemic to a single nation
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassMammalia
OrderRodentia
FamilySciuridae
GenusNeotamias
Synonyms
Tamias panamintinusMerriam, 1893
Concept Reference
Wilson, D. E., and D. M. Reeder (editors). 1993. Mammal species of the world: a taxonomic and geographic reference. Second edition. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC. xviii + 1206 pp. Available online at: http://www.nmnh.si.edu/msw/.
Taxonomic Comments
See Patterson and Norris (2016) for a revised classification of Marmotini (Sciuridae: Xerinae), based on Thorington et al. (2012), Ge et al. (2014), and Patterson and Norris (2016); the three chipmunk lineages should be recognized as three distinct genera, namely, Tamias Illiger, 1811, Eutamias Trouessart, 1880, and Neotamias A. H. Howell, 1929. Thorington and Hoffmann (in Wilson and Reeder 2005) noted that chipmunks could be legitimately allocated to one (Tamias), two (Neotamias, Tamias), or three (Tamias, Neotamias, Eutamias) genera; they chose to adopt the single-genus (Tamias) arrangement.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2025-08-06
Change Date1996-11-06
Edition Date2025-08-06
Edition AuthorsGundy, R. L. (2025)
Threat ImpactLow
Range Extent20,000-200,000 square km (about 8000-80,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences21 - 80
Rank Reasons
This species has a limited distribution in eastern California and southwestern Nevada. Little is known about populations, but it is presumably relatively stable. It is threatened by habitat shifting due to climate change.
Range Extent Comments
This species occurs in the desert mountains of eastern California and southwestern Nevada. Elevations of 1230-3180 m. Subspecies acrus is isolated in the Kingston Mountains of San Bernardino County, California where it is not abundant (Best et al. 1994). Using Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) (2025) records, range extent is estimated to be 87,286 km² (RARECAT 2025).
Occurrences Comments
Applying a 5 km separation distance to GBIF (2025) records, 78 occurrences are estimated (RARECAT 2025).
Threat Impact Comments
Climate change is projected to reduce the amount of suitable habitat for this species (Nehiba 2018).
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Inhabits pinyon-juniper woodlands in Upper Sonoran life zone; may occur in adjacent habitats at higher and lower elevations. Primarily a rock dweller. Found among bushes, boulders, and on cliffs (Hall 1946, Ingles 1965, Best et al. 1994). Seeks cover under rock ledges and outcrops, though also may den in trees, at least in summer (Best et al. 1994). Rarely far from shelter of rocks or logs.

Reproduction

Copulation probably occurs in April and early May. Gestation last 36 days or more. Parturition occurs in late May and June. Litter size 3-6 (mean around 4). Juveniles first appear above ground in late July and August. Young are weaned usually by August or September (Best et al. 1994).
Terrestrial Habitats
Woodland - ConiferBare rock/talus/screeCliff
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN4
ProvinceRankNative
CaliforniaSNRYes
NevadaS4Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
11 - Climate change & severe weatherPervasive (71-100%)Slight or 1-10% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
11.1 - Habitat shifting & alterationPervasive (71-100%)Slight or 1-10% pop. declineHigh (continuing)

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Roadless Areas (9)
California (5)
AreaForestAcres
Andrews Mtn.Inyo National Forest9,912
Benton RangeInyo National Forest9,637
Birch CreekInyo National Forest28,816
Black CanyonInyo National Forest32,421
Glass MountainInyo National Forest52,867
Nevada (4)
AreaForestAcres
Angel Peak NorthHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest12,577
Charleston - Macks CynHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest11,378
Lovell Summit SouthHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest28,455
PotosiHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest5,145
References (32)
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  2. Baker, R. J., L. C. Bradley, R. D. Bradley, J. W. Dragoo, M. D. Engstrom, R. S. Hoffman, C. A. Jones, F. Reid, D. W. Rice, and C. Jones. 2003a. Revised checklist of North American mammals north of Mexico, 2003. Museum of Texas Tech University Occasional Papers 229:1-23.
  3. Banfield, A. W. F. 1974. The mammals of Canada. University of Toronto Press, Toronto, Canada. 438 pp.
  4. Best, T. L., R. G. Clawson, and J. A. Clawson. 1994. Tamias panamintinus. Am. Soc. Mamm., Mammalian Species No. 468:1-7.
  5. Broadbooks, H. E. 1970a. Home ranges and territorial behavior of the yellow-pine chipmunk, <i>Eutamius amoenus.</i> Journal of Mammalogy 51:310-26.
  6. Broadbooks, H. E. 1970b. Populations of the yellow pine chipmunk, <i>Eutamias amoenus</i>. American Midland Naturalist 83:472-488.
  7. Brown, J. H. 1971. Mechanisms of competitive exclusion between two species of chipmunks. Ecology 52:305-311.
  8. Bureau of Land Management. Life History Summaries.
  9. Elliot, L. 1978. Social behavior and foraging ecology of the eastern chipmunk (<i>Tamias striatus</i>) in the Adirondack Mountains. Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology No. 265. 107 pp.
  10. Gashwiler, J. S. 1965. Longevity and home range of a Townsend chipmunk. Journal of Mammalogy 46:693.
  11. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2025. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2025).
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  14. Hall, E. R. 1981a. The Mammals of North America, second edition. Vols. I &amp; II. John Wiley &amp; Sons, New York, New York. 1181 pp.
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  16. Jackson, H. H. 1961. Mammals of Wisconsin. University of Wisconsin Press, Madison. 504 pp.
  17. Jameson, E. W., Jr. 1999. Host-ectoparasite relationships among North American chipmunks. Acta Theriologica 44:225-231.
  18. Jones, J. K., Jr., R. S. Hoffman, D. W. Rice, C. Jones, R. J. Baker, and M. D. Engstrom. 1992a. Revised checklist of North American mammals north of Mexico, 1991. Occasional Papers, The Museum, Texas Tech University, 146:1-23.
  19. Levenson, H., et al. 1985. Systematics of the Holarctic chipmunks (<i>Tamias</i>). J. Mammalogy 66:219-242.
  20. Lowrey, C., and K. Longshore. 2013. Habitat interaction between two species of chipmunk in the Basin and Range Province of Nevada. Western North American Naturalist 73:129-136.
  21. Nehiba, K. R. 2018. Climate driven range shifts of North American small mammals: species' traits and phylogenetic influences. M.S. thesis. Northern Michigan University, Marquette. 138 pp.
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  23. Patterson, B. D., and R. W. Norris. 2016. Towards a uniform nomenclature for ground squirrels: the status of the Holarctic chipmunks. Mammalia 80(3):241-251.
  24. Piaggio, A. J., and G. S. Spicer. 2001. Molecular phylogeny of the chipmunks inferred from mitochondrial cytochrome b and cytochrome oxidase II gene sequences. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 20:335-350.
  25. <p>NatureServe's Rapid Analysis of Rarity and Endangerment Conservation Assessment Tool (RARECAT). 2025. Version: 2.1.1 (released April 04, 2025).</p>
  26. Roberts, D. R. 1962. Rodent movements in a cutover forest of the Sierra Nevada, California. Ph.D. thesis, University of California, Berkeley.
  27. Sheppard, D. 1972. Home ranges of chipmunks (<i>Eutamias</i>) in Alberta. Journal of Mammalogy 53:379- 380.
  28. Storer, T. I., F. C. Evans, and F. G. Palmer. 1944. Some rodent populations in the Sierra Nevada of California. Ecological Monographs 14:166-192.
  29. Sutton, D. A. 1992. Tamias amoenus. Am. Soc. Mamm., Mammalian Species No. 390:1-8.
  30. Wadsworth, C. E. 1972. Observations of the Colorado chipmunk in southeastern Utah. Southwestern Naturalist 16:451-454.
  31. Wilson, D. E., and D. M. Reeder (editors). 1993. Mammal species of the world: a taxonomic and geographic reference. Second edition. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC. xviii + 1206 pp. Available online at: http://www.nmnh.si.edu/msw/.
  32. Wilson, D. E., and D. M. Reeder (editors). 2005. Mammal species of the world: a taxonomic and geographic reference. Third edition. The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore. Two volumes. 2,142 pp. [As modified by ASM the Mammal Diversity Database (MDD) at https://www.mammaldiversity.org/index.html]