Marmota sibirica (Radde, 1862)
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publication ID |
https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.6840226 |
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DOI |
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6819035 |
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persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/064D0660-FFA2-ED40-FAC3-F498FC27FF14 |
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treatment provided by |
Diego |
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scientific name |
Marmota sibirica |
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Tarbagan Marmot
French: Marmotte de Mongolie / German: Sibirien-Murmeltier / Spanish: Marmota de Siberia
Other common names: Mongolian Marmot, Siberian Marmot
Taxonomy. Arctomys bobac sibirica Radde, 1862 ,
“Kulusutai, near [Lake Torei-Nor, southeast Transbaikal,”
Chitinskaya Oblast, Russia.
Widely used subspecific name caliginosus has been changed for gender agreement. Two subspecies recognized.
Subspecies and Distribution.
M. s. caliginosa Bannikov & Skalon, 1949 — W Mongolia and S Siberia (Russia).
Descriptive notes. Head-body 360-495 mm, tail 112-121 mm; weight 5-8 kg. The Tarbagan Marmot has dorsal pelage oflight grizzled buff to pale cream. Head is brown to black from snout to behind eyes; feet are tan, rust, or dark brown. Tail increases in darkness toward dark brown to black tip. Venter, front legs, and hindflanks are often white or pale cream but can be suffused with rust. Chromosomal complement is 2n = 38 and FN = 70. Nominate sibirica 1s pale straw to yellow in autumn, suffused with rust on legs and venter.
Habitat. Open habitats in semi-desert, steppe, foreststeppe, and grass-covered montane slopes and valleys.
Food and Feeding. The Tarbagan Marmot is an herbivore that feeds primarily on young grasses, shoots of forbs, bulbs, woody shrubs, and herbaceous material growing in open grasslands.
Breeding. The Tarbagan Marmot lives in multi-burrow colonies. Mating occurs in March-April immediately after emergence from hibernation. Litters of 3-8 young are born in burrows after gestation of 40-42 days. Young emerge in June and remain with their natal group for at least three years. First-year survival is 70-80% if females are not removed by trapping and hunting.
Activity patterns. Tarbagan Marmots are diurnal and social hibernators. They are only active for 5-6 months each summer and hibernate in burrows for the remaining 6-7 months of the year; spring emergenceis in April-May.
Movements, Home range and Social organization. Burrows of Tarbagan Marmots are relatively complex with multiple entrances and are recognizable by a small pile of soil and barren ring around the entrance. Colonies are extensive; densities are 1-7 ind/ ha. They overwinter in communal groups of as many as 20 individuals and are highly social species. Group member interactions are highly amicable, and unfamiliar individuals face considerable aggression and chases. Family groups are composed of reproductive pair and their young from previouslitters, young under or equalto three years of age. Alarm call is a simple high-pitched whistle.
Status and Conservation. Classified as Endangered on The IUCN Red List. Population trend of the Tarbagan Marmotis declining. Lack of knowledge about natural history impedes conservation and management. Hunting of Tarbagan Marmots for food, pelts, and oil is a problem in cases of overharvest. Hunting seasons have been established in autumn before hibernation to regulate harvest. Habitat degradation from direct anthropogenic actions and climate change is a major challenge. The Tarbagan Marmot appears to be an important keystone species in steppe because large colonies have high levels of diversity and receive more attention from predators than might otherwise be expected; plant diversity increases as plants recolonize bare soil around newly excavated burrows. Large colonies can suffer near complete losses due to sylvatic plague.
Bibliography. Armitage (2013a, 2014), Batbold et al. (2008), Clark et al. (2006), Kolesnikov et al. (2009), Mur doch et al. (2013), Reading et al. (1998), Rogovin (1992), Sasaki et al. (2013), Thorington et al. (2012), Townsend (2006), Townsend & Zahler (2006), Van Staalduinen & Werger (2007).
No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.
