Cynomys

Cynomys is a genus of herbivorous, burrowing ground squirrel commonly called prairie dogs, native to the grasslands of North America. Five species are recognized, the black tailed, white tailed, Gunnison's, Utah and Mexican prairie dogs. Their range runs from Canada through the United States, mostly west of the Mississippi River, into the northern states of Mexico at the southern end of the Great Plains. Despite their name, prairie dogs are not canines; along with marmots and chipmunks they belong to the ground squirrels of the tribe Marmotini within the squirrel family Sciuridae. Prairie dogs are considered a keystone species, since their burrowing supports soil renewal and provides habitat used by numerous predator and nesting species across the prairie ecosystem.