Xerus

Translingual

Xerus inauris

Etymology

New Latin, coined by German physician and naturalist Philipp Jakob Cretzschmar (1833), apparently from Ancient Greek ξηρός (xērós, “dry”), perhaps in reference to its rough fur.

This etymology is incomplete. You can help Wiktionary by elaborating on the origins of this term.

Proper noun

Xerus m

1. A taxonomic genus within the family Sciuridae – African ground squirrels.

Hyponyms

• (genus): Xerus erythropus (striped ground squirrel), Xerus inauris (Cape ground squirrel), Xerus princeps (mountain ground squirrel), Xerus rutilus (unstriped ground squirrel) (species)
  • †Xerus daamsi (extinct species)

Further reading

• African ground squirrel on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• Xerus on Wikispecies.Wikispecies
• Xerus on Wikimedia Commons.Wikimedia Commons