Callospermophilus is a genus of ground squirrel of rodents from North America which generally live on and in the ground rather than trees. The term ground squirrels are normally used for medium sized squirrels and the larger ones are more commonalty known as marmots or prairie dogs, while the smaller and less bushy-tailed squirrels are known as chipmunks. All three types of ground squirrels make up the Marmot tribe of squirrels, a division within the larger subfamily Xerinae.