Well-known members of this largely Holarctic group are the marmots (Marmota), including the American groundhog, the chipmunks, the susliks (Spermophilus), and the prairie dogs (Cynomys).

They are highly variable in size and habitus, but most are remarkably able to rise up on their hind legs and stand fully erect comfortably for prolonged periods.

The fossil record of the "true" ground squirrels is less well known, beginning only in the mid-Miocene, when modern susliks and prairie dogs are known to have inhabited their present-day range already.

In any case, the fairly comprehensive fossil record of Europe—at the relevant time separated from Asia by the Turgai Sea—lacks ancient Marmotini except the indeterminate Palaeosciurus, which might be taken to indicate an East Asian or western North American origin with trans-Beringia dispersal being the slightly more satisfying hypothesis.

This is also supported by the enigmatic Chinese genus Sciurotamias, which may be the most ancient living lineage of this group, or—if the chipmunks are not included here—close to the common ancestor of the Tamiini and the Marmotini sensu stricto.

[9] N. adocetus N. annulatus A. harrisii A. leucurus A. harrisii A. interpres O. atricapillus O. beecheyi O. variegatus C. saturatus C. lateralis C. madrensis M. monax M. marmota M. flaviventris M. caligata M. olympus M. vancouveriensis M. broweri M. menzbieri M. caudata M. baibacina M. bobak M. camtschatica M. himalayana M. sibirica S. musicus S. pygmaeus S. major S. pygmaeus S. dauricus S. xanthopyrmnus S. suslicus S. citellus S. relictus S. erythrogenys S. citellus S. pallidicauda S. fulvus S. erythrogenys S. major I. mexicanus I. parvidens I. tridecemlineatus P. franklinii C. ludovicianus C. mexicanus C. parvidens C. gunnisoni C. leucurus X. mohavensis X. tereticaudus X. spilosoma X. perotensis X. spilosoma U. townsendii U. washingtonii U. brunnenus U. townsendii U. mollis U. townsendii U. armatus U. beldingi U. columbianus U. undulatus U. parryii U. elegans U. richardsonii U. parryii