Prairie Dogs are the most social members of the Squirrel Family and are closely related to ground squirrels, chipmunks and marmots. There are 5 species of Prairie Dogs (genus Cynomys):

Black-tailed Prairie Dog (C. ludovicianus) occupies narrow bands of dry plains stretching from central Texans to Canada.

White-tailed Prairie Dog (C. leucurus) inhabits Western US: Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, and Montana.

Gunnison's Prairie Dog (C. gunnisoni) has a much shorter tail than other Prairie Dogs, and it is uniquely colored and centers around the Four Corners from 5000-11000 feet.

Mexican Prairie Dog (C. mexicanus) is an endangered species with a limited distribution only within parts of Mexico.

Utah Prairie Dog (C. parvidens) is the smallest of all Prairie Dogs and threatened.

Comparisons

Of the two main species of Prairie Dogs, the Black-tailed (C. ludovicianus) has a black-tipped tail and is much more widespread, occurring sparsely over the Great Plains and throughout the Great Basin. Black-tailed are the Prairie Dogs normally sold in pet shops and may either be a baby caught in the wild or from a breeder.

The other main species, the White-tailed Prairie Dog (C. leucurus), has a white-tipped tail and inhabits higher altitudes than the Black-tailed. It hibernates in winter and is less colonial in habit.