Abstract
1. 1. Serum protein patterns of Sperhophilus undulatus, Spermophilus columbianus and Spermophilus beldingi were analyzed by two-dimensional starch-gel electrophoresis. 2. 2. The patterns, although generally similar, exhibited variation in nine fractions or groups of fractions and these fractions had taxonomic significance at the level of population, subspecies or species. Intraspecific variability of two unidentified protein fraction was observed in S. undulatus kennicotti and S. beldingi and a third protein polymorphism involving transferrin was also observed in S. undulatus kennicotti. Intraspecific divergence between Artic and sub-Arctic subspecies of S. undulatus was found and proteins from the latter show a closer resemblance to S. columbianus. 3. 3. The protein characters support present taxonomic concepts of the species of Spermophilus that indicate a close relationship between all three species and a closer relationship between S. undulatus and S. columbianus. 4. 4. Protein characters, as observed in the genus Spermophilus, appear to offer great promise as a method for systematic investigation at intraspecific levels where gross morphologic characters are least definitive.
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