'Prairie dog' is used, but more as a nickname - it's unusual to see the species labelled on exhibits or listed in stocklists under that name. It's almost always Black-tailed Prairie Marmot when the exact species is discussed, and often even more generally; Chester's last exhibit for the species was named Marmot Mania, for example.
But they're not marmots! That would imply they belong to the genus Marmota. But instead they belong to the genus Cynomys which carries the common name of "Prairie-Dog".
But they're not marmots! That would imply they belong to the genus Marmota. But instead they belong to the genus Cynomys which carries the common name of "Prairie-Dog".
Yes, was being gratuitously facetious! To be facetious some more, what's wrong with 'prairie-marmot' in that case? Eh?
*serious hat on*
It's a more elegant solution to the "BUT IT'S NOT A XXXX" problem than most (and beloved of ornithologists these days, I've noticed, so that common names correspond to genera better - whistling-duck, green-pigeon, eared-pheasant etc) but how often do people actually use it in the 'real world'?
I'm happy with Cynomys ludovicianus, anyway, and at least neither name invites confusion with another species. Unlike the dreaded E-L-K...
