noun
ground squirrel; Daurian ground squirrel
Refers to ground squirrels, especially the Daurian ground squirrel (Spermophilus dauricus). The word is usually written in katakana.
ハタリスは草原に巣穴を掘る。
Ground squirrels dig burrows in grasslands.
ダウリアハタリスは中国北部やモンゴルに生息している。
The Daurian ground squirrel inhabits northern China and Mongolia.
シマリス refers to chipmunks (genus Tamias), which are smaller and have stripes on their backs, while ハタリス refers to ground squirrels (genus Spermophilus), which are larger and lack prominent stripes.
リス is the general term for squirrels, including tree squirrels. ハタリス specifically denotes ground squirrels.
The word is a compound of 畑 (hata, 'field') and 栗鼠 (risu, 'squirrel'), literally 'field squirrel'. The reading はたりす is a straightforward combination of the two elements.