Formerly placed in Spermophilus, as Spermophilus beecheyi, it was reclassified in Otospermophilus in 2009 as it became clear that Spermophilus as previously defined was not a natural (monophyletic) group.
Mada je ranije svrstavana u rod Spermophilus, kao Spermophilus beecheyi, reklasifikovana je u Otospermophilus 2009. godine kad je postalo jasno da rod Spermophilus nije prirodna (monofilna) grupa.