Chipmunks are an anthropomorphic species of rodent that encompasses a majority of the main characters in the Alvin and the Chipmunks franchise.
Appearance
=50s
60s and 80s Series
Males typically have tufts of hair on their heads that are the same color as the fur on their bodies, while females, like The Chipettes, have more human-like hairstyles and lighter fur on their bodies. They have a bipedal stance and are about half as tall as an adult human.
CGI Films
The CGI film version of chipmunks are more designed to look like their real life counterparts. As such, they have shorter hind legs so they can scamper on all four paws. This also makes them the first version of chipmunks not to be entirely bipedal. Another feature that reflects this realism is the characteristic lateral stripe that runs up from the nose all the way down their back and to their tail.
CGI Series
Like their CGI film version, the chipmunks in the CGI series have a lateral stripe in the same color as their hair and tail. They stand bipedally and are taller than the CGI film chipmunks but shorter than both the 60s and 80s series chipmunks.
Background
Their origins as a species are mostly unknown, however it is suggested in the 80s series that they have existed as far back as the Aztec empire, as evident from the Twee-Twee Tribe. According to Simon in the first CGI film, chipmunk parents only take care of their young for one week and then leave them. This would suggest that in the CGI film canon, they have a very fast maturity rate after birth.