The desert pocket mouse (Chaetodipus penicillatus) is a North American species of heteromyidrodent found in the southwestern United States and Mexico.[2] True to its common name, the medium-sized desert pocket mouse prefers sandy, sparsely vegetated desert environments.
Chaetodipus penicillatus is a medium-sized pocket mouse. The total length of adults usually does not exceed 180 mm. Coloration is grayish brown to yellowish gray and may be sprinkled with black. The pelage is coarse. This species lacks rump spines but has numerous, elongate rump hairs which are darker dorsally and lighter laterally. There is no lateral line. The underparts of the body and tail are whitish. The tail is heavily crested and is longer than the head and body, with average tail length being 109 mm. The soles of the hind feet are whitish and average hind foot length is 25 mm.
Geographic range and habitatedit
Chaetodipus penicillatus occurs in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. The northern limit of its range is southern Nevada. It extends southwest into California and the northern Baha Peninsula and northwestern Mexico. Eastward it stretches into the southwesternmost parts of Colorado. From southern Nevada and southwestern Colorado the range of C. penicillatus proceeds southeast into Arizona, through southern New Mexico and southwestern Texas, and into northeastern Mexico. The desert pocket mouse prefers various arid, open desert environments, usually where the vegetation is rather sparse. These may include desert wash, desert succulent shrub, desert scrub, and alkali desert scrub. It prefers soft alluvial, sandy, or silty soils along stream bottoms, desert washes, and valleys, rather than rocky terrain. These pocket mice live in soils that may be vegetated with creosote bush, palo verde, burroweed, mesquite, cholla and other cacti, and short, sparse grass, as well as in lower edges of alluvial fan with yucca, mesquite, grama, and prickly poppy.
Chaetodipus penicillatus may be active all year round in some areas, though it is inactive in the winter in southern Arizona. This species is mainly nocturnal. It is aggressively solitary, with a home range of less than 1 acre. Pocket mice can burrow into hard-crusted soils by actually physically chewing their way through the hard portions of the soil. Their burrows, however, are usually excavated in silty, sandy, or gravelly soil and are used for refuges, seed storage, and neonatal care. The average lifespan of C. penicillatus is around one year.
Dietary habitsedit
Chaetodipus penicillatus forages beneath a canopy of shrubs on sandy or gravely soils. It feeds primarily on seeds of forbs, grasses, and shrubs, although green vegetation and insects may supplement the diet. Seeds of mesquite, creosote bush, and broomweed have been found in the cheek pouches of desert pocket mice. Seeds are also stored in burrows and in dispersed caches throughout their territories. Although there is no direct evidence, this species probably acquires all of the water it needs from its food.[citation needed]
Reproductionedit
The mouse's breeding season is in the spring; adult females can give birth to one or more litters of two to five young during the spring and summer. Gestation lasts on average of 23 days. Incisors appear 9 days after birth, eyes open on day 14, and ears open no sooner than day 14. Many young females reach sexual maturity early and became pregnant while still in their juvenile pelage. Population has a turnover rate as high as 95%.
Arnolf, L.W. (1942). "Notes on the life history of the sand pocket mouse". Journal of Mammalogy. 23 (3): 339–341. doi:10.1093/jmammal/23.3.339b. JSTOR 1375005.
Biota Information System of New Mexico, 2000. Desert pocket mouse (On-line). Accessed November 18, 2000
Burt, W. H., Grossenheider, R. P. 1976. A Field Guide to the Mammals. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.
Lee Jr., T.E.; et al. (1996). "Speciation in the desert pocket mouse (Chaetodipus penicillatus Woodhouse)". Journal of Mammalogy. 77 (1): 58–68. doi:10.2307/1382709. JSTOR 1382709.
Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, 2001. "Desert Pocket Mouse" (On-line). Accessed November 17, 2001[full citation needed]
^Linzey, A.V.; Timm, R.; Álvarez-Castañeda, S.T.; Castro-Arellano, I. & Lacher, T. (2008). "Chaetodipus penicillatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2008. Retrieved 18 January 2009.old-form url Database entry includes a brief justification of why this species is of least concern
^Patton, J.L. (2005). "Family Heteromyidae". In Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 855. ISBN978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.
^Mantooth, S.J.; Best, T.L. (2005). "Chaetognathus pencillatus". Mammalian Species. 767: Number 767: pp. 1–7. doi:10.1644/1545-1410(2005)767[0001:CP]2.0.CO;2. S2CID 198969275.
December 03, 2023
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The desert pocket mouse Chaetodipus penicillatus is a North American species of heteromyid rodent found in the southwestern United States and Mexico 2 True to its common name the medium sized desert pocket mouse prefers sandy sparsely vegetated desert environments Desert pocket mouseConservation statusLeast Concern IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass MammaliaOrder RodentiaFamily HeteromyidaeGenus ChaetodipusSpecies C penicillatusBinomial nameChaetodipus penicillatus Woodhouse 1852 Contents 1 Description 2 Geographic range and habitat 3 Behavior 4 Dietary habits 5 Reproduction 6 ReferencesDescription editChaetodipus penicillatus is a medium sized pocket mouse The total length of adults usually does not exceed 180 mm Coloration is grayish brown to yellowish gray and may be sprinkled with black The pelage is coarse This species lacks rump spines but has numerous elongate rump hairs which are darker dorsally and lighter laterally There is no lateral line The underparts of the body and tail are whitish The tail is heavily crested and is longer than the head and body with average tail length being 109 mm The soles of the hind feet are whitish and average hind foot length is 25 mm Geographic range and habitat editChaetodipus penicillatus occurs in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico The northern limit of its range is southern Nevada It extends southwest into California and the northern Baha Peninsula and northwestern Mexico Eastward it stretches into the southwesternmost parts of Colorado From southern Nevada and southwestern Colorado the range of C penicillatus proceeds southeast into Arizona through southern New Mexico and southwestern Texas and into northeastern Mexico The desert pocket mouse prefers various arid open desert environments usually where the vegetation is rather sparse These may include desert wash desert succulent shrub desert scrub and alkali desert scrub It prefers soft alluvial sandy or silty soils along stream bottoms desert washes and valleys rather than rocky terrain These pocket mice live in soils that may be vegetated with creosote bush palo verde burroweed mesquite cholla and other cacti and short sparse grass as well as in lower edges of alluvial fan with yucca mesquite grama and prickly poppy Six subspecies are currently recognised 3 C pencillatus pencillatus south central Arizona C pencillatus angustirostris southern California eastern Baja California C pencillatus pricei southern Arizona Sonora C pencillatus seri Tiburon Island C pencillatus sobrinus southern Nevada C pencillatus stephensi eastern CaliforniaBehavior editChaetodipus penicillatus may be active all year round in some areas though it is inactive in the winter in southern Arizona This species is mainly nocturnal It is aggressively solitary with a home range of less than 1 acre Pocket mice can burrow into hard crusted soils by actually physically chewing their way through the hard portions of the soil Their burrows however are usually excavated in silty sandy or gravelly soil and are used for refuges seed storage and neonatal care The average lifespan of C penicillatus is around one year Dietary habits editChaetodipus penicillatus forages beneath a canopy of shrubs on sandy or gravely soils It feeds primarily on seeds of forbs grasses and shrubs although green vegetation and insects may supplement the diet Seeds of mesquite creosote bush and broomweed have been found in the cheek pouches of desert pocket mice Seeds are also stored in burrows and in dispersed caches throughout their territories Although there is no direct evidence this species probably acquires all of the water it needs from its food citation needed Reproduction editThe mouse s breeding season is in the spring adult females can give birth to one or more litters of two to five young during the spring and summer Gestation lasts on average of 23 days Incisors appear 9 days after birth eyes open on day 14 and ears open no sooner than day 14 Many young females reach sexual maturity early and became pregnant while still in their juvenile pelage Population has a turnover rate as high as 95 References editThis article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations January 2013 Learn how and when to remove this template message Arnolf L W 1942 Notes on the life history of the sand pocket mouse Journal of Mammalogy 23 3 339 341 doi 10 1093 jmammal 23 3 339b JSTOR 1375005 Biota Information System of New Mexico 2000 Desert pocket mouse On line Accessed November 18 2000 Bradley L 1997 Desert Pocket Mouse On line Accessed November 17 2001 full citation needed Brylski P 2000 Desert Pocket Mouse On line Accessed November 17 2001 full citation needed Burt W H Grossenheider R P 1976 A Field Guide to the Mammals Boston Houghton Mifflin Company Lee Jr T E et al 1996 Speciation in the desert pocket mouse Chaetodipus penicillatus Woodhouse Journal of Mammalogy 77 1 58 68 doi 10 2307 1382709 JSTOR 1382709 Utah Division of Wildlife Resources 2001 Desert Pocket Mouse On line Accessed November 17 2001 full citation needed Linzey A V Timm R Alvarez Castaneda S T Castro Arellano I amp Lacher T 2008 Chaetodipus penicillatus IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2008 Retrieved 18 January 2009 old form url Database entry includes a brief justification of why this species is of least concern Patton J L 2005 Family Heteromyidae In Wilson D E Reeder D M eds Mammal Species of the World A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference 3rd ed Johns Hopkins University Press p 855 ISBN 978 0 8018 8221 0 OCLC 62265494 Mantooth S J Best T L 2005 Chaetognathus pencillatus Mammalian Species 767 Number 767 pp 1 7 doi 10 1644 1545 1410 2005 767 0001 CP 2 0 CO 2 S2CID 198969275 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Desert pocket mouse amp oldid 1121360436, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
