Pale kangaroo mouse
| Pale kangaroo mouse | ||||||||||||
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Pale kangaroo mouse ( Microdipodops pallidus ) |
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Microdipodops pallidus | ||||||||||||
| Merriam , 1901 |
The pale kangaroo mouse ( Microdipodops pallidus ) is one of two species of the genus of the kangaroo mouse from the family of the pocket mice (Heteromyidae). It is common in the southwestern United States .
features
The pale kangaroo mouse reaches a total length of 15.0 to 17.3 cm with a 7.4 to 9.9 cm long tail. It weighs 10.3 to 16.8 grams. The top of the mouse is pale cinnamon to pinkish brown, the hairs on the underside are completely white. The feet are enlarged and have bristle-like hairs that stick out to the side and thus enlarge the area that touches the sand. The hind legs are enlarged by 25 to 27 millimeters in length and give the drive to jump, while the short front legs rarely touch the ground. The tail is used to keep balance when jumping with the hind legs.
This species differs from the dark kangaroo mouse ( Microdipodops megacephalus ) in its light back color, the color of the peritoneum, which in M. megacephalus is dark at the base and only white at the tips of the hair, and the somewhat longer hind legs.
distribution and habitat
The dark kangaroo mouse occurs in the southwestern states of the USA in the area of the Great Basin . The distribution area extends from southern and central Nevada to Mono County , California , and to the Deep Spring Valley in Inyo County , also in California.
It lives primarily on dry and fine sandy areas at altitudes of 1,200 to 1,750 meters, whose vegetation is determined by Atriplex confertifolia and Artemisia tridentata .
Way of life
Kangaroo mice are nocturnal solitary animals and live in their burrows during the day, which they create in loose sand hills in the area of bushes. They feed mainly on seeds, but also eat relatively large amounts of insects and green plants. They also store food in their burrows.
The young are born between March and September, with litters comprising two to six young. Owls, foxes and badgers are the main predators.
literature
- Ronald M. Nowak: Walker's Mammals of the World. 6th edition. 2 volumes. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD et al. 1999, ISBN 0-8018-5789-9 .
- Michael J. O'Farrell, Andrew R. Blaustein: Microdipodops pallidus . In: Mammalian Species . No. 47 , 1974, p. 1–2 ( full text [PDF; 170 kB ]).
Web links
- Microdipodops pallidus in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2011. Posted by: AV Linzey & NatureServe (G. Hammerson), 2008. Accessed December 28, 2011th
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c Michael J. O'Farrell, Andrew R. Blaustein: Microdipodops pallidus . In: Mammalian Species . No. 47 , 1974, p. 1–2 ( full text [PDF; 170 kB ]).
- ↑ a b c d Microdipodops pallidus in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2011. Posted by: AV Linzey & NatureServe (G. Hammerson), 2008. Accessed December 28, 2011th