Wire-haired pocket mice
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| Merriam , 1889 |
Wire-haired pocket mice ( Chaetodipus ) are a genus of pocket mice with around 15 species that occur mainly in the southern United States and Mexico .
features
The species reach a head-trunk length of 8 to 13 cm and a tail length of 7.5 to 15 cm. The weight varies between 15 and 50 g. As the German trivial name suggests, the hair is more bristle-like and not as soft as in the silk pocket mice ( Perognathus ), with which wire-haired pocket mice form a subfamily. The fur on the back and sides is gray to yellow-brown in color, the belly is whitish. In contrast to the silk pocket mice, the soles of the hind feet are not hairy.
Way of life
These rodents live in various, rather dry habitats such as B. stony hilly landscapes or mountains, semi-deserts and grass and bush areas. Just like silk pocket mice, they do not hibernate , but in cold weather they sometimes go into starvation ( torpor ). The food consists of seeds and other parts of plants, which are accumulated in the burrow to make provisions.
Each specimen digs its own tunnel system, which it defends against conspecifics. Many species mate in spring, but in warm regions females can have several litters throughout the year. The gestation period is 23 to 24 days and then one to eight young animals are born (usually four). These start after 3.5 weeks with solid food. The oldest animal in human care lived to be 8 years and 4 months.
Systematics and status
Wilson & Reeder (2005) and the IUCN list 17 species in the genus.
- Small desert pocket mouse ( Chaetodipus arenarius ), Baja California Peninsula .
- Narrow-headed pocket mouse ( Chaetodipus artus ), east-central Mexico.
- Bailey pocket mouse ( Chaetodipus baileyi ), northeastern Mexico and Arizona .
- California pocket mouse ( Chaetodipus californicus ), California and northern Baja California.
- Dalquest pocket mouse ( Chaetodipus dalquesti ), southern Baja California.
- Chihuahua pocket mouse ( Chaetodipus eremicus ), north-central Mexico and southern New Mexico .
- San Diego Pocket Mouse ( Chaetodipus fallax ), Southern California and Baja California.
- Long-tailed pocket mouse ( Chaetodipus formosus ), from Nevada and Utah to northern Baja California.
- Goldman pocket mouse ( Chaetodipus goldmani ), northeastern Mexico.
- Mexican wire-haired pocket mouse ( Chaetodipus hispidus ), from North Dakota to central Mexico.
- Rock pocket mouse ( Chaetodipus intermedius ), Arizona, New Mexico and bordering Mexico.
- Striped pocket mouse ( Chaetodipus lineatus ), small area in central Mexico.
- Nelson pocket mouse ( Chaetodipus nelsoni ), southern New Mexico to central Mexico.
- Greater pocket mouse ( Chaetodipus penicillatus ), southern California, Arizona, and northeast Mexico.
- Sinaloa pocket mouse ( Chaetodipus pernix ), east-central Mexico.
- Baja pocket mouse ( Chaetodipus rudinoris ), Baja California.
- Common wire-haired pocket mouse ( Chaetodipus spinatus ), Baja California.
Most of the species are not threatened. The IUCN lists Chaetodipus lineatus with insufficient data (Data Deficient), Chaetodipus dalquesti as vulnerable (Vulnerable) and Chaetodipus goldmani in the warning list (Near Threatened).
Reference literature
- Ronald M. Nowak: Walker's Mammals of the World. 2 volumes. 6th edition. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD et al. 1999, ISBN 0-8018-5789-9 .
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d Ronald M. Nowak: Walker's Mammals of the World. Volume 2. 6th edition. 1999, pp. 1323-1324, Google books .
- ↑ Don E. Wilson , DeeAnn M. Reeder (Ed.): Mammal Species of the World . A taxonomic and geographic Reference . 3. Edition. 2 volumes. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD 2005, ISBN 0-8018-8221-4 (English, Chaetodipus ).
- ↑ a b Chaetodipus in the IUCN 2012 Red List of Threatened Species . Retrieved June 18, 2013.
