Silk pocket mice
| Silk pocket mice | ||||||||||||
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Small pocket mouse ( Perognathus longimembris ) |
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| Perognathus | ||||||||||||
| Wied-Neuwied , 1839 |
Silk pocket mice ( Perognathus ) are a genus of rodents in the pocket mice family with nine species that occur in North America and northern Central America. The wire-haired pocket mice ( Chaetodipus ) were a subgenus of the silk pocket mice until the 1970s . Both genera form the subfamily Perognathinae.
features
The species reach a head-to-body length of 60 to 90 mm, a tail length of 45 to 100 mm and a weight of 7 to 28 g. As the German name of the genus suggests, the animals have a soft, silky fur without spines or bristles. It has a yellowish to dark gray color on top, while the underside is light brown to white. Young animals often have a dark gray tint. As with other pocket rodents, there are cheek pockets .
In contrast to the kangaroo rats , the rear extremities are not elongated. Silk pocket mice therefore move forward like ordinary mice ( mus ) and not jumping. The front paws are equipped with strong claws for digging and the soles of the rear feet are hairy.
Way of life
Silk pocket mice can be found in arid grasslands and scrublands in the lowlands and in the mountains. They create complex underground tunnel systems that consist of several entrances, tunnels, living chambers, storage facilities and latrines. The entrances are usually protected in the root area of bushes and are closed after use. The species are nocturnal and only very rarely come to the surface of the earth. For example, the large pelvic pocket mouse remains under construction from December to March. The animals do not hibernate , but they can freeze over long periods of time ( torpor ).
These rodents mainly eat seeds that are stored in the burrow. Furthermore, green parts of plants as well as insects and other small animals are part of the diet. The animals can meet their fluid requirements with solid food. The little pocket mouse is known to plunder supplies from kangaroo rats.
With the exception of females with young animals, each specimen inhabits its own den. The territories of silk pocket mice of different sexes overlap. Depending on the species and distribution area, females have one or more litters per year, which consist of 2 to 7 cubs. The birth takes place after 21 to 27 days of gestation . In some populations, individuals born in spring can produce offspring of their own in autumn. Most silk pocket mice are only a little older than a year and individual specimens can live in nature for four years. Laboratory animals of the little pocket mouse reached a maximum age of 8.3 years.
Types and distribution
The genus includes the following species:
- White-eared pocket mouse ( Perognathus alticola ), lives in southern California .
- Arizona pocket mouse ( Perognathus amplus ), is endemic to the Sonoran Desert .
- Wyoming pocket mouse ( Perognathus fasciatus ), is found in central regions of North America.
- Flatland pocket mouse ( Perognathus flavescens ), inhabits the Great Plains in the USA and northern Mexico .
- The silk pocket mouse ( Perognathus flavus ) is distributed from South Dakota (USA) to Mexico City .
- San Joaquin pocket mouse ( Perognathus inornatus ), lives in central California.
- Small pocket mouse ( Perognathus longimembris ), occurs in the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico.
- Perognathus mollipilosus , occurs in the southwestern United States; the species wasdelimitedfrom the great pelvic pocket mouse ( Perognathus parvus )on the basis of molecular biological data.
- Merriam pocket mouse ( Perognathus merriami ), can be found in the southern United States and northeast Mexico.
- Large-basin pocket mouse ( Perognathus parvus ), inhabits the large basin .
status
The IUCN lists the white-eared pocket mouse as endangered ( Endangered ) and all other species as not endangered ( Least Concern ).
literature
- Ronald M. Nowak: Walker's Mammals of the World. 2 volumes. 6th edition. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD et al. 1999, pp. 1322-1323, ISBN 0-8018-5789-9 .
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b 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, Perognathus ).
- ↑ Desert Thieves are Real Rats , by Abigail W. Leonard, Live Science
- ↑ a b David J. Hafner: Subfamily Heteromyoninae, Genus Heteromys In: Don E. Wilson, TE Lacher, Jr., Russell A. Mittermeier (editor): Handbook of the Mammals of the World: Lagomorphs and Rodents 1. (HMW, Volume 6) Lynx Edicions, Barcelona 2016, pp. 195 ff. ISBN 978-84-941892-3-4 .
- ↑ Perognathus in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016. Accessed October 2, 2016.
