| Dark kangaroo mouse | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Rodentia |
| Family: | Heteromyidae |
| Genus: | Microdipodops |
| Species: | M. megacephalus |
| Binomial name | |
| Microdipodops megacephalus Merriam, 1891 | |
The dark kangaroo mouse (Microdipodops megacephalus) is a species of rodent in the family Heteromyidae. [2] It is found in California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon and Utah in the United States. [1] [3]
The dark kangaroo mouse (Microdipodops megacephalus), also known as Owyhee River kangaroo mouse, is named for its dark-furred back, long hind feet, and the way it moves around by hopping on its hind legs like Australian kangaroos. [4] [5] [6] [1] It belongs to the order Rodentia and Family Heteromyidae. [4] [5] [6] [1] [7] [8] [9] Its head is large in comparison to its body size due to enlarged auditory bullae. [7] It has a relatively short neck [7] large ears, prominent eyes, a long snout, long whiskers and a fat, haired tail. [4] [5]
The coat of the dark kangaroo mouse is long, silky, and soft with its back being brownish to greyish black while its belly has a greyish or whitish hue. [7] Its tail is swollen in the middle (fat deposits). The fat deposits vary in size as the season changes because it is used as a source of energy during dormancy. [5] [7] [9] The tails are thickest before entering winter hibernation and thin in the spring, when they come out of hibernation and assume normal activity. [4] [9] This is unique among North American small mammals. [5]
There is no sexual dimorphism shown in dark kangaroo mice except for zygomatic breadth. Length of hind foot, cranial measurement, and mandibular length vary little while weight is highly variable in the population. [8] The total length ranges from 138 to 177 millimetres (5.43 to 6.97 in) with an average of 160 millimetres (6.30 in), length of tail: 68 to 103 millimetres (2.68 to 4.06 in), hind foot length: 23 to 27 millimetres (0.91 to 1.06 in), weight of adults ranges from 10 to 16.9 grams (0.35 to 0.60 oz) with an average of 13.1 grams (0.46 oz). [4] [6]
The dark kangaroo mouse species is native to the west of United States ( southeastern Oregon, northeastern and central-eastern California, Nevada, the tip of southwestern Idaho, and west-central Utah). [6] [1] They inhabit dry desert areas living in loose sand and gravels (found in the Upper Sonoran life zone). [5] [6]
This species is listed as "Least Concern" on the Red List because it is relatively widespread, although there has been a slight reduction in its population due to loss of habitats caused by modern agriculture. [1]
Their main predators are owls, foxes, badgers and snakes. [1] [7]
Dark kangaroo mice mostly eat small seeds (granivores), which are carried back to their burrows in their cheek pouches. [4] [5] [6] [1] [7] They also feed on some insects (insectivore) in the summer. This change in diet is suggested to be caused by pocket mice ( Perognathus longimembris ) being at their peak activity and competing for food with the dark kangaroo mice. [6] [7]
Kangaroo mice do not drink water actively, instead utilizing water from their food source. They also have adaptation mechanisms to further conserve water: being active at night (lower temperature so lose less water), concentrating their urine, and producing dry feces. [4]
Dark kangaroo mice are mostly bipedal and move around by hopping on their two hind legs. [4] [6] [7] Using bipedalism is suggested to be a result of foraging behaviors and using it as a locomotion mode only serves as a side function. [6] They also have been seen to be moving on all four limbs when moving in contained spaces such as a cage. [6]
These kangaroo mice are nocturnal animals with the peak of activity in the first 2 hours after sunset. [6] Their activity is only observed from March through October as they go into hibernation during winter months. [6] These animals are also sensitive to moonlight and temperature. Their activities are decreased when the temperature is out of their optimal range and in the presence of moonlight. [6]
Jerboas are hopping desert rodents found throughout North Africa and Asia, and are members of the family Dipodidae. They tend to live in hot deserts.
Heteromyidae is a family of rodents consisting of kangaroo rats, kangaroo mice, pocket mice and spiny pocket mice. Most heteromyids live in complex burrows within the deserts and grasslands of western North America, though species within the genus Heteromys are also found in forests and their range extends as far south as northern South America. They feed mostly on seeds and other plant parts, which they carry in their fur-lined cheek pouches to their burrows.
A kangaroo mouse is either one of the two species of jumping mouse native to the deserts of the southwestern United States, predominantly found in the state of Nevada. The name "kangaroo mouse" refers to the species' extraordinary jumping ability, as well as its habit of bipedal locomotion. The two species are:
Dipodomyinae is a subfamily of heteromyid rodents, the kangaroo rats and mice. Dipodomyines, as implied by both their common and scientific names, are bipedal; they also jump exceptionally well. Kangaroo rats and mice are native to desert and semidesert ecosystems of western North America from southern Canada to central Mexico. They are generally herbivorous foragers, and dig and live in burrows.
Perognathinae is a subfamily of rodents consisting of two genera of pocket mice. Most species live in complex burrows within the deserts and grasslands of western North America, They feed mostly on seeds and other plant parts, which they carry in their fur-lined cheek pouches to their burrows.
The woodland jumping mouse is a species of jumping mouse found in North America. It can jump up to 3 m (9.8 ft) using its extremely strong feet and long tail.
The southern big-eared mouse, also known as the southern pericote, is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is found in Argentina and Chile, and is one of only two species in its genus. The type specimen was captured by Charles Darwin in 1834 along the Santa Cruz River in Argentina, during the voyage of HMS Beagle, and was subsequently described by George Robert Waterhouse.
Nelson's pocket mouse is a species of rodent in the family Heteromyidae. It is found in Mexico and in New Mexico and Texas in United States. It is named in honor of the American naturalist Edward William Nelson.
The desert kangaroo rat is a rodent species in the family Heteromyidae that is found in desert areas of southwestern North America. It is one of the large kangaroo rats, with a total length greater than 12 inches (300 mm) and a mass greater than 3.2 ounces (91 g).
Heermann's kangaroo rat is a species of rodent in the family Heteromyidae. Their long smooth pelage resembles typical kangaroo rats, with their dorsal side showing a mixed range of olive, black and orange colors. There are 9 distinguished sub-species of Dipodomys heermanni: D.h. arenae, D.h. berkeleyensis, D.h. dixoni, D.h. goldmani, D.h. heermanni, D.h. jolonensis, D.h.morroensis, D.h. swarthi, and D.h. tularensis. The dental formula of Dipodomys heermanni is 1.0.1.31.0.1.3 × 2 = 20.
The Panamint kangaroo rat is a species of rodent in the family Heteromyidae. It is endemic to the Mojave Desert in eastern California and western Nevada, in the United States.
The Panamanian spiny pocket mouse, also known as Peter's spiny pocket mouse, is a species of heteromyid rodent endemic to Panama. It is very closely related to Salvin's spiny pocket mouse, and has been placed in the same species group by some authors. It was formerly placed in the genus Liomys, which is now recognized to be paraphyletic and has been subsumed into Heteromys.
The Mexican spiny pocket mouse is a species of rodent in the family Heteromyidae. It is native to Mexico and Texas in the United States where it is found in dry, scrubby habitats. The IUCN has assessed it as being of "least concern". It was formerly placed in the genus Liomys, which is now recognized to be paraphyletic and has been subsumed into Heteromys.
The painted spiny pocket mouse is a species of rodent in the family Heteromyidae. It is found in Mexico and the northern tip of Guatemala. It was formerly placed in the genus Liomys, which is now recognized to be paraphyletic and has been subsumed into Heteromys.
Salvin's spiny pocket mouse is a small to medium-sized rodent in the family Heteromyidae. It was formerly placed in the genus Liomys, which is now recognized to be paraphyletic and has been subsumed into Heteromys.
The Jaliscan spiny pocket mouse is a species of heteromyid rodent endemic to Mexico. The specific name spectabilis means "striking", and refers to the animal's relatively bright coloration. It was formerly placed in the genus Liomys, which is now recognized to be paraphyletic and has been subsumed into Heteromys.
The pale kangaroo mouse or Soda Spring Valley kangaroo mouse is a species of rodent in the family Heteromyidae. It is endemic to California and Nevada in the United States.
Merriam's pocket mouse is a species of rodent in the family Heteromyidae. It is found in northeast Mexico and New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas in the United States. Its habitat is shortgrass prairie, desert areas with scrub and arid shrubland. The species is named to honor Clinton Hart Merriam, a biologist who first described several other members of the genus Perognathus, and first elucidated the principle of a "life zone" as a means of characterizing ecological areas with similar plant and animal communities.
The western jumping mouse, is a species of rodent in the family Zapodidae. It is found in Canada and the United States.
The cloud-dwelling spiny pocket mouse is a species of rodent (Rodentia) that is endemic to the high elevations of Cordillera de Tilarán and Cordillera de Guanacaste within Costa Rica. It is contained within the Heteromys desmarestianus species complex.
