Merriam's kangaroo rat
Merriam's Kangaroo Rat | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Rodentia |
Family: | Heteromyidae |
Genus: | Dipodomys |
Species: | D. merriami
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Binomial name | |
Dipodomys merriami Mearns, 1890
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Subspecies | |
Dipodomys merriami ambiguus | |
Merriam's kangaroo rat (Dipodomys merriami) is a species of
.Description
Merriam's kangaroo rats, like other kangaroo rats and pocket mice, are members of the family Heteromyidae. Each species within this family has fur-lined food storage pouches. The cheek pouch is utilized as a portable cache for food while foraging. Kangaroo rats are named for their extremely long, kangaroo-like hind feet and they are almost completely bipedal. They hop or jump rather than scurry or run. Because of this, most heteromyid rodents also have a relatively long tail that acts to counterbalance the hopping/jumping form of locomotion.
Fur color varies between populations within the species' range, but the back color is generally light brown or tan. The merriami species is smaller than most of the other kangaroo rats in the southwest. Adults average about 14 inches in length. The tail is relatively long with a large tuft of hair at the tip. The tuft is thought to act like
Habitat
Merriam's kangaroo rat can be found in
Behavior
Merriam's kangaroo rats live individually within a maze of burrows. Males and females each establish individual territories. They defend their territories against other male and female merriami, primarily to protect often scarce food resources. It is typical that they locate multiple entrances to their burrow complex at the base of shrubs near the middle of their territory. This allows more opportunities for them to escape from predators.
Most
Kangaroo rats lose water mainly by evaporation during gas exchange, and so have developed a behavioural adaptation to prevent this loss. As they spend a lot of time within their burrows to escape the heat of the day, the burrows become much more humid than the air outside (due to evaporative loss). When collecting seeds, they store them in the burrows rather than eating them straight away. This causes the moisture in the air to be absorbed by the seeds, and the kangaroo rat regains the water it has previously lost when it then consumes them.
Reproduction
Merriam's kangaroo rats produce up to three litters per year, with an average of four pups in each litter. Weaning of young occurs 24–33 days after birth.[4]
Diet
The diet of Merriam's kangaroo rat is almost exclusively plant seeds (they are
Predators
Kangaroo rats are a common prey items for many other desert animals. Typical predators of the Merriam's kangaroo rat include
Conservation status
In general humans have not caused adverse impact to the Merriam's kangaroo rat through most of its range. However, in southern California one subspecies, the San Bernardino kangaroo rat,
References
- San Diego Natural History Museum, Ocean Oasis Field Guide—"Ocean Oasis Field Guide". Retrieved 2010-03-28.