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Napaeozapus abietorum

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Western Woodland Jumping Mouse
(Napaeozapus abietorum)
Range
Taxonomic classification
Order:Rodentia
Suborder:Supramyomorpha
Infraorder:Myomorphi
Superfamily:Dipodoidea
Family:Zapodidae
Genus:Napaeozapus
Binomial details
Napaeozapus abietorum (Preble, 1899)

Genetic analyses by Malaney et al. (2017) revealed a cryptic lineage within Napaeozapus. They proposed that populations to the north and west belong to Napaeozapus abietorum. The southern and southeastern populations belong to Napaeozapus insignis. The delineation of this taxon by Malaney et al. (2017) includes the following subspecies: Napaeozapus insignis frutectanus, Napaeozapus insignis saguenayensis, and part of Napaeozapus insignis abietorum. The work of Malaney et al. (2017) has importantly exposed cryptic diversity and a putative new species within Napaeozapus, but further studies will be needed to fully understand new species boundaries and morphological variation.

Description

A formal species description for this taxon as delineated by Malaney et al. (2017) does not currently exist. The following descriptions from Wrigley (1972) are provided for subspecies that Malaney et al. (2017) subsumed under this taxon.

From Wrigley (1972) describing Napaeozapus insignis frutectanus: "Size medium, about the size of large northern N. i. insignis in external and cranial characters; length of bony palate large; breadths of rostrum and interorbital area small. Sides dull yellow or clay color, with numerous black hairs; dorsal stripe dark and sharply defined; face and rostrum dark; borders of ears white; white terminus of tail relatively short."

From Wrigley (1972) describing Napaeozapus insignis saguenayensis: "Size large, with body and hind foot lengths averaging larger than in any other race. Skull averages larger than in other races, except for interorbital breadth, bony palate length, maxillary toothrow length and braincase breadth. Color of sides yellowish ; dorsal stripe not contrasting sharply with sides; ears almost black, with dull inconspicuous ochraceous edge."

From Wrigley (1972) describing Napaeozapus insignis abietorum: "Size very large, with rostral breadth and maxillary toothrow averaging greater than in any other subspecies; interorbital region small. Color of sides yellowish orange with numerous dark guard hairs resulting in an undefined dorsal stripe ; ears often with white edging."

External measurements

Length measurements are in millimeters (mm) and weight measurements are in grams (g), unless stated otherwise. If available, the sample size (n=) is provided. If a range is not provided and n= is not given, then the listed measurement represents an average.

Part of range Reference Total length Tail length Hindfoot length Ear length Mass
Minnesota Hazard (1982) 231–250 143–153 29–32 11–19 17.6–29.9


Skull

  • Lateral view of the skull of Napaeozapus abietorum.
  • Ventral view of the skull of Napaeozapus abietorum.

Similar species

Comparison with Zapus

From Whitaker & Wrigley (1972): "Napaeozapus differs from Zapus in having 3 rather than 4 molariform teeth. It further differs from Zapus in having the tip of the tail white."

Napaeozapus insignis
Zapus hudsonius
Cheekteeth (molariform teeth) of Napaeozapus.
Cheekteeth (molariform teeth) of Zapus.

Comparison with Napaeozapus insignis

Currently, the boundaries of Napaeozapus insignis and Napaeozapus abietorum are not well understood. Further studies are needed to fully understand new species boundaries and morphological variation.

  • Napaeozapus abietorum
  • Eastern Woodland Jumping Mouse (Napaeozapus insignis)
  • Range of Napaeozapus insignis and Napaeozapus abietorum based on genetic analyses and niche-based distribution modeling by Malaney et al. (2017). Further studies are needed to fully understand the boundaries of these two species.

Taxonomic notes

Genetic analyses by Malaney et al. (2017) revealed a cryptic lineage within Napaeozapus. They proposed that populations to the north and west belong to Napaeozapus abietorum. The southern and southeastern populations belong to Napaeozapus insignis. The delineation of this taxon by Malaney et al. (2017) includes the following subspecies: Napaeozapus insignis frutectanus, Napaeozapus insignis saguenayensis, and part of Napaeozapus insignis abietorum. The work of Malaney et al. (2017) has importantly exposed cryptic diversity and a putative new species within Napaeozapus, but further studies will be needed to fully understand new species boundaries and morphological variation.

  • Subspecies boundaries of Napaeozapus insignis as defined by Wrigley (1972), before the species was split by Malaney et al. (2017).
  • Range of Napaeozapus abietorum based on molecular analyses and niche-based distribution modeling by Malaney et al. (2017).

References

Hazard EB. 1982. The mammals of Minnesota. Minneapolis (MN, USA): University of Minnesota Press.

Linzey DW. 1998. The mammals of Virginia. McDonald & Woodward Publishing.

Malaney JL, Demboski JR, Cook JA. 2017. Integrative species delimitation of the widespread North American jumping mice (Zapodinae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 114: 137-152.

Preble EA. 1899-08-08. Revision of the jumping mice of the genus Zapus. North American Fauna 15:1-44.

Webster WD, Parnell JF, Biggs WC. 1985. Mammals of the Carolinas, Virginia, and Maryland. Chapel Hill (NC, USA): University of North Carolina Press.

Whitaker JO, Wrigley RE. 1972. Napaeozapus insignis. Mammalian species (14):1-6.

Wrigley RE. 1972. Systematics and biology of the woodland jumping mouse, Napaeozapus insignis. Illinois biological monographs; v. 47.

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