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Perognathus parvus

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Columbia Plateau Pocket Mouse
(Perognathus parvus)
Range
Taxonomic classification
Order:Rodentia
Suborder:Supramyomorpha
Infraorder:Castorimorphi
Family:Heteromyidae
Subfamily:Perognathinae
Genus:Perognathus
Binomial details
Perognathus parvus (Peale, 1849)

Perognathus parvus was split by Riddle et al. (2014) based on analyses of both mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and nuclear DNA (nDNA). They proposed that populations to the north belong to Perognathus parvus and southern populations belong to the Great Basin Pocket Mouse (Perognathus mollipilosus). It is currently unknown if Perognathus parvus occurs on the central and eastern Snake River Plain in Idaho (Riddle, 2014). Further studies will be needed to fully understand new species boundaries.

Description

The following is a description of the neotype (a type specimen that is selected subsequent to the description of a species to replace a preexisting type that has been lost or destroyed) from Riddle et al. (2014): "The neotype was collected 23 July 1974. Pelage hairs of the dorsum are multibanded. They have black (7.5YR 2/0 [where YR = Yellow/Red, 7.5 = the type of Yellow/Red, and 2/0 = the shade of 7.5YR, according to Munsell Color (1975)]) tips, a very narrow band (1 mm wide) of very pale brown (10YR 8/3) medially, and a wide band of gray (10YR 6/1) proximally. Hairs of the sides are bicolored with equal lengths of very pale brown (10YR 8/3) distally and gray (10YR 6/1) proximally. Hairs of the venter are stark white. The tail has a dark dorsal stripe of scattered short hairs (2 mm) with equal lengths of black (7.5YR 2/0) distally and very pale brown (10YR 8/3) proximally for the anterior three-fourths of the tail. For the remaining one-fourth of the distal stripe, the scattered long hairs (5.5 mm) are all dark grayish-brown (10YR 4/2). The remainder of the tail matches the stark white of the venter pelage color."

From Naughton (2012) for Canada: "Great Basin Pocket Mice are darkest along their backbone, where the fur is dark olive grey. Their sides are a slightly lighter olive grey that is separated from the white underside and feet by a buffy yellowish band. Juveniles are grey on the upper surface and whitish on the underside." Additionally, "the tail is longer than the body and distinctly bicoloured: dark above and white below. Each ear contains a lobed antitragus (fleshy projection) at the base of the auditory opening."

The antitragus of the ear is lobed. It is one of the few species within the genus that has a lobed antitragus.

Perognathus parvus observed in British Columbia, Canada, by chowarth.
Arrow points to the lobed antitragus on Perognathus parvus. Modified from original image by chowarth.

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
neotype Riddle et al. (2014) 165 93 27 20


Distribution

From Riddle et al. (2014): "The known distribution of P. parvus ranges from south-central British Columbia south through central and eastern Washington, northern and northeastern Oregon, and southwestern Idaho along the Snake River. Distribution of P. parvus overlaps with that of P. mollipilosus in 1 examined locality from north-central Oregon (Jefferson County, 10 mi. N, 5 mi. E Redmond). It is currently unknown if P. parvus occurs on the central and eastern Snake River Plain in Idaho.

Skull

From Verts & Carraway (1998): "As in its congeners, the auditory bullae are not greatly inflated and they meet or nearly meet anteriorly. The molars are hypsodont, tuberculate, and rooted; p4 is smaller than p3 (Osgood, 1900)."

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Similar species

From Riddle et al. (2014): "Perognathus parvus (revised diagnosis) currently is not easily distinguishable from P. mollipilosus by diagnostic morphological characters (this study). It is diagnostic by up to 18.8% mtDNA divergence and 0.8% nDNA divergence in 2 nDNA gene sequences (IRBP and RAG2)."

Species Size Pelage appearance Postauricular patch Subaruicular spot Antitragus Tail bicolored Tail crest Tail tuft Rump spines Lateral lines Lateral line color
Perognathus mollipilosus medium smooth present present lobed distinctly present; slightly crested absent absent present; faint olive colored or ochraceous
Perognathus parvus medium smooth present present lobed distinctly present; slightly crested absent absent present; faint olive colored or ochraceous

References

Naughton D. 2012. The natural history of Canadian mammals. Toronto (ON, CA): University of Toronto Press.

Peale TR. 1849-06-05. United States Exploring Expedition. During the years 1838, 1839, 1840, 1841, 1842. Under the Command of Charles Wilkes, U. S. N. Vol. VIII. Mammalia and Ornithology. C. Sherman, Philadelphia, 338 pp.

Riddle BR, Jezkova T, Eckstut ME, Oláh-Hemmings V, Carraway LN. 2014. Cryptic divergence and revised species taxonomy within the Great Basin pocket mouse, Perognathus parvus (Peale, 1848), species group. Journal of Mammalogy 95(1):9-25.

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