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Zapus

From WhiskerWiki

Genus Zapus
Range
Taxonomic classification
Order:Rodentia
Suborder:Supramyomorpha
Infraorder:Myomorphi
Superfamily:Dipodoidea
Family:Zapodidae

Zapus is a genus of jumping mouse in North America. They are beautiful mice and easily recognized by their elongated hind limbs and remarkably long tails. A dorsal stripe of darker hairs is present in all species but varies in darkness. Side coloration ranges from pale yellow to pale brownish to bright orangeish, depending on the species. The tail typically lacks a white tip, unlike in the similar-looking Napaeozapus. Their skulls can be recognized by the presence of four cheekteeth, whereas Napaeozapus have three.

Malaney et al. (2017) recognized 9 species within Zapus, elevating some of the subspecies identified by Krutzsch (1954) to species status. One new species was proposed by Malaney et al. (2017), Zapus okanoganensis, based on genetic analyses, but was not published with an adequate description. This makes it a "bare" or "naked" name, which cannot be accepted as it stands (Mammal Diversity Database, 2024). The predicted range of Z. okanoganensis, based on distribution models by Malaney et al. (2017), overlaps with that of Z. saltator in Washington and south-central British Columbia.

  • Northern Meadow Jumping Mouse (Zapus hudsonius), representing members of this genus.
  • Molariform (cheekteeth) of the Northern Meadow Jumping Mouse (Zapus hudsonius), representing members of this genus.

Available taxon pages

The following species are available on WhiskerWiki for this genus:

Distribution

  • Dark range represents the distribution of the Northern Meadow Jumping Mouse (Zapus hudsonius) based on genetic analyses and niche-based geographic distribution modeling by Malaney et al. (2017). Lightly shaded area represents a portion of the range that was included in Krutzsch (1954).
  • Distribution of the Southern Meadow Jumping Mouse (Zapus luteus) based on genetic analyses and niche-based geographic distribution modeling by Malaney et al. (2017).
  • Distribution of the Central Pacific Jumping Mouse (Zapus montanus) based on genetic analyses and niche-based geographic distribution modeling by Malaney et al. (2017).
  • Distribution of the Oregon Jumping Mouse (Zapus oregonus) based on genetic analyses and niche-based geographic distribution modeling by Malaney et al. (2017).
  • Distribution of the Southern Pacific Jumping Mouse (Zapus pacificus) based on genetic analyses and niche-based geographic distribution modeling by Malaney et al. (2017)
  • Dark area represents the range of the Southwestern Jumping Mouse (Zapus princeps) based on genetic analyses and niche-based geographic distribution modeling by Malaney et al. (2017). Lightly shaded area represents the range based on Krutzch (1954).
  • Distribution of the Northwestern Jumping Mouse (Zapus saltator) based on genetic analyses and niche-based geographic distribution modeling by Malaney et al. (2017).
  • Dark area represents the range of the Northern Pacific Jumping Mouse (Zapus trinotatus) proposed by Malaney et al. (2017). The light shaded area represents the former range of Z. trinotatus based on Krutzsch (1954). The former range to the south is now considered to be that of Zapus montanus.

Taxonomic notes

Krutzsch's (1954) account of Zapus aimed to record what is known concerning the geographic distribution and taxonomically significant characters (reviewing external measurements, pelage, bacula, skull, and teeth) to provide means for recognizing the species and subspecies in the genus. Krutzsch recognized three species (Z. hudsonius, Z. princeps, and Z. trinotatus) and 26 subspecies within the genus. Jones (1981) aimed to determine the specific and intraspecific relationships within the genus Zapus using cranial and postcranial characteristics, colors, bacula (bone of the penis, when available), sperms, and karyotypes. Jones (1981) recognized two species within the genus, Z. hudsonius and Z. princeps. Jones noted that the attachment of the paracone in M1 and M2 (upper molars) was reliable for distinguishing these two species. Recently, molecular studies have found that the taxonomy and species delineations within Zapus are complex (Malaney et al., 2013; Malaney et al., 2017). Using genetic approaches, Malaney et al. (2017) recognized 9 species within Zapus, elevating some of the subspecies identified by Krutzsch (1954) to species status. The work of Malaney et al. (2017) has importantly exposed cryptic diversity and putative new species within Zapus. Further studies will be needed to fully understand new species boundaries and morphological variation.

This table below aims to show the species and subspecies delimitations defined by Krutzsch (1954), Jones (1981), and Malaney et al. (2017), how their delimitations compare, and the morphological characters that Krutzsch and Jones found to be important for identification. The subspecies boundaries recognized by Krutzsch (1954) are referred to in both Jones (1981) and Malaney et al. (2017).

  • Zapus princeps subspecies boundaries as defined by Krutzsch (1954).
  • Zapus hudsonius subspecies boundaries as defined by Krutzsch (1954).
  • Zapus trinotatus subspecies boundaries as defined by Krutzsch (1954).
Subspecies according to Krutzsch (1954) Species according to Jones (1981) Species proposed by Malaney et al. (2017) based on genetic analysis Occlussal pattern according to Jones (1981) Ear fringe according to Krutzsch (1954) Overall size according to Krutzsch (1954) Range according to Krutzsch (1954)
Zapus hudsonius acadicus Zapus hudsonius Zapus hudsonius paracone in the M1 and M2 is isolated dark, edged with color of sides medium Gaspé Peninsula of Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, northern Connecticut and northeastern New York.
Zapus hudsonius alascensis Zapus hudsonius Zapus hudsonius paracone in the M2 is isolated, paracone of M1 may or may not be isolated dark, edged and flecked on the inner surface with color of sides large Alaska Peninsula, coastal section of mainland of southern and southeastern Alaska including Revillagigedo Island; also southwestern Yukon
Zapus hudsonius americanus Zapus hudsonius Zapus hudsonius paracone in the M1 and M2 is isolated narrowly edged and heavily flecked with color of sides small Southeastern United States and lower peninsula of Michigan; east of central Indiana; from central New York and Massachusetts southward to northern Georgia
Zapus hudsonius campestris Zapus hudsonius Zapus hudsonius paracone in the M1 and M2 is isolated dark, edged with Ochraceous-Buff large Southeastern Montana, southwestern South Dakota, and northeastern Wyoming
Zapus hudsonius canadensis Zapus hudsonius Zapus hudsonius paracone in the M1 and M2 is isolated dark, sometimes flecked with color of the sides medium Eastern Ontario and western Quebec from Hudson Bay southward to the Great Lakes and into northwestern New York
Zapus hudsonius hudsonius Zapus hudsonius Zapus hudsonius paracone in the M1 and M2 is isolated dark, usually edged with ochraceous medium Central Alaska southeastward to central Ontario, northern Minnesota, northern Wisconsin, and upper peninsula of Michigan
Zapus hudsonius intermedius Zapus hudsonius Zapus hudsonius paracone in the M1 and M2 is isolated dark, narrowly edged with color of sides medium Eastern Montana, North Dakota, probably northern South Dakota, all but northern parts of Minnesota and Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, southwestern Indiana, and western Kentucky
Zapus hudsonius ladas Zapus hudsonius Zapus hudsonius paracone in the M1 and M2 is isolated dark, usually flecked with Tawny Ochraceous and edged with ochraceous medium Eastern Quebec north of Gulf of St. Lawrence, Labrador, and Newfoundland
Zapus hudsonius pallidus Zapus hudsonius Zapus luteus paracone in the M1 and M2 is isolated dark, narrowly edged with color of sides small Southern South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, and northeastern Oklahoma
Zapus hudsonius preblei Zapus hudsonius Zapus hudsonius paracone in the M1 and M2 is isolated dark, narrowly edged with color of sides medium Southeastern Wyoming and north-central Colorado
Zapus hudsonius tenellus Zapus hudsonius Zapus hudsonius paracone in the M1 and M2 is isolated dark, edged and flecked on inner surface with color of sides medium British Columbia
Zapus okanoganensis sp nov Interpretation of Figure 3 in Malaney et al. (2017): central Washington south from the Columbia River to just north into British Columbia
Zapus princeps cinereus Zapus princeps Zapus oregonus paracone in the M1 and M2 is attached to the body of the tooth dark, edged with white or yellowish-white medium Raft River Mt’s in northwestern Utah and in isolated mountains in southern Idaho
Zapus princeps curtatus Zapus princeps Zapus oregonus paracone in the M1 and M2 is attached to the body of the tooth dark, edged with yellowish-white medium Pine Forest Mt’s, Humboldt County, Nevada
Zapus princeps idahoensis Zapus princeps Zapus saltator paracone in the M1 and M2 is attached to the body of the tooth dark, edged with white or yellowish-white medium From Banff, Alberta, southward through extreme southwestern Alberta and extreme southwestern British Columbia, most of the panhandle of Idaho, Kamiak Butte in eastern Washington, western Montana, and western Wyoming
Zapus princeps kootenayensis Zapus princeps Zapus saltator paracone in the M1 and M2 is attached to the body of the tooth dark with narrow white or yellowish-white edgings medium From Glacier in the Selkirk Range, British Columbia, south to 5 mi. W Cocolalla, Bonner County, Idaho, west and north to Sullivan Lake, Pend Oreille County, Washington; and northwestward to Manning Park on the eastern summit of the Cascade Range in British Columbia
Zapus princeps luteus Zapus princeps Zapus luteus paracone in the M1 and M2 is isolated brownish, narrowly edged with Ochraceous-Buff small White Mt’s of southern Apache County and northern Greenlee County, Arizona; in New Mexico, from the Sacramento Mt’s, Otero County, northward to the San Juan Mt’s, Rio Arriba County
Zapus princeps minor Zapus princeps Zapus saltator paracone in the M1 and M2 is attached to the body of the tooth dark, edged with white or yellowish-white small Most of southern half of Saskatchewan and Alberta, northeastern Montana southeastward to Aweme, Manitoba, and Webster, South Dakota
Zapus princeps oregonus Zapus princeps Zapus oregonus paracone in the M1 and M2 is attached to the body of the tooth dark, edged with color of sides large Southeastern Washington, eastern Oregon east of Cascades, northeastern California, central and northeastern Nevada, and southwestern Idaho
Zapus princeps pacificus Zapus princeps Zapus pacificus paracone in the M1 and M2 is attached to the body of the tooth dark, edged with Ochraceous Buff medium Sierra Nevada Mt’s, from Kern Peak, Tulare County, California, northeastward to Mt. Rose, Washoe County, Nevada, then northwestward through the Trinity and Salmon mountains, California, to the upper Rogue River Valley, Oregon, thence southwestward to South Yolla Bolly Mt’n, Tehama County, California
Zapus princeps princeps Zapus princeps Zapus princeps paracone in the M1 and M2 is attached to the body of the tooth edged with white or yellowish-white medium Sierra Madre, Medicine Bow, Laramie, and Big Horn mountains of Wyoming southward through Colorado into the Taos and San Juan mountains in northern New Mexico
Zapus princeps saltator Zapus princeps Zapus saltator paracone in the M1 and M2 is attached to the body of the tooth dark, edged with yellowish-white or Ochraceous-Buff medium Southern Yukon and southeastern Alaska south in British Columbia, to Bella Coola Inlet and Glacier
Zapus princeps utahensis Zapus princeps Zapus oregonus/saltator paracone in the M1 and M2 is attached to the body of the tooth dark, edged with white to yellowish-white large Southeastern Idaho and extreme western Wyoming (Teton, Snake, and Uinta Mt’s) southward through Uinta, Wasatch, Oquirrh, and Beaver Mt’s of Utah
Zapus trinotatus eureka Zapus princeps Zapus orarius (=montanus) paracone in the M1 and M2 is isolated dark, edged with color of sides medium Northwestern coastal region of California, from Russian Gulch State Park, Mendocino County north to Trinidad, Humboldt County
Zapus trinotatus montanus Zapus princeps Zapus orarius (=montanus) paracone in the M1 and M2 is isolated dark, sometimes flecked with ochraceous, edged with yellowish-white medium From Crater Lake, Klamath County, Oregon, northward along the Cascade Range into Hood River County, Oregon.
Zapus trinotatus orarius Zapus princeps Zapus orarius (=montanus) paracone in the M1 and M2 is isolated dark, edged with yellowish-white or tan small Southern and western Marin County, California
Zapus trinotatus trinotatus Zapus princeps Zapus orarius (=montanus)/trinotatus paracone in the M1 and M2 is isolated dark, sometimes flecked with color of sides, edged with ochraceous large Pacific coastal region from Requa, Del Norte County, California, north in Oregon west of the Cascades, and in Washington including the Cascades; to southwestern British Columbia

References

Jones GS. 1981. The systematics and biology of the genus Zapus (Mammalia, Rodentia, Zapodidae) (Canada, United States) (Doctoral dissertation, Indiana State University).

Krutzsch PH. 1954. North American jumping mice (genus Zapus). Lawrence, KS, USA: University of Kansas. Link

Malaney JL, Conroy CJ, Moffitt LA, Spoonhunter HD, Patton JL, Cook JA. 2013. Phylogeography of the western jumping mouse (Zapus princeps) detects deep and persistent allopatry with expansion. Journal of Mammalogy 94(5): 1016-1029.

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.

Mammal Diversity Database. 2024. Mammal Diversity Database (Version 1.13) [Data set]. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10595931

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