Zapus
Genus Zapus | |
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Range | |
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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:
- Zapus hudsonius
- Zapus luteus
- Zapus montanus
- Zapus oregonus
- Zapus pacificus
- Zapus princeps
- Zapus saltator
- Zapus trinotatus
Distribution
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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).
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) |
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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