Neotoma albigula
| White-throated Woodrat
(Neotoma albigula) | |
|---|---|
| Range | |
 | |
| Taxonomic classification | |
| Order: | Rodentia |
| Suborder: | Supramyomorpha |
| Infraorder: | Myomorphi |
| Superfamily: | Muroidea |
| Family: | Cricetidae |
| Subfamily: | Neotominae |
| Tribe: | Neotomini |
| Genus: | Neotoma |
| Subgenus: | Neotoma (subgenus) |
| Binomial details | |
| Neotoma albigula Hartley, 1894 | |
| Other resources | |
| Full taxonomic details at MDD | |
Edwards et al. (2001) found that populations of Neotoma albigula west of the Rio Grande River were genetically distinct from populations to the east, which they referred to as Neotoma leucodon. Edwards et al. (2001) defined the range of N. leucodon as: "White-toothed woodrats located east of the Rio Grande in New Mexico, Texas, and Oklahoma (and, presumably, eastern Colorado) and those found east and south of the Rio Conchos in Mexico should be assigned to the same species [N. leucodon]." Additionally, "White-throated woodrats found west of the Rio Grande in Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah (and, presumably western Colorado) and those west and north of the Rio Conchos in Mexico should be assigned to N. albigula."
Description
From Armstrong et al. (2010): "The western white-throated woodrat is a medium-sized, brownish rat with short, dense soft fur. The dorsal pelage is washed with black, whereas the throat and chest are white, individual hairs white to their bases. The tail is distinctly bicolored, dark brown above and whitish below."
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona (Central Coconino Co.) | Hoffmeister (1986) | 289–343 (n=17) | 120–150 (n=17) | 30–37 (n=17) | 27–33 (n=17) | |
| Arizona (Eastern Pima, NW Cochise cos.) | Hoffmeister (1986) | 285–353 (n=27) | 120–152 (n=27) | 31–37 (n=27) | 27–32 (n=27) | |
| Arizona (SW Pima Co.) | Hoffmeister (1986) | 282–336 (n=8) | 126–155 (n=8) | 31–34 (n=8) | 26–30 (n=8) | |
| Arizona (Tinajas Atlas) | Hoffmeister (1986) | 297–348 (n=22) | 137–162 (n=22) | 31–35 (n=22) | 25–28 (n=22) | |
| Arizona (vicinity Baboquivari Mtns.) | Hoffmeister (1986) | 281–337 (n=28) | 132–156 (n=28) | 30–37 (n=28) | 24–31 (n=28) | |
| Arizona (vicinity Kingman) | Hoffmeister (1986) | 280–360 (n=14) | 115–156 (n=14) | 31–35 (n=14) | 27–30 (n=14) | |
| Arizona (vicinity Yuma) | Hoffmeister (1986) | 363.3 (n=4) | 173.3 (n=4) | 34.0 (n=4) | 31.3 (n=4) | |
| California | Jameson & Peeters (2004) | 282–400 | 76–185 | 30–39 | 28–30 | 145–200 |
| California (Central Imperial Co.) | Hoffmeister (1986) | 298–385 (n=10) | 148–187 (n=10) | 34–37 (n=10) | 27–31 (n=10) | |
| California (Eastern Imperial Co.) | Hoffmeister (1986) | 330–394 (n=12) | 155–193 (n=12) | 34–36 (n=12) | 25–30 (n=12) | |
| Colorado | Armstrong et al. (2010) | 310–340 | 130–150 | 33–36 | 28–30 | 150–250 |
Skull
From Armstrong et al. (2010): "The skull has a pointed anterior palatal spine. The posterior margin of the palate is concave, as is the dorsal margin of the foramen magnum. The interorbital region is only slightly arched. The antero-internal reentrant angle of M1 is generally shallow."
From Hoffmeister (1986): "occlusal surface of M1 with only a slight or shallow antero-medial fold, skull robust, nasals often sharply pointed posteriorly, premaxillaries extend posteriorly to nasals often in an expanded fashion, second loph of M3 usually long and extending diagonally across the tooth..."
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Skull of Neotoma albigula
Similar species
Comparison with Neotoma cinerea
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Neotoma albigula -
Bushy-tailed Woodrat (Neotoma cinerea)
Comparison with Neotoma devia
Comparison with Neotoma lepida
From Hoffmeister (1986): "N. albigula differs from Neotoma lepida in hairs on the throat white to their bases rather than dusky or gray basally, baculum short and broad basally rather than long and narrow, rostrum of skull broader, posterior extensions of premaxillaries usually expanded, second loph M3 more nearly diagonal rather than transverse."
Comparison with Neotoma leucodon
Neotoma leucodon is a white-throated woodrat and was included in Neotoma albigula until Edwards et al. (2001) showed that the two populations were genetically distinct. Edwards et al. (2001) defined their ranges as: "White-toothed woodrats located east of the Rio Grande in New Mexico, Texas, and Oklahoma (and, presumably, eastern Colorado) and those found east and south of the Rio Conchos in Mexico should be assigned to the same species [N. leucodon]." Additionally, "White-throated woodrats found west of the Rio Grande in Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah (and, presumably western Colorado) and those west and north of the Rio Conchos in Mexico should be assigned to N. albigula."
Comparison with Neotoma mexicana
From Hoffmeister (1986): "N. albigula differs from Neotoma mexicana in hairs on the throat white to their bases rather than dusky, antero-internal reentrant angle of M1 shallow rather than extending more than half way across the crown, premaxillaries extending farther posteriorly relative to end of nasals."
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Neotoma albigula -
Mexican Woodrat (Neotoma mexicana)
Comparison with Neotoma stephensi
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Neotoma albigula -
Stephens's Woodrat (Neotoma stephensi)
References
Armstrong DM, Fitzgerald JP, Meaney CA. 2010. Mammals of Colorado, Second Edition. Denver (CO, USA): University Press of Colorado.
Edwards CW, Fulhorst CF, Bradley RD. 2001. Molecular phylogenetics of the Neotoma albigula species group: further evidence of a paraphyletic assemblage. Journal of Mammalogy 82(2):267-279.
Hartley F. 1894. Description of a new species of wood-rat from Arizona. Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences, ser. 2, v. 4, 157.
Hoffmeister DF. 1986. Mammals of Arizona. Tucson (AZ, USA): University of Arizona Press.
Jameson EW, Peeters HJ. 2004. Mammals of California (No. 66). Berkeley (CA, USA): University of California Press.