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Perognathus

From WhiskerWiki

Genus Perognathus
Range
Taxonomic classification
Order:Rodentia
Suborder:Supramyomorpha
Infraorder:Castorimorphi
Superfamily:Geomyoidea
Family:Heteromyidae
Subfamily:Perognathinae

Perognathus is a genus of pocket mice in the family Heteromyidae. They are called the silky pocket mice because they generally have smoother pelage and softer appearance than the coarse-haired pocket mice (genus: Chaetodipus). The overall darkness of the their dorsal coloration varies geographically in most species. All Perognathus species lack rump spines, while only some Chaetodipus lack rump spines. Species of Perognathus and Chaetodipus can often be separated by a combination of the following characters: overall body size, presence/absence of tufted tail, presence/absencce of a crested tail, presence/absence of an antitragus (look closely at the ear), presence/absence of a subauricular spot, presence/absence of a postauricular spot, size of the postauricular spot (if present), presence/absence of rump spines.

There are 10 recognized species in the genus Perognathus and all species can be found in the United States.

Species

Species not pictured: Columbia Plateau Pocket Mouse (Perognathus parvus). Perognathus mollipilosus was split from Perognathus parvus by Riddle et al. (2014) based on analyses of both mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and nuclear DNA (nDNA).

  • White-eared Pocket Mouse (Perognathus alticolus) observed by Venkat Sankar in Kern County, California.
  • Arizona Pocket Mouse (Perognathus amplus) observed by Brittany Burgard in Arizona.
  • Olive-backed Pocket Mouse (Perognathus fasciatus) observed by Ellyne Geurts in Saskatchewan, Canada.
  • Plains Pocket Mouse (Perognathus flavescens). Dorsal coloration ranges from buff to yellowish or reddish, with a variable dorsal wash of black hairs.
  • Silky Pocket Mouse (Perognathus flavus). Dorsal coloration typically ranges from yellowish-brown to pinkish-brown to grayish-brown.
  • Silky Pocket Mouse (Perognathus flavus).
  • San Joaquin Pocket Mouse (Perognathus inornatus). Dorsal coloration ranges from brown to ochraceous buff to pinkish overlaid with a variable wash of blackish hairs.
  • Little Pocket Mouse (Perognathus longimembris). Upper parts can be pinkish-, reddish-, or ochraceous-buff, typically matching the color of the soil.
  • Merriam's Pocket Mouse (Perognathus merriami) observed by Marco Zozaya in Mexico.
  • Great Basin Pocket Mouse (Perognathus mollipilosus). Dorsal coloration ranges from buff to ashy.

Range maps

Available taxon pages

The following subgenera are available on WhiskerWiki for this genus:


Character comparison for Perognathus

Images showing antitragus, rump spines, and location of the preauricular and postauricular spot are below this table.

Species Size Pelage appearance Postauricular patch Subaruicular spot Antitragus Tail bicolored Tail crest Tail tuft Rump spines Lateral lines Lateral line color
Perognathus alticolus small to medium smooth present; faint present; white or buff lobed distinctly or indistinctly absent; slightly crested near tip absent absent faint buffy
Perognathus amplus small smooth present; faint present; white lobed distinctly or indistinctly absent absent absent present buffy
Perognathus fasciatus small to medium smooth present: buffy present; white absent indistinctly absent absent absent present bright buffy to yellowish buff
Perognathus flavescens small to medium smooth present present; white absent indistinctly absent absent absent present dark ochraceous to pale yellowish
Perognathus flavus small smooth present; buff present; white or buff absent indistinctly absent absent absent present; may be indistinct, buff buff or ochraceous
Perognathus inornatus small to medium smooth indistinct, buffy present; white lobed; very small and not always obvious indistinctly absent absent absent present ochraceous
Perognathus longimembris small smooth present; faint when present, it is faint lobed; very small and not always obvious distinctly or indistinctly absent absent or present; if present hairs 3-7 mm absent absent or faint
Perognathus merriami small smooth present; clear buff present; white absent indistinctly absent absent absent present ochraceous
Perognathus mollipilosus medium smooth present present lobed distinctly or indistinctly absent; slightly crested near tip absent absent present; faint olive colored or ochraceous
Perognathus parvus medium smooth present present lobed distinctly or indistinctly absent; slightly crested near tip absent absent present; wide buffy yellowish
  • Arrow points to the location of the postauricular patch of the Silky Pocket Mouse (Perognathus flavus).
  • Arrow points to the location of the subauricular patch of Silky Pocket Mouse (Perognathus flavus).
  • Arrow points to the lobed antitragus of the Great Basin Pocket Mouse (Perognathus mollipilosus).
  • Arrow points to the rump spines (guard hairs) of the Spiny Pocket Mouse (Chaetodipus spinatus).
  • Left arrow points to the tail tuft and down arrow points to the tail crest of the Rock Pocket Mouse (Chaetodipus intermedius).
  • Arrow points to the wide, orangeish-yellow lateral line of the Hispid Pocket Mouse (Chaetodipus hispidus); also note the distinctly bicolored tail of this species.
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