Neotoma devia
| Arizona Woodrat
(Neotoma devia) | |
|---|---|
| Range | |
 | |
| Taxonomic classification | |
| Order: | Rodentia |
| Suborder: | Supramyomorpha |
| Infraorder: | Myomorphi |
| Superfamily: | Muroidea |
| Family: | Cricetidae |
| Subfamily: | Neotominae |
| Tribe: | Neotomini |
| Genus: | Neotoma |
| Binomial details | |
| Neotoma devia E. A. Goldman, 1927 | |
| Other resources | |
| Full taxonomic details at MDD | |
The Arizona Woodrat (Neotoma devia) is a woodrat restricted to the deserts of western Arizona and northwestern Sonora, Mexico (Patton et al., 2007).
Description
From Patton et al. (2007): "A small-bodied woodrat... Tail proportionately long (86% of head-and-body length)... Pelage soft and silky; overall color tones intermediate with melanic individuals and/or populations known at various localities throughout range."
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 County, south and east of the Grand Canyon) | Patton et al. (2007) | 267–305 (n=37) | 115–146 (n=37) | 24–33 (n=42) | 24–32 (n=22) | |
| Arizona (La Paz County, northern Yuma County) | Patton et al. (2007) | 266–310 (n=18) | 121–154 (n=18) | 27–32 (n=25) | 25–35 (n=23) | |
| Arizona (Mohave County, south of the Grand Canyon) | Patton et al. (2007) | 255–325 (n=88) | 108–149 (n=88) | 27–32 (n=97) | 24–24 (n=89) | |
Arizona (southern Yuma County, very southwest Maricopa County, far western Pima County) and Mexico (northwest Sonora)
|
Patton et al. (2007) | 260–313 (n=50) | 126–166 (n=50) | 28–32 (n=59) | 25–34 (n=57) |
Skull
From Patton et al. (2007): "Skull with inflated bullae (average 7.1 x 7.4 mm length by width); septum of incisive foramen with short vomer and enlarged vacuity; frontal contact with lacrimal much less than maxilla contact. Anteromedial flexus of anteroloph of M1 shallow to obsolete, except in very young individuals."
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Holotype: USNM 226376. Neotoma devia. Adult female. Tanner Tank, Painted Desert, Coconino County, Arizona. Collected 27 July 1917. Dorsal view of the skull. -
Holotype: USNM 226376. Neotoma devia. Adult female. Tanner Tank, Painted Desert, Coconino County, Arizona. Collected 27 July 1917. Ventral view of the skull. -
Holotype: USNM 226376. Neotoma devia. Adult female. Tanner Tank, Painted Desert, Coconino County, Arizona. Collected 27 July 1917. Lateral view of the skull. -
Holotype: USNM 226376. Neotoma devia. Adult female. Tanner Tank, Painted Desert, Coconino County, Arizona. Collected 27 July 1917. Dorsal view of the mandible. -
Holotype: USNM 226376. Neotoma devia. Adult female. Tanner Tank, Painted Desert, Coconino County, Arizona. Collected 27 July 1917. Lateral view of the left mandible. -
Holotype: USNM 226376. Neotoma devia. Adult. Upper molars. Arrows point to the anteromedial flexus of anteroloph of each upper molar (M1), which is shallow to obsolete except in very young individuals (Patton et al., 2007). -
Holotype: USNM 226376. Neotoma devia. Adult. Lower molars.
Similar species
Comparison with Neotoma albigula
The White-throated Woodrat (Neotoma albigula) differs from Neotoma devia in hairs on the throat white to their bases rather than dusky or gray basally (Hoffmeister, 1986). The anteromedial flexus of anteroloph of each upper molar (M1) is not a reliable character as it is shallow to obsolete in both species.
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NEON0C8V8. White-throated Woodrat (Neotoma albigula). Adult male. Hairs on the throat are white to their bases. -
Holotype: USNM 226376. Arizona Woodrat (Neotoma devia). Adult female. Hairs on the throat are dusky or gray basally. -
Holotype: USNM 186485. Neotoma albigula albigula. Adult. Upper molars. Arrows point to the anteromedial flexus of the anteroloph of each upper molar (M1), which is shallow. -
Holotype: USNM 226376. Neotoma devia. Adult. Upper molars. Arrows point to the anteromedial flexus of anteroloph of each upper molar (M1), which is shallow to obsolete except in very young individuals (Patton et al., 2007).
Comparison with Neotoma bryanti and Neotoma lepida
For differentiating Neotoma devia from other members of the Neotoma lepida group, see Key to the species in the desert woodrat group by Patton et al. (2007).
Comparison with Neotoma cinerea
The pelage of the Bushy-tailed Woodrat (Neotoma cinerea) is variable, but it can be differentiated from Neotoma devia by its large size, bushy tail, and the anteromedial flexus of the anteroloph of each upper molar (M1) being deeply notched.
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Arizona Woodrat (Neotoma devia) -
Bushy-tailed Woodrat (Neotoma cinerea) -
Holotype: USNM 226376. Neotoma devia. Adult. Upper molars. Arrows point to the anteromedial flexus of anteroloph of each upper molar (M1), which is shallow to obsolete except in very young individuals (Patton et al., 2007). -
Holotype: USNM 208968. Neotoma cinerea lucida. Adult. Upper molars. Arrows point to the anteromedial flexus of the anteroloph of each upper molar (M1), which is deeply notched.
Comparison with Neotoma mexicana
Neotoma devia does not have an antero-internal fold in the first upper molar (M1), as in the Mexican Woodrat (Neotoma mexicana).
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Holotype: USNM 226376. Neotoma devia. Adult. Upper molars. Arrows point to the anteromedial flexus of anteroloph of each upper molar (M1), which is shallow to obsolete except in very young individuals (Patton et al., 2007). -
Holotype: USNM 17692/24628. Neotoma mexicana pinetorum. Adult. Upper molars. Arrows point to the anteromedial flexus of the anteroloph of each upper molar (M1), which is deeply notched.
Comparison with Neotoma stephensi
A taxonomic update has been applied to the following comparison from Hoffmeister (1986): "N. devia differs from N. stephensi in having a less bushy tail, baculum much larger (and this is evident when it is everted but not even cleaned or prepared), second loph in M3 [third upper molar] is more nearly transverse, nasals more pointed posteriorly, interorbital region narrower, and dorsal surface of the hind feet in non-melanistic specimens more whitish."
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Arizona Woodrat (Neotoma devia) -
Stephens's Woodrat (Neotoma stephensi) photographed by Rick Overson and Laura Steger in Arizona. ©Rick Overson -
Holotype: USNM 226376. Neotoma devia. Adult female. Tanner Tank, Painted Desert, Coconino County, Arizona. Collected 27 July 1917. Dorsal view of the skull. -
Holotype: USNM 117466. Neotoma stephensi stephensi. Adult female. Hualpai (Hualapai) Mountains, Mohave County, Arizona. Collected 1 July 1902. Dorsal view of the skull. -
Holotype: USNM 226376. Neotoma devia. Adult. Upper molars. Note that the second loph in M3 [third upper molar] is more nearly transverse than in Neotoma stephensi. -
Holotype: USNM 117466. Neotoma stephensi stephensi. Adult. Upper molars. The second loph in M3 [third upper molar] is more diagonal than transverse.
References
Goldman, EA. 1927-12-02. A new wood rat from Arizona. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 40:205-206.
Patton JL, Huckaby DG, Álvarez-Castañeda ST. 2007. The evolutionary history and a systematic revision of woodrats of the Neotoma lepida group (Vol. 135). Berkeley (CA, USA): University of California Press.