Side-by-side comparison of pocket gophers
Pocket gophers, commonly referred to as gophers, are burrowing rodents of the family Geomyidae. This page attempts to provide a standardized side-by-side comparison of interspecific variation, which can be helpful for identification. Standardized images for some species are not available, yet. For species not represented with an image here, images from the field are typically available on the individual species pages. Adults in summer pelage are shown unless otherwise noted.
Cratogeomys (pocket gopher)
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Yellow-faced Pocket Gopher (Cratogeomys castanops) photographed by Marco Zozaya in Coahuila, Mexico.
Geomys (pocket gophers)
Species not pictured: Attwater's Pocket Gopher (Geomys attwateri), Brazos Pocket Gopher (Geomys brazensis), Plains Pocket Gopher (Geomys bursarius), Hall's Pocket Gopher (Geomys jugossicularis), Jones's Pocket Gopher (Geomys knoxjonesi), Sand Hills Pocket Gopher (Geomys lutescens), Alabama Pocket Gopher (Geomys mobilensis), Texas Pocket Gopher (Geomys personatus), Southeastern Pocket Gopher (Geomys pinetis), Strecker's Pocket Gopher (Geomys streckeri), Llano Pocket Gopher (Geomys texensis).
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Desert Pocket Gopher (Geomys arenarius) photographed by Robert Dowler near El Paso, Texas.
Megascapheus (smooth-toothed pocket gophers)
Genetic analyses (CytB and COI) by Álvarez-Castañeda and Segura-Trujillo (2025) found that the two subgenera within the genus Thomomys Wied-Neuwied, 1839 — Megascapheus and Thomomys — are genetically distinct. Morphological and genetic data support considering these differences sufficient at the genus level. As such, the subgenus Megascapheus in Thomomys Wied-Neuwied, was elevated to generic status (genus level). Species not pictured: Southwestern Texas Pocket Gopher (Megascapheus baileyi), Botta's Pocket Gopher (Megascapheus bottae), Camas Pocket Gopher (Megascapheus bulbivorus), New Mexico Pocket Gopher (Megascapheus connectens), Fulvus Pocket Gopher (Megascapheus fulvus), Northern California Pocket Gopher (Megascapheus laticeps), Southern California Pocket Gopher (Megascapheus nigricans), Ruidoso Pocket Gopher (Megascapheus ruidosae), Townsend's Pocket Gopher (Megascapheus townsendii), Southern Pocket Gopher (Megascapheus umbrinus).
Thomomys (smooth-toothed pocket gophers)
Species not pictured: Wyoming Pocket Gopher (Thomomys clusius), Idaho Pocket Gopher (Thomomys idahoensis), Western Pocket Gopher (Thomomys mazama), Mountain Pocket Gopher (Thomomys monticolus), Northern Pocket Gopher (Thomomys talpoides).