Pocket gophers, commonly referred to simply as gophers, are burrowing

rodent Rodents (from Latin , 'to gnaw') are mammals of the order Rodentia (), which are characterized by a single pair of continuously growing incisors in each of the upper and lower jaws. About 40% of all mammal species are rodents. They are na ...

s of the family Geomyidae. The roughly 41 speciesSearch results for "Geomyidae" on th
ASM Mammal Diversity Database
are all

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

to North and Central America. They are commonly known for their extensive tunneling activities and their ability to destroy farms and gardens. The name "pocket gopher" on its own may refer to any of a number of

genera Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nomenclat ...

within the

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

Geomyidae. These are the "true" gophers, but several

ground squirrel Ground squirrels are members of the squirrel family of rodents (Sciuridae), which generally live on or in the ground, rather than trees. The term is most often used for the medium-sized ground squirrels, as the larger ones are more commonly known ...

s in the distantly related family Sciuridae are often called "gophers", as well. The origin of the word "gopher" is uncertain; the French ''gaufre'', meaning

waffle A waffle is a dish made from leavened batter or dough that is cooked between two plates that are patterned to give a characteristic size, shape, and surface impression. There are many variations based on the type of waffle iron and recipe used ...

, has been suggested, on account of the gopher tunnels resembling the honeycomb-like pattern of holes in a waffle; another suggestion is that the word is of Muskogean origin. Pocket gopher

Description

Gophers weigh around , and are about in body length, with a tail long. A few species reach weights approaching . Within any species, the males are larger than the females, and can be nearly double their weight. Average lifespans are one to three years. The maximum lifespan for the pocket gopher is about five years. Some gophers, such as those in the

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

Geomys The genus ''Geomys'' contains 12 species of pocket gophersSearch results for "''Geomys''" on thASM Mammal Diversity Database often collectively referred to as the eastern pocket gophers. Like all pocket gophers, members of this genus are fossori ...

'', have lifespans that have been documented as up to seven years in the wild. Most gophers have brown fur that often closely matches the color of the

soil Soil, also commonly referred to as earth or dirt, is a mixture of organic matter, minerals, gases, liquids, and organisms that together support life. Some scientific definitions distinguish ''dirt'' from ''soil'' by restricting the former te ...

in which they live. Their most characteristic features are their large cheek pouches, from which the word "pocket" in their name derives. These pouches are fur-lined, can be turned inside out, and extend from the side of the mouth well back onto the shoulders. Gophers have small eyes and a short, hairy tail, which they use to feel around tunnels when they walk backwards. Pocket gophers have often been found to carry external parasites. Common predators of the gopher include

weasel Weasels are mammals of the genus ''Mustela'' of the family Mustelidae. The genus ''Mustela'' includes the least weasels, polecats, stoats, ferrets and European mink. Members of this genus are small, active predators, with long and slender bo ...

snake Snakes are elongated, Limbless vertebrate, limbless, carnivore, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes . Like all other Squamata, squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping Scale (zoology), scales. Ma ...

s, and

hawk Hawks are bird of prey, birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. They are widely distributed and are found on all continents except Antarctica. * The subfamily Accipitrinae includes goshawks, sparrowhawks, sharp-shinned hawks and others. Th ...

Behavior

All pocket gophers create a network of tunnel systems that provide protection and a means of collecting food. They are larder hoarders, and their cheek pouches are used for transporting food back to their burrows. Gophers can collect large hoards. Unlike

s, gophers do not live in large communities and seldom find themselves above ground. Tunnel entrances can be identified by small piles of loose soil covering the opening. Burrows are in many areas where the soil is softer and easily tunneled. Gophers often visit vegetable gardens, lawns, or farms, as they like moist soil (see

Soil biomantle The soil biomantle can be described and defined in several ways. Most simply, the soil biomantle is the organic-rich bioturbated upper part of the soil, including the topsoil where most biota live, reproduce, die, and become assimilated. The biomant ...

). This has led to their frequent treatment as

pests PESTS was an anonymous American activist group formed in 1986 to critique racism, tokenism, and exclusion in the art world. PESTS produced newsletters, posters, and other print material highlighting examples of discrimination in gallery represent ...

. Gophers eat plant roots, shrubs, and other vegetables such as carrots, lettuce, radishes, and any other vegetables with juice. Some species are considered agricultural pests. The resulting destruction of plant life then leaves the area a stretch of denuded soil. At the same time, the soil disturbance created by turning it over can lead to the early establishment of

ecological succession Ecological succession is the process of change in the species structure of an ecological community over time. The time scale can be decades (for example, after a wildfire) or more or less. Bacteria allows for the cycling of nutrients such as ca ...

communities A community is a Level of analysis, social unit (a group of living things) with commonality such as place (geography), place, Norm (social), norms, religion, values, Convention (norm), customs, or Identity (social science), identity. Communiti ...

r-selected In ecology, ''r''/''K'' selection theory relates to the selection of combinations of traits in an organism that trade off between quantity and quality of offspring. The focus on either an increased quantity of offspring at the expense of individ ...

and other ruderal plant species. The stashing and subsequent decomposition of plant material in the gophers' larder can produce deep fertilization of the soil. Pocket gophers are

solitary Solitary is the state of being alone or in solitude. The term may refer to: * shortened form of solitary confinement * Solitary animal, an animal that does not live with others in its species * Solitary but social, a type of social organization in ...

outside of the

breeding season Seasonal breeders are animal species that successfully mate only during certain times of the year. These times of year allow for the optimization of survival of young due to factors such as ambient temperature, food and water availability, and cha ...

, aggressively maintaining

territories A territory is an area of land, sea, or space, particularly belonging or connected to a country, person, or animal. In international politics, a territory is usually either the total area from which a state may extract power resources or an ...

that vary in size depending on the resources available. Males and females may share some burrows and nesting chambers if their territories border each other, but in general, each pocket gopher inhabits its own individual tunnel system. Although they attempt to flee when threatened, they may attack other animals, including cats and humans, and can inflict serious bites with their long, sharp teeth. Depending on the species and local conditions, pocket gophers may have a specific annual breeding season, or may breed repeatedly through the year. Each litter typically consists of two to five young, although this may be much higher in some species. The young are born blind and helpless and are

weaned Weaning is the process of gradually introducing an infant human or another mammal to what will be its adult diet while withdrawing the supply of its mother's milk. The process takes place only in mammals, as only mammals produce milk. The infan ...

when around 40 days old.

Control

''Geomys'' and ''Thomomys'' species are classed as "prohibited new organisms" under New Zealand's

Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996 The Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act (HSNO) is an Act of Parliament passed in New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North I ...

, preventing them from being imported into the country.

Classification

Much debate exists among

taxonomists In biology, taxonomy () is the scientific study of naming, defining ( circumscribing) and classifying groups of biological organisms based on shared characteristics. Organisms are grouped into taxa (singular: taxon) and these groups are given ...

about which races of pocket gophers should be recognized as full species, and the following list cannot be regarded as definitive. * Family Geomyidae ** Genus '' Cratogeomys''; some authors treat this genus as a subgenus of ''

Pappogeomys Buller's pocket gopher (''Pappogeomys bulleri'') is a species of gopher that is endemic to Mexico. It is monotypic within the genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and ...

''. *** Yellow-faced pocket gopher (''Cratogeomys castanops'') *** Oriental Basin pocket gopher (''C. fulvescens'') *** Smoky pocket gopher (''C. fumosus'') *** Goldman's pocket gopher (''C. goldmani'') *** Merriam's pocket gopher (''C. merriami'') *** Perote pocket gopher (''C. perotensis'') ***

Volcan de Toluca Pocket Gopher Volcan or Volcán may refer to: Places *Volcán, Panama, town in Panama *Volcán (Jujuy), town in Argentina Other uses *Volcan (mining company), Peruvian mining company *Volcán River, Chile *Volcán Lake, Bolivia People with the surname *Erin V ...

(''C. planiceps)'' ** Genus ''

'' – eastern pocket gophers; principally live in the southwestern United States, east of the

Sierra Nevada The Sierra Nevada () is a mountain range in the Western United States, between the Central Valley of California and the Great Basin. The vast majority of the range lies in the state of California, although the Carson Range spur lies primarily ...

mountains ***

Desert pocket gopher The desert pocket gopher (''Geomys arenarius'') is a species of rodent in the family Geomyidae. It is found in the state of Chihuahua in Mexico and in Texas and New Mexico in the United States. Description ''Geomys arenarius'' is a medium si ...

(''Geomys arenarius'') ***

Attwater's pocket gopher Attwater's pocket gopher (''Geomys attwateri'') is a species of rodent in the family Geomyidae. It is endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country ...

(''G. attwateri'') ***

Baird's pocket gopher Baird's pocket gopher or the Louisiana pocket gopher (''Geomys breviceps'')Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. "Geomys breviceps." North American Mammals. 2009. 7 May 2009/ref> is a species of pocket gopher that is native to the south ...

(''G. breviceps'') ***

Plains pocket gopher The plains pocket gopher (''Geomys bursarius'') is one of 35 species of pocket gophers, so named in reference to their externally located, fur-lined cheek pouches. They are burrowing animals, found in grasslands and agricultural land across the G ...

(''G. bursarius'') *** Hall's Pocket Gopher (''G. jugossicularis)'' ***

Knox Jones's pocket gopher Knox Jones's pocket gopher (''Geomys knoxjonesi'') is a species of pocket gopher found in Texas and New Mexico. This species is named for Dr. J. Knox Jones Jr. (1929–1992), a prolific mammalogist at Texas Tech University. It is a relatively s ...

(''G. knoxjonesi'') *** Sand Hills Pocket Gopher (''G. lutescens)'' ***

Texas pocket gopher The Texas pocket gopher (''Geomys personatus'') is a species of rodent in the family Geomyidae. It is found in Tamaulipas in Mexico and in Texas in the United States. Description Males grow to a length of about including a tail of about . Fem ...

(''G. personatus'') *** Southeastern pocket gopher (''G. pinetis'') *** Strecker's Pocket Gopher (''G. streckeri)'' ***

Central Texas pocket gopher The central Texas pocket gopher or Llano pocket gopher (''Geomys texensis'') is a species of rodent in the family Geomyidae. It is endemic to central Texas in the United States. Description The central Texas pocket gopher is very similar in ap ...

(''G. texensis'') ***

Tropical pocket gopher The tropical pocket gopher (''Geomys tropicalis'') is a species of rodent in the family Geomyidae. It is endemic to Mexico. Its natural habitat is hot deserts. It is threatened by habitat loss. Description The tropical pocket gopher is cinnamon ...

(''G. tropicalis'') ** Genus ''

Heterogeomys ''Heterogeomys'' is a genus of rodent in the family Geomyidae, found in Mexico, Central America and Colombia. ''Heterogeomys'' are a small genus of rodents commonly known as pocket gophers, though the term applies to all genera within the famil ...

'' – giant pocket gophers or taltuzas; live in Mexico, Central America, and Colombia; some authors treat this genus as a subgenus of ''

Orthogeomys The giant pocket gopher (''Orthogeomys grandis'') is a species of rodent in the family Geomyidae. It is found in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras. It is the type species of the genus ''Orthogeomys''; some zoologists also include in th ...

''. ***

Chiriqui pocket gopher The Chiriqui pocket gopher (''Heterogeomys cavator'') is a species of rodent in the family Geomyidae. It is found in Costa Rica and Panama. Some authors classify it in the genus ''Orthogeomys'', but recent research has allowed this and its rela ...

(''Heterogeomys cavator'') ***

Cherrie's pocket gopher Cherrie's pocket gopher (''Heterogeomys cherriei'') is a species of rodent in the family Geomyidae. It is found in Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. It is threatened by habitat loss. Some authors classify it in the genus ''Orthogeomys'', but ...

(''H. cherriei'') ***

Darien pocket gopher The Darien pocket gopher (''Heterogeomys dariensis'') is a species of rodent in the family Geomyidae. It is occurs in Panama and Colombia. Some authors classify it in the genus ''Orthogeomys'', but recent research has allowed this and its relat ...

(''H. dariensis'') ***

Variable pocket gopher The variable pocket gopher (''Heterogeomys heterodus'') is a species of rodent in the family Geomyidae. It is endemic to Costa Rica, usually being found in grasslands and tropical forests at higher altitudes, up to 8,000 feet. It is threatene ...

(''H. heterodus'') ***

Hispid pocket gopher The hispid pocket gopher (''Heterogeomys hispidus'') is a species of rodent in the family Geomyidae. It is found in Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras. Some authors classify it in the genus ''Orthogeomys'', but recent research has allowed t ...

(''H. hispidus'') ***

Big pocket gopher The big pocket gopher (''Heterogeomys lanius'') is a species of rodent in the family Geomyidae. It is endemic to Veracruz state in eastern Mexico. It has only been found on the southeastern slopes of Pico de Orizaba, at elevations of . Some auth ...

(''H. lanius'') ***

Underwood's pocket gopher Underwood's pocket gopher (''Heterogeomys underwoodi'') is a species of rodent in the family Geomyidae. It is endemic to Costa Rica. Some authors classify it in the genus ''Orthogeomys'', but recent research has allowed this and its related speci ...

(''H. underwoodi'') ** Genus ''

''; live in Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico; *** Giant pocket gopher (''O. grandis'') ** Genus ''

''; live in Mexico *** Buller's pocket gopher (''P. bulleri'') ** Genus '' Thomomys'' – western pocket gophers; widely distributed in North America, extending into the northwestern US, Canada, and the southeastern US. *** Black-and-Brown Pocket Gopher (''T. atrovarius)'' ***

Botta's pocket gopher Botta's pocket gopher (''Thomomys bottae'') is a pocket gopher native to western North America. It is also known in some sources as valley pocket gopher, particularly in California. Both the specific and common names of this species honor Paul-É ...

(''T. bottae'') ***

Camas pocket gopher The camas pocket gopher (''Thomomys bulbivorus''), also known as the camas rat or Willamette Valley gopher, is a rodent, the largest member in the genus '' Thomomys'', of the family Geomyidae. First described in 1829, it is endemic to the Will ...

(''T. bulbivorus'') ***

Wyoming pocket gopher The Wyoming pocket gopher (''Thomomys clusius'') is a species of gopher that is endemic to the United States. Between 1915 and 1979, it was generally considered to be a subspecies of the northern pocket gopher. Description The Wyoming pocket go ...

(''T. clusius'') *** Idaho pocket gopher (''T. idahoensis'') ***

Mazama pocket gopher The Mazama pocket gopher (''Thomomys mazama'') is a smooth-toothed pocket gopher restricted to the Pacific Northwest. The herbivorous species ranges from coastal Washington, through Oregon, and into north-central California. Four subspecies of th ...

(''T. mazama'') ***

Mountain pocket gopher The mountain pocket gopher (''Thomomys monticola'') is a species of rodent in the family Geomyidae. It is endemic to California and Nevada Nevada ( ; ) is a state in the Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the ...

(''T. monticola'') *** Nayar Pocket Gopher (''T. nayarensis)'' *** Sierra Madre Occidental Pocket Gopher (''T. sheldoni)'' *** Northern pocket gopher (''T. talpoides'') ***

Townsend's pocket gopher Townsend's pocket gopher (''Thomomys townsendii'') is a species of pocket gopher endemic to the northwestern United States. Description Townsend's pocket gopher is a relatively large gopher, measuring in total length, including a tail long. Ad ...

(''T. townsendii'') ***

Southern pocket gopher The southern pocket gopher (''Thomomys umbrinus'') is a species of rodent in the family Geomyidae. It is found in Mexico and the United States, usually in high altitude grassland and shrubland. It feeds on plant material and has an extensive burr ...

(''T. umbrinus'') ** Genus ''

Zygogeomys The Michoacan pocket gopher (''Zygogeomys trichopus'') is a species of rodent in the family Geomyidae. It is monotypic within the genus ''Zygogeomys''. It is endemic to Mexico where its natural habitat is temperate, high-altitude forests. Its nu ...

'' *** Michoacan pocket gopher (''Zygogeomys trichopus'') Some sources also list a genus ''

Hypogeomys ''Hypogeomys'' is a genus of rodents in the family Nesomyidae, found in Madagascar Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repoblikan'i Madagasikara, links=no, ; french: République de Madagascar), ...

'', with one species, but this genus name is normally used for the

Malagasy giant rat The Malagasy giant rat (''Hypogeomys antimena''), also known as the votsotsa or votsovotsa, is a nesomyid rodent found only in the Menabe region of Madagascar. It is an endangered species due to habitat loss, slow reproduction, and limited ra ...

, which belongs to the family Nesomyidae.

In popular culture

Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...

is nicknamed the "Gopher State", and the

University of Minnesota The University of Minnesota, formally the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, (UMN Twin Cities, the U of M, or Minnesota) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Tw ...

's athletics teams are collectively known as the Golden Gophers, led by mascot

Goldy Gopher Goldy Gopher is the mascot for the University of Minnesota and the associated sports teams, known as the Golden Gophers, as well as the 2011, 2013, 2017, and 2018 UCA Mascot National Champion. During the year, Goldy makes over 1000 appearances and ...

. * Internet Gopher protocol was created at the

. *

Gainer the Gopher Gainer the Gopher is the mascot of the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League. The Gainer costume is modelled after the Richardson's ground squirrel, commonly referred to as a "gopher" in many parts of North America. He is from ...

is the

mascot A mascot is any human, animal, or object thought to bring luck, or anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name. Mascots are also used as fi ...

of the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the Canadian Football League. * A gopher puppet is featured prominently in the film '' Caddyshack'' and the sequel. * The mascot of the

Go programming language Go is a statically typed, compiled programming language designed at Google by Robert Griesemer, Rob Pike, and Ken Thompson. It is syntactically similar to C, but with memory safety, garbage collection, structural typing, and CSP-style conc ...

is the Go Gopher. *

Gordon the Gopher Gordon the Gopher, also known as Gordon T. Gopher, is an English puppet gopher who first appeared on Children's BBC (CBBC) between 1985 and 1987, listed on television shows by Phillip Schofield on the interstitial or in-vision continuity pro ...

is an English puppet gopher that appeared on Children's BBC between 1985 and 1987. *

Gopher Pocket gophers, commonly referred to simply as gophers, are burrowing rodents of the family Geomyidae. The roughly 41 speciesSearch results for "Geomyidae" on thASM Mammal Diversity Database are all endemic to North and Central America. They are ...

is a character in the Disney cartoon adaptations of the children's book ''

Winnie-the-Pooh Winnie-the-Pooh, also called Pooh Bear and Pooh, is a fictional Anthropomorphism, anthropomorphic teddy bear created by English author A. A. Milne and English illustrator E. H. Shepard. The first collection of stories about the character w ...

''. * Mexican

Liga MX The Liga MX, officially known as the Liga BBVA MX for sponsorship reasons, is the top professional football division in Mexico, holding 2 tournaments per year. The league is considered the strongest in North America, and among the strongest in a ...

club

C. F. Pachuca Club de Fútbol Pachuca is a Mexican professional football team based in Pachuca, Hidalgo, that competes in Liga MX. Founded by Cornish miners from Camborne and Redruth in 1901, it is one of the oldest football clubs in the Americas, and was on ...

is officially nicknamed ''Los Tuzos'' as tuza is Spanish for gopher which is also the team's mascot

References

External links

Article on the Animal Diversity Web site
* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Gopher Mammals of North America Rodents of Central America Mammals of Canada Mammals of Mexico Mammals of the United States Agricultural pests Fauna of the Western United States Fauna of the California chaparral and woodlands Rodents by common name Extant Eocene first appearances Taxa named by Charles Lucien Bonaparte