The Mexican ground squirrel (''Ictidomys mexicanus'') is a species of

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 ...

in the family

Sciuridae Squirrels are members of the family Sciuridae, a family that includes small or medium-size rodents. The squirrel family includes tree squirrels, ground squirrels (including chipmunks and prairie dogs, among others), and flying squirrels. Squ ...

. It is found in

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

and the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

. One of its closest relatives is the

thirteen-lined ground squirrel The thirteen-lined ground squirrel (''Ictidomys tridecemlineatus''), also known as the striped gopher, leopard ground squirrel, squinney, (formerly known as the leopard-spermophile in the age of Audubon), is a ground squirrel that is widely dis ...

(''Ictidomys tridecemlineatus'').

Description

The Mexican ground squirrel is a small to medium-sized rodent with nine rows of white spots on its back. It is about fifteen inches in length and the males are larger than the females. It also has small white circles of fur around its eyes and small ears.

Distribution and habitat

The Mexican ground squirrel is found in northern Mexico, the

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...

Gulf Coast, western and central Texas, and southeastern

New Mexico ) , population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano) , seat = Santa Fe , LargestCity = Albuquerque , LargestMetro = Tiguex , OfficialLang = None , Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ker ...

. The Mexican ground squirrel lives in flat, brushy, or grassy areas and usually prefers areas with gravelly or sandy soil or areas with that have mesquite. While much of its original habitat has been destroyed by humans, it has adapted well to human civilization and can now be found on golf courses and other grassy areas such as the sides of highways. Each squirrel normally has more than one burrow and each of them have as many as five escape tunnels. The tunnels are not marked by a mound of dirt on top. Most burrows have a sleeping chamber for the offspring which is lined with grasses.

Diet

The Mexican ground squirrel is omnivorous, but eats primarily seeds and grains. Its diet includes seeds, nuts, grains, roots, bulbs, plant stems, leaves, mice, insects, and eggs. It often stores seeds, grains, and nuts in its cheeks pouches and takes them back to its den to eat later. In the summer it eats insects. It has also been documented seen eating

roadkill Roadkill is an animal or animals that have been struck and killed by drivers of motor vehicles on highways. Wildlife-vehicle collisions (WVC) have increasingly been the topic of academic research to understand the causes, and how it can be mi ...

Reproduction and hibernation

The mating season of the Mexican ground squirrel lasts from April to mid July, with a peak in May. Females can mate after their first season of hibernation. It is common for most Mexican ground squirrels to hibernate, but there have been cases where they have not. The species is normally solitary, but come together in groups during the mating season. It has been found that female hormone levels change during this period to allow the coming together of groups without aggression. During the mating season, The female will prepare a nesting chamber in her burrow and line it with mesquite and grass. The average litter size is five, but can range from one to ten. The young are born toothless, without fur, and will stay with their mother for three months before leaving to live on their own.

Evading predation

The Mexican ground squirrel has evolved an interesting adaptation to help it survive after being attacked by some snakes. It has developed resistance to the venom of the western diamondback rattlesnake. The squirrel has an antihemorrhagic factor which neutralizes hemorrhagic activity of this specific species of rattlesnake. In addition, the squirrel's small, rear-pointing ears are effective for detecting predators.

References

{{Taxonbar, from1=Q912126, from2=Q9079298 Ictidomys Mammals of Mexico Mammals of the United States Mammals described in 1777 Taxonomy articles created by Polbot