Townsend's pocket gopher (''Thomomys townsendii'') is a species of
pocket 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 ...
endemic to the northwestern
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 ...
.
Description
Townsend's pocket gopher is a relatively large gopher, measuring in total length, including a tail long. Adults weigh between , with males being significantly larger than females. Like other pocket gophers, they have a large head, a short, muscular neck, small eyes and ears, and short legs. The forefeet are large with powerful digging claws, while the hindfeet are stout, with flat soles. There is a fur-lined cheek pouch on either side of the mouth, from which the name "pocket gopher" derives. Females have eight
teat
A teat is the projection from the mammary glands of mammals from which milk flows or is ejected for the purpose of feeding young. In many mammals the teat projects from the udder. The number of teats varies by mammalian species and often corre ...
s.
The fur is greyish in color over most of the body, but a richer tan on the underparts. There is a patch of white fur on the chin, and some individuals also have white markings on the head. The tail is almost entirely hairless.
[ ]Melanistic
The term melanism refers to black pigment and is derived from the gr, μελανός. Melanism is the increased development of the dark-colored pigment melanin in the skin or hair.
Pseudomelanism, also called abundism, is another variant of pi ...
individuals have also been reported, being almost entirely black in color, apart from white spots on the chin or feet.
Distribution and habitat
Townsend's pocket gopher is found in disjunct populations across southern Idaho
Idaho ( ) is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. To the north, it shares a small portion of the Canada–United States border with the province of British Columbia. It borders the states of Montana and Wyom ...
, northern Nevada
Nevada ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. N ...
, southeastern Oregon
Oregon () is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of it ...
, and northeastern California
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
.[ They inhabit land with deep, moist soils close to rivers and lakes, occasionally as high as , but more usually in lower valley bottoms. They may also be found in high numbers in artificially irrigated cropland. Their expansion into neighboring areas may be limited by absence of saltgrass, or by competition with ]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 ...
.[
Two subspecies are currently recognised:][
* ''T. t. townsendii'' - Idaho, ]Malheur River
The Malheur River (local pronunciation: "MAL-hyure") is a tributary of the Snake River in eastern Oregon in the United States. It drains a Great Basin Desert, high desert area, between the Harney Basin and the Blue Mountains (Oregon), Blue Moun ...
and tributaries in Oregon
* ''T. t. nevadensis'' - throughout the remainder of the range
Biology and behavior
Townsend's pocket gopher feeds largely on the root-stalks of saltgrass, but also eats other grasses, alfalfa
Alfalfa () (''Medicago sativa''), also called lucerne, is a perennial flowering plant in the legume family Fabaceae. It is cultivated as an important forage crop in many countries around the world. It is used for grazing, hay, and silage, as w ...
, and other large rooted plants, including agricultural crops such as potato
The potato is a starchy food, a tuber of the plant ''Solanum tuberosum'' and is a root vegetable native to the Americas. The plant is a perennial in the nightshade family Solanaceae.
Wild potato species can be found from the southern Unit ...
es. Common predators include barn owl
The barn owl (''Tyto alba'') is the most widely distributed species of owl in the world and one of the most widespread of all species of birds, being found almost everywhere except for the polar and desert regions, Asia north of the Himalaya ...
s, and the gopher is also considered to be the primary host of the chewing louse
The Mallophaga are a possibly paraphyletic section
Section, Sectioning or Sectioned may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media
* Section (music), a complete, but not independent, musical idea
* Section (typography), a subdivision, especial ...
''Geomydoecus idahoensis''.[ Breeding probably occurs around January or February, and litters average seven young. Mating is promiscuous, and based on female choice.] Hybrids between Townsend's and Botta's pocket gophers have been reported.[
Like other pocket gophers, Townsend's species spends most of its adult life underground. Burrows are wide, and are marked on the surface by numerous mounds of excavated soil. The entrances to the tunnels are normally kept blocked with soil to prevent access by predators. Individuals are solitary outside of the breeding season.][
]
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q45595
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. A ...
Endemic fauna of the United States
Mammals of the United States
Rodents of North America
Townsend's pocket gophe
Fauna of the Western United States
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. A ...
Mammals described in 1839
Least concern biota of the United States
Taxonomy articles created by Polbot
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. A ...