Variable pocket gopher

Species of rodent

Variable pocket gopher
Conservation status

Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Family: Geomyidae
Genus: Heterogeomys
Species:
H. heterodus
Binomial name
Heterogeomys heterodus
(Peters, 1865)
Synonyms
  • Orthogeomys heterodus

The variable pocket gopher (Heterogeomys heterodus) is a species of rodent in the family Geomyidae.[2] It is endemic to Costa Rica, usually being found in grasslands and tropical forests at higher altitudes, up to 8,000 feet. It is threatened by habitat loss, but are sometimes kept as pets in the United States and elsewhere.

The gopher typically has soft and dense fur colored blackish on the posterior and pale on the anterior. Its dentition features a longitudinal groove on outer face of each upper incisor. Large specimens range in length from 12 to 19 inches in length and weigh 16 to 35 ounces.

Some authors classify it in the genus Orthogeomys, but recent research has allowed this and its related species to be classified in the genus Heterogeomys.[3]

References

  1. ^ Emmons, L. (2016). "Orthogeomys heterodus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T15548A22215071. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T15548A22215071.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. ^ "Heterogeomys heterodus". ASM Mammal Diversity Database. 1.7. American Society of Mammalogists. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
  3. ^ Spradling, T. A.; Demastes, J. W.; Hafner, D. J.; Milbach, P. L.; Cervantes, F. A.; Hafner, M. S. (2016). "Systematic revision of the pocket gopher genus". Journal of Mammalogy. 97 (2): 405–423. doi:10.1093/jmammal/gyv185.
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Extant species of family Geomyidae (Pocket gophers)
Cratogeomys
  • Yellow-faced pocket gopher (C. 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)
  • Flat-headed pocket gopher (C. planiceps)
Geomys
(Eastern pocket gophers)
  • Desert pocket gopher (G. arenarius)
  • Attwater's pocket gopher (G. attwateri)
  • Baird's pocket gopher (G. breviceps)
  • Plains pocket gopher (G. bursarius)
  • Geomys jugossicularis
  • Knox Jones's pocket gopher (G. knoxjonesi)
  • G. lutescens
  • Texas pocket gopher (G. personatus)
  • Southeastern pocket gopher (G. pinetis)
  • G. streckeri
  • Central Texas pocket gopher (G. texensis)
  • Tropical pocket gopher (G. tropicalis)
Heterogeomys
  • Chiriqui pocket gopher (H. cavator)
  • Cherrie's pocket gopher (H. cherriei)
  • Darien pocket gopher (H. dariensis)
  • Variable pocket gopher (H. heterodus)
  • Hispid pocket gopher (H. hispidus)
  • Big pocket gopher (H. lanius)
  • Underwood's pocket gopher (H. underwoodi)
Orthogeomys
  • Giant pocket gopher (O. grandis)
Pappogeomys
  • Buller's pocket gopher (P. bulleri)
Thomomys
(Smooth-toothed
pocket gophers)
Subgenus Megascapheus
  • Thomomys atrovarius
  • Botta's pocket gopher (T. bottae)
  • Camas pocket gopher (T. bulbivorus)
  • Thomomys nayarensis
  • Thomomys sheldoni
  • Townsend's pocket gopher (T. townsendii)
  • Southern pocket gopher (T. umbrinus)
Subgenus Thomomys
  • Wyoming pocket gopher (T. clusius)
  • Idaho pocket gopher (T. idahoensis)
  • Mazama pocket gopher (T. mazama)
  • Mountain pocket gopher (T. monticola)
  • Northern pocket gopher (T. talpoides)
Zygogeomys
  • Michoacan pocket gopher (Z. trichopus)
Category
Taxon identifiers
Orthogeomys heterodus


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