Evolution and Classification of the Pocket Gophers of the Subfamily GeomyinaeRussell, Robert J.
Science
Evolution and Classification of the Pocket Gophers of the Subfamily Geomyinae
Russell, Robert J.
Pocket gophers
_Zygogeomys persimilis_ is represented by a rostral fragment bearing
all the cheek teeth on the left side and the upper incisors. In
addition, two lower jaws, one with the first three cheek teeth,
are referred to the species (see Gazin, 1942:507). The fossils
identified as _Geomys_ from the Arroyo San Francisco, Cedazo fauna,
in Aguascalientes, México, by Mooser (1959:413) may be referable
instead to _Zygogeomys_. I have not seen the specimens and no figures
are available; Mooser states that a cranium was recovered. If either
the upper premolar or third molar is in place, generic identification
could be made with reasonable certainty. No other fossils of
_Zygogeomys_ have been uncovered in late Pleistocene deposits and the
significance of the absence of _Zygogeomys_ has been discussed in an
earlier paragraph of this section. _Geomys_ has not been found so far
south as Aguascalientes, but _Zygogeomys_ occurs farther south now and
presumably had a more extensive range on the plateau to the north in
the Pleistocene.
_Geomys_
_Geomys_ is common in Pleistocene deposits, especially on the Great
Plains. Certainly the center of differentiation for _Geomys_ was
in this region, although at times, probably when conditions were
favorable, _Geomys_ expanded its range into adjacent areas, reaching
the Pacific Coast in Irvingtonian times and the Atlantic Coast at the
time of the Illinoian glaciation. The earliest Pleistocene records
of the genus are from the Great Plains. McGrew (1944:49) described
_Geomys quinni_ from the Sand Draw local fauna, Brown County,
Nebraska, considered by Hibbard (1958:11) to be Nebraskan in age. As
mentioned in the account of Pliocene geomyids, _Geomys quinni_ occurs
also in the late Pliocene deposits of southwestern Kansas. Also,
_Geomys quinni_ occurs in the Broadwater-Lisco local fauna of Morrill
and Garden counties, western Nebraska (Barbour and Schultz, 1937:3;
Schultz and Stout, 1948:560-563; Schultz _et al._, 1951: table 1). The
Broadwater-Lisco is currently regarded as Aftonian deposits (Schultz
and Stout, _loc. cit._; Hibbard, 1958:11). Hibbard (1956:174)
identified _Geomys quinni_ from the Deer Park local fauna, probably
deposited during the early Aftonian interglacial, of Meade County,
Kansas. Strain (1966:36) described _Geomys paenebursarius_ on the
basis of fossils obtained from early Pleistocene deposits of the
Hudspeth local fauna from western Hudspeth County in the Trans-Pecos
of Texas. The Hudspeth fossils were probably deposited during the
Aftonian interglacial. From Kingman County, Kansas, Hibbard (_op.
cit._: 164) recovered isolated teeth of _Geomys_ from the Dixon local
fauna, regarded by him (_op. cit._:153-154) as deposited during the
latest Nebraskan glaciation, and correlated by him with the Sand Draw
local fauna of Nebraska. Hibbard (1958:11) later regarded the Dixon as
a transitional fauna between Nebraskan and Aftonian. The remains of
_Geomys_ from the Dixon are known only from isolated teeth.
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