Mammals Obtained by Dr. Curt von Wedel from the Barrier Beach of Tamaulipas, Mexico — John Shaqi
Mammals Obtained by Dr. Curt von Wedel from the Barrier Beach of Tamaulipas, MexicoHall, E. Raymond (Eugene Raymond)
Science
Mammals Obtained by Dr. Curt von Wedel from the Barrier Beach of Tamaulipas, Mexico
Hall, E. Raymond (Eugene Raymond)
Mammals -- Mexico -- Tamaulipas
_Diagnosis._--Size small (see measurements). Color pale; entire dorsal
surface Light Ochraceous-Buff (Capitalized color terms according to
Ridgway: Color Standards and Color Nomenclature, Washington, D.C.,
1912), purest on sides and flanks, upper parts lightly suffused with
black; cheeks white; plantar surfaces of hind feet, dorsal and ventral
stripe of tail, and anterior face of ear brownish. Skull small; auditory
bullae smaller (actually and relative to remainder of skull) than in any
other known kind of _Dipodomys_, excepting the one from Mustang Island,
Texas (named beyond) in which the breadth is approximately the same;
rostrum and interorbital region narrow.
_Comparisons._--From _Dipodomys ordii sennetti_ (Allen), of the
mainland of Texas, _D. o. parvabullatus_ differs in: Color paler on
pigmented areas; white areas more extensive; skull smaller, in all parts
measured, except the nasals which are slightly longer. From _Dipodomys
ordii compactus_ of Padre Island, Texas, _D. o. parvabullatus_ differs
in: Tail and hind foot shorter; skull smaller in all parts measured,
especially so in breadth across maxillary processes of zygomatic arches.
_Remarks._--_D. o. parvabullatus_ resembles _D. o. sennetti_ in external
proportions and _D. o. compactus_ in cranial proportions.
No difference was detected between specimens from the two sides of the
tidal inlet 89 miles south of Matamoros. Only one of the 14 specimens is
of the light color phase (upper parts Cartridge Buff). This pale
specimen is from the north side of the inlet. The brownish stripe on the
ventral side of the tail is absent on the distal two-fifths of the tail
and the specimens are uniform in this respect. On the occlusal surfaces
of the cheek-teeth, the enamel surrounding the dentine is incomplete on
both the lingual and labial sides of the teeth of five individuals and
is incomplete on the labial side of some of the teeth of a sixth
specimen.
In the snap traps, all of which were baited with rolled oats, more than
twice as many land crabs as kangaroo rats were taken. Judging from
tracks in the sand, land crabs greatly outnumbered kangaroo rats. The
parietal bones in two of the 13 skulls are much eroded by some parasite
(seemingly nematode worms) and in one of these two specimens the roof of
the left tympanic cavity is perforated. As regards life-zones, the
occurrence of _Dipodomys ordii_ in the lower part of the Lower Sonoran
Life-zone on the off-shore beach 88 and 90 miles south of Matamoros is
low zonally and perhaps is at or near the zonal margin of the range of
the species. The crabs and worms conceivably are two of the
environmental features inhospitable to the rats.
_Specimens examined._--Total, 14, all from Tamaulipas, Mexico, as
follows: 88 mi. S and 10 mi. W Matamoros, 7; 90 mi. S and 10 mi. W
Matamoros, 7.
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