Mammals of Northwestern South DakotaJones, J. Knox
Science
Mammals of Northwestern South Dakota
Jones, J. Knox
Mammals -- South Dakota
This woodrat is relatively uncommon, yet widely distributed, in
northwestern South Dakota. The species probably occurs throughout the
rocky areas in the hills and buttes of Harding County, and also
frequents abandoned or little-used buildings and feed stations for
livestock. All of our specimens were trapped in rocky habitats, but in
many such places we trapped unsuccessfully for _Neotoma cinerea_, even
though some sign of its presence frequently was evident. Five of our
seven specimens (all taken late in June or early in July) are young of
the year in grayish pelage. An adult male trapped on July 14 had testes
that measured 14.
Over and Churchill (1945:40) mentioned a specimen, which they referred
to the subspecies _N. c. cinerea_, that "probably came from the Slim
Butte area of Harding County." Visher (1914:89) recorded the species as
"plentiful and general" in the county.
~Microtus ochrogaster haydenii~ (Baird, 1858)
Prairie Vole
_Specimens examined_ (40).--NE 1/4 sec. 22, R. 1 E, T. 23 N, 1; NW 1/4
sec. 15, R. 5 E, T. 22 N, 1; 2 mi. N, 5 mi. W Ludlow, 4; 4 mi. S, 7 mi.
W Ladner, 19; 1/2 mi. W Reva, 2; SW 1/4 sec. 30, R. 7 E, T. 18 N, 3; 10
mi. S, 5 mi. W Reva, 10.
The prairie vole is the most abundant of the three microtines that are
known from Harding County. Our specimens came primarily from areas of
relatively dense grasses, such as those found in stream bottoms and
along fencerows. At two places, along a fencerow 1/2 mi. W Reva and in
Deer Draw, 10 mi. S and 5 mi. W Reva, _Microtus ochrogaster_ and the
meadow vole, _M. pennsylvanicus_, were trapped together.
Nine females taken late in May and in June carried an average of 4.4
(3-6) embryos that averaged 14.8 (4-25) in crown-rump length. Each of
two lactating females taken in late May had six placental scars. Testes
of seven adult males taken in May and June averaged 13.1 (12-16) in
length.
~Microtus pennsylvanicus insperatus~ (J. A. Allen, 1894)
Meadow Vole
_Specimens examined_ (14).--1/2 mi. W Reva, 1; 10 mi. S, 5 mi. W Reva,
12; 7 mi. S, 4-1/2 mi. E Harding, 1.
This vole evidently is limited in Harding County to habitats of dense
grass and forbs adjacent to water. We failed to trap the species in some
areas that appeared to be suitable for occupancy.
Two females, collected on May 15 and June 2, contained three and six
embryos, respectively, that measured 15. One female with five placental
scars (May 15) and two with six (May 16, June 2) also were trapped, and
a lactating female was captured on June 20. Testes of two adult males
taken in spring (May 18 and June 2) measured 15, and those of one
weighing 45.6 grams that was taken early in June measured 17.
~Ondatra zibethicus cinnamominus~ (Hollister, 1910)
Muskrat
The muskrat is common in Harding County. Half a century ago Visher
(1914:89) noted that it was "Fairly plentiful along the streams having
deep permanent 'holes'."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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