Subspeciation in the Kangaroo Rat, Dipodomys ordii: KU. Vol 1 No 23Setzer, Henry W.
Science
Subspeciation in the Kangaroo Rat, Dipodomys ordii: KU. Vol 1 No 23
Setzer, Henry W.
Kangaroo rats
Animals from that part of the range of _D. o. sanrafaeli_ west of the
Green River are typical while those to the east of the river are all
intergrades. Animals from 16 miles northwest of Moab, Utah, and from
three localities in Colorado, even though intergrades with _D. o.
nexilis_, are all referable to _D. o. sanrafaeli_. It appears that the
Green River does not act as a complete barrier in this area since in the
winter it occasionally freezes over, thus allowing the animals to cross.
It is thought that kangaroo rats do not hibernate but remain more or
less active throughout the winter. Man-made conveniences, such as
bridges, might also serve as means of dispersal, permitting these
animals to cross otherwise prohibitive barriers. Where there are no
bridges across the Green River, farther to the south, the rats
apparently do not cross the river; steep, rocky canyon-walls and the
lack of ice on the water in winter lessen the chances of small mammals
crossing from one side to the other.
_Specimens examined._--Total, 30, distributed as follows:
=Utah=: _Carbon County_: 12 mi. NE Price, 2 (CM); 3 mi. NE Price,
1 (RH); 1-1/2 mi. N Price, 2 (1 RH; 1 UU); Wellington, 1 (RH).
_Emery County_: "San Rafael, 21 mi. out," 1 (USAC); 12 mi. SW
Green River, 2 (CM). _Grand County_: 1 mi. E Green River, 1 (MVZ);
16 mi. NW Moab, 2 (CM). _Wayne County_: Notom, 1 (BYU). _Garfield
County_: King's Ranch, 4800 ft., 3 (2 UU; 1 USAC).
=Colorado=: _Mesa County_: State Line, 11 (MVZ); Fruita, 1 (USBS);
Grand Junction, 2 (USBS).
=Dipodomys ordii panguitchensis= Hardy
_Dipodomys ordii panguitchensis_ Hardy, Proc. Biol. Soc.
Washington, 55:90, June 25, 1942.
_Type._--Male, adult, no. 4375, Museum of Zoology, University of
Utah; one mile south of Panguitch, 6666 ft., Garfield County,
Utah; obtained on August 31, 1940, by Ross Hardy, original no.
2151.
_Range._--Known only from the type locality.
_Diagnosis._--Size small (see measurements). Color dark, entire
dorsal surface near Olive-Brown, purest on sides and flanks, upper
parts strongly suffused with black; cheeks white; arietiform
markings, pinnae of ears, plantar surfaces of hind feet, dorsal
and ventral stripes of tail which are wider than white lateral
stripes, blackish. Skull small; rostrum relatively short and wide;
interorbital region wide; interparietal region wide; foramen
magnum elongate dorsoventrally; pterygoid fossae ovoid.
_Comparisons._--From _Dipodomys ordii utahensis_, which it closely
resembles, _D. o. panguitchensis_ differs in: Size larger; color
darker; interparietal region wider; foramen magnum elongate
dorsoventrally as opposed to nearly round; pterygoid fossae ovoid
as opposed to nearly round.
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