The Pocket Gophers (Genus Thomomys) of Utah: University of Kansas Publications, Museum of Natural History, Vol. 1 No. 1Durrant, Stephen David
Science
The Pocket Gophers (Genus Thomomys) of Utah: University of Kansas Publications, Museum of Natural History, Vol. 1 No. 1
Durrant, Stephen David
Pocket gophers -- Utah
_Diagnosis._--Size medium (see measurements); claws on front feet short
and weak; ears short; tail relatively long. Color: Upper parts Pinkish
Buff, grading over sides to Pale Pinkish Buff on underparts; nose, top
of head, chin and cheeks grayish black; postauricular patches small and
grayish black; front and hind feet and distal two-thirds of tail white.
Skull: Small, weak and smooth; rostrum narrow; nasals narrow, not
markedly flared distally; zygomatic arches weak, not angular, and of
"graceful" contour; lacrimal processes small; characteristic dorsal
depression present in region of sagitto-coronal suture; mastoid and
zygomatic breadths narrow; occiput narrow and high; braincase well
inflated; paroccipital processes small and smooth; interpterygoid space
narrowly V-shaped; tympanic bullae small, but well inflated ventrally;
alveolar length of upper molar series short; molars small; upper
incisors short, but narrow.
_Comparisons._--From topotypes of _Thomomys bottae aureiventris_,
_sevieri_ differs as follows: Size smaller. Color: Lighter throughout,
no "gold" on underparts. Skull: Much smaller in every measurement
taken, less massive and not angular; zygomatic arches weaker and widest
posteriorly rather than anteriorly; union of jugal and zygomatic
process of maxilla not greatly thickened; interpterygoid space narrowly
V-shaped rather than lyre-shaped; pterygoid hamulae shorter and weaker;
tympanic bullae smaller, but markedly more inflated ventrally;
dentition smaller and weaker.
From near topotypes of _Thomomys bottae centralis_, _sevieri_ can be
distinguished by the following features: Size markedly smaller. Color:
Lighter throughout. Skull: Markedly smaller in every measurement taken,
weaker and smoother; zygomatic arches weaker, less angular and more
"graceful"; rostrum shorter, but narrower; lacrimal processes smaller;
tympanic bullae smaller, but more inflated ventrally, being triangular
in shape as opposed to ovate and with anteromedial margin decidedly
pointed; pterygoid hamulae smaller and weaker; dentition smaller and
weaker.
_T. b. sevieri_ can readily be distinguished from _Thomomys bottae
albicaudatus_ by the following features: Size smaller in every
measurement taken. Color: Markedly lighter throughout. Skull: Smaller,
and weaker; rostrum shorter and narrower; ascending processes of
premaxillae narrower; extension of premaxillae posterior to nasals
shorter; posterior tongues of premaxillae narrower; dentition much
lighter.
Comparisons of _sevieri_ with topotypes of _Thomomys bottae
wahwahensis_ show them to be of approximately the same size, but to
differ as follows: Hind foot longer; ear shorter. Color: Slightly
darker. Skull: Smaller, weaker, less ridged; zygomatic breadth less;
zygomatic arches markedly less angular; mastoid breadth less; rostrum
much longer and narrower, not as blunt nor flattened; tympanic bullae
much larger and more inflated ventrally; braincase vaulted as opposed
to flattened.
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