Jaliscan Spiny Pocket Mouse
Encyclopedia
The Jaliscan Spiny Pocket Mouse (Liomys spectabilis) is a species of rodent
in the Heteromyidae
family. It is endemic to Mexico
, specifically the southeast Jalisco at an attitudinal range of 950 to 1615m.
The generic name Liomys is a combination of the Greek lio (plain) and mys (mouse) referring to the absence of specialized characteristics (Dowler and Genoways 1978); spectabilis (striking) refers to the dorsal reddish brown, which is more striking than in other species (Best 1988). L. spectabilis occupies a restricted distribution near the eastern limit of the geographic range of L. pictus in Jalisco. The precursor of these 2 species occurred throughout western Mexico, and the parental stock was split in 2 parts in response to changing environmental conditions. One segment was restricted to coastal regions of western Mexico and gave rise to L. pictus, whereas the other was isolated in interior
Jalisco and gave rise to L. spectabilis (Genoways 1971, 1973).
A young / baby of a Jaliscan spiny pocket mouse is called a 'pinkie, kitten or pup'. The females are called 'doe' and males 'buck'. A Jaliscan spiny pocket mouse group is called a 'nest, colony, harvest, horde or mischief'.
This species can be found in xerophytic montane areas and pine-oak forest (Genoways 1971 in Dominguez-Castellanos and Ortega 2003). Weeds, low brush, cornfields, grass, and several trees compose the typical habitat of the Jaliscan spiny pocket mouse (Genoways 1973 in Dominguez-Castellanos and Ortega 2003). Some specimens were caught in the immediate vicinity of a highway (Dominguez-Castellanos and Ortega 2003). Current agricultural use has greatly modified the landscape causing a threat to their existence.
One of the major threats to the survival of this species is habitat loss caused by the timber extraction from the Pine Oak forests in this region. Even though this species has been declared endangered and protected by the Mexican law, they are rapidly decreasing in number with an extent of occurrence of less than 5000 km2 and a severely fragmented distribution.
Chromosomal relationships among spiny pocket mice, Liomys (Heteromyidae) from Mexico. Journal of Mammalogy 80:823–832.
DOWLER, R. C., AND H. H. GENOWAYS. 1978. Liomys irroratus.
Mammalian Species 82:1–6.
Álvarez-Castañeda, S.T., Castro-Arellano, I. & Vázquez, E. 2008. Liomys spectabilis. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.1.. Downloaded on 01 September 2011.
http://thewebsiteofeverything.com/animals/mammals/Rodentia/Heteromyidae/Liomys/Liomys-spectabilis.html
Rodent
Rodentia is an order of mammals also known as rodents, characterised by two continuously growing incisors in the upper and lower jaws which must be kept short by gnawing....
in the Heteromyidae
Heteromyidae
The family of rodents that include kangaroo rats, kangaroo mice and rock pocket mice is the Heteromyidae family. Most heteromyids live in complex burrows within the deserts and grasslands of western North America, though species within the Heteromys and Liomys genera are also found in forests and...
family. It is endemic to Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, specifically the southeast Jalisco at an attitudinal range of 950 to 1615m.
The generic name Liomys is a combination of the Greek lio (plain) and mys (mouse) referring to the absence of specialized characteristics (Dowler and Genoways 1978); spectabilis (striking) refers to the dorsal reddish brown, which is more striking than in other species (Best 1988). L. spectabilis occupies a restricted distribution near the eastern limit of the geographic range of L. pictus in Jalisco. The precursor of these 2 species occurred throughout western Mexico, and the parental stock was split in 2 parts in response to changing environmental conditions. One segment was restricted to coastal regions of western Mexico and gave rise to L. pictus, whereas the other was isolated in interior
Jalisco and gave rise to L. spectabilis (Genoways 1971, 1973).
A young / baby of a Jaliscan spiny pocket mouse is called a 'pinkie, kitten or pup'. The females are called 'doe' and males 'buck'. A Jaliscan spiny pocket mouse group is called a 'nest, colony, harvest, horde or mischief'.
This species can be found in xerophytic montane areas and pine-oak forest (Genoways 1971 in Dominguez-Castellanos and Ortega 2003). Weeds, low brush, cornfields, grass, and several trees compose the typical habitat of the Jaliscan spiny pocket mouse (Genoways 1973 in Dominguez-Castellanos and Ortega 2003). Some specimens were caught in the immediate vicinity of a highway (Dominguez-Castellanos and Ortega 2003). Current agricultural use has greatly modified the landscape causing a threat to their existence.
One of the major threats to the survival of this species is habitat loss caused by the timber extraction from the Pine Oak forests in this region. Even though this species has been declared endangered and protected by the Mexican law, they are rapidly decreasing in number with an extent of occurrence of less than 5000 km2 and a severely fragmented distribution.
Source
CERVANTES, F. A., C. LORENZO, AND O. G. WARD. 1999.Chromosomal relationships among spiny pocket mice, Liomys (Heteromyidae) from Mexico. Journal of Mammalogy 80:823–832.
DOWLER, R. C., AND H. H. GENOWAYS. 1978. Liomys irroratus.
Mammalian Species 82:1–6.
Álvarez-Castañeda, S.T., Castro-Arellano, I. & Vázquez, E. 2008. Liomys spectabilis. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.1.
http://thewebsiteofeverything.com/animals/mammals/Rodentia/Heteromyidae/Liomys/Liomys-spectabilis.html