Search results
Results From The WOW.Com Content Network
The desert kangaroo rat (Dipodomys deserti) is a rodent species in the family Heteromyidae that is found in desert areas of southwestern North America. [2] It is one of the large kangaroo rats, with a total length greater than 12 inches (300 mm) and a mass greater than 3.2 ounces (91 g).
Kangaroo rats, small mostly nocturnal rodents of genus Dipodomys, are native to arid areas of western North America.The common name derives from their bipedal form. They hop in a manner similar to the much larger kangaroo, but developed this mode of locomotion independently, like several other clades of rodents (e.g., dipodids and hopping mice).
Heteromyidae is a family of rodents consisting of kangaroo rats, kangaroo mice, pocket mice and spiny pocket mice.Most heteromyids live in complex burrows within the deserts and grasslands of western North America, though species within the genus Heteromys are also found in forests and their range extends as far south as northern South America.
Dipodomyinae is a subfamily of heteromyid rodents, the kangaroo rats and mice. Dipodomyines, as implied by both their common and scientific names, are bipedal ; they also jump exceptionally well. Kangaroo rats and mice are native to desert and semidesert ecosystems of western North America from southern Canada to central Mexico .
A kangaroo rat narrowly escaping an attack by a Mohave rattlesnake. Kangaroo rats are a common prey items for many other desert animals. Typical predators of the Merriam's kangaroo rat include barn owls, great horned owls, coyotes, foxes, badgers, bobcats, and several snake species including sidewinders and glossy snakes.
Phillips's kangaroo rat (Dipodomys phillipsii) is a species of rodent in the family Heteromyidae. [3] It is endemic to Mexico.Its natural habitat is hot deserts. The species is named after John Phillips, an official of a Mexican mining company who sent zoological specimens, including the type specimen of this kangaroo rat, to the British Museum.
If the animals are caged, the rats show no increase in sexual behavior. Females rats will even show aggression if her genitalia are swollen and enlarged. During labor, the female rat will assist the delivery of the young with her front paws. The female Heermann's kangaroo rats also fondle her babies after birth with fondling, smelling, and licking.
The San Bernardino kangaroo rat follows the same body plan as Dipodomys merriami and other kangaroo rat species: large hind feet for jumping, long tail for balance while jumping, cheek pouches for foraging, and so on. Its body is about 95 millimeters (3.7 inches) long, with a total length of 230–235 mm (9.1–9.3 in).