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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.
The giant kangaroo rat is one of the most peculiar looking rodents around. The Dipodomys ingens can grow up to 34.7 centimeters in length and have a tail of up to 19.8 centimeters long. They can weigh up to 180 grams. It is mainly found in the San Joaquin Valley in California. The giant kangaroo rat forages for food from sunset to sunrise.
Dipodomyinae is the sister group of a Perognathinae-Heteromyinae clade; the two are estimated to have split about 22-24 million years ago.The most recent common ancestor of extant dipodomyines is thought to have lived 15-16 Ma ago, when the two genera split.
The Fresno kangaroo rat, last captured within the boundaries of the reserve in 1992, has narrow habitat requirements and occupies alkali desert scrub communities between 200 and 300 feet (61 and 91 m) above mean sea level. The reserve serves as a crucial habitat for this endangered species. [4]
The Santa Cruz kangaroo rat, more closely related to chipmunks and gophers than kangaroos or rats, had not been spotted in the area since the 1940s. The Santa Cruz kangaroo rat, more closely ...
The banner-tailed kangaroo rat has very specific habitat requirements and if threatened by invasion of the open desert grassland by creosote bush, mesquite and other woody plants. It is common in some localities, but in general the population trend is downwards and the IUCN lists its conservation status as "near threatened".