Heterogeomys cherrier Merriam 1895
Creators: name: Don E. Wilson
name: Thomas E. Lacher, Jr
name: Russell A. Mittermeier
Publisher: name: Lynx Edicions
Year: 2016
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Chordata
Mammalia
Rodentia
Geomyidae
Heterogeomys
Heterogeomys cherrier

description: 31.
Cherrie’s Pocket Gopher
Heterogeomys cherrier
French: Gaufre de Cherrie / German: Cherrie-Taschenratte / Spanish: Tuza de Cherrie
Taxonomy. Geomys cherriei J. A. Allen, 1893,
“Santa Clara, Costa Rica.”
Placed into subgenus Macrogeomys. Heterogeomys considered a subgenus of Or thogeomys by J. L. Patton in 2005 but was resurrected to genus status by T. A. Spradling and colleagues in 2016. Molecular studies suggest that H. cherriei is sister to H. heterodus. Orthogeomys matagalpae, was formerly recognized as a separate species but was synonymized under H. cherriei by Spradling and colleagues in 2016. Four subspecies recognized.
Subspecies and Distribution.
H.c.cherriei].A.Allen,1893—SENicaraguaintoNECostaRica.
H.c.carlosensisGoodwin,1943—NWCostaRicaincludingpartsofNicoyaPeninsula.
H. c. costaricensis Merriam, 1895 — E Costa Rica.
H. c. matagalpae J. A. Allen, 1910 — NC Honduras S to S Nicaragua.
Descriptive notes. Head—body 180-250 mm, tail 80-105 mm; weight 220-510 g. Dorsal pelage of the Cherrie’s Pocket Gopher is dull brown to black, with a conspicuous white head spot that extends from between eyes to between ears. Pelage is short and sparse in most individuals. Cherrie’s Pocket Gopher has a fusiform body shape typical of all pocket gophers and possesses fur-lined cheek pouches that open external to the mouth. Anterior surface of each upper incisor has a single medial groove. Chromosomal complement has 2n = 44 and FN = 76 or 78.
Habitat. Well-drained soils in humid and seasonally dry tropical forests, thornscrub habitats, and agricultural fields. Elevational range is from near sea level to ¢.1500 m.
Food and Feeding. There is no specific information available for this species, but Cherrie’s Pocket Gopher probably feeds on roots, tubers, stems, and leaves of most plants available within the vicinity of its burrow system. It readily invades cultivated fields and is considered an agricultural pest wherever it occurs in contact with humans. As in all other pocket gophers, the burrow system is a series of shallow feeding tunnels radiating spoke-like from a deeper, central network that contains one or more nest chambers and several smaller chambers for storage of food or fecal pellets.
Breeding. Cherrie’s Pocket Gopher appears to reproduce year-round. Females produce at least two litters per year, with 1-4 young/litter.
Activity patterns. There is no specific information available for this species, but Cherrie’s Pocket Gopheris probably active at any hour of the day, with periods of peak activity around dawn and dusk. It does not hibernate and is active year-round.
Movements, Home range and Social organization. Cherrie’s Pocket Gopher is solitary and aggressively territorial. Because it rarely leaves its burrow system, its home range is defined by size and extent ofits burrow system. Sex ratio among reproductively immature individuals is 1:2-5 favoring females, but it is equal among adults.
Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List (as Orthogeomys cherriet).
Bibliography. Delgado (1992), Hafner & Hafner (1987), Patton (2005b), Reid (1997), Spradling et al. (2016), Timm & Woodman (2008).
description: Published as part of Don E. Wilson, Thomas E. Lacher, Jr & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2016, Geomyidae, pp. 234-269 in Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 6 Lagomorphs and Rodents I, Barcelona :Lynx Edicions on page 249, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6603807