Heteromys irroratus Gray 1868
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
Heteromyidae
Heteromys
Heteromys irroratus

description: 3.
Mexican Spiny Pocket Mouse
Heteromys irroratus
French: Souris-a-ajaboues du Mexique / German: Mexiko-Stacheltaschemaus / Spanish: Raton espinoso de México
Other common names: Guerrero Spiny Pocket Mouse (guerrerensis)
Taxonomy. Heteromys irroratus Gray, 1868,
Oaxaca, Oaxaca, Mexico.
In 2007, J. C. Hafner and colleagues confirmed paraphyly of Liomys relative to Heteromys, so they placed Liomys in synonymy with Heteromys. This species (formerly Liomys irroratus) forms a distinct clade within the genus along with H. pictus and H. spectabilis. In areas of potential sympatry, H. irroratus is larger than H. pictus and smaller than H. spectabilis. MtDNA sequence data indicates that there are three clades within H. irroratus and that there may be two additional cryptic species. The subspecies guerrerensis was initially considered specifically distinct (the Guerrero Spiny Pocket Mouse) based on morphological as well as ecological (the unique cloud forest habitat) differences. Samples of the subspecies acutus, which were subsumed under the subspecies alleni, form a clade basal to all other samples of H. irroratus. Both of these clades are considered to be candidate species. Seven subspecies recognized.
Subspecies and Distribution.
H.i.irroratusGray,1868—SMexico(C&SCOaxaca).
H.i.allen:Coues,1881—NC&NEMexico(AltiplanoNofTransverse-MexicanVolcanicBelt,fromSChihuahuatoNMichoacan,DistritoFederal,andTlaxcala,andNSierraMadreOrientalinCNuevoLeonandSWTamaulipas).
H.i.buller:Thomas,1893—WCMexico(WCJalisco).
H.i.guerrerensisGoldman,1911—SWMexico(PacificslopeofSierraMadredelSur,WGuerrero).
H.i.jaliscensisJ.A.Allen,1906—WCMexico(S,C&NJalisco,SZacatecas,andSNayarit).
H.i.texensisMerriam,1902—SUSAandNEMexico(extremeSTexastoNPueblaandCVeracruz).
H. i. tornidus Merriam, 1902 — S Mexico (S of the Transverse-Mexican Volcanic Belt in S Puebla, Morelos, NE Guerrero, and N Oaxaca).
Descriptive notes. Head-body mean 125 mm (males) and 119 mm (females), tail 96-169 mm (males) and 100-163 mm (females), ear 12-15 mm, hindfoot 23-37 mm (males) and 22-355 mm (females); weight 34-50 g. Male Mexican Spiny Pocket Mice are significantly larger than females. There is extensive variation in size among the seven subspecies, ranging from the somewhat large-sized (for the genus) guerrerensis to the medium-sized irroratus, alleni, and bulleri to the small-sized jaliscensis, texensis, and torridus. The Mexican Spiny Pocket Mouse is scansorial, with coarse adult pelage having abundantstiff, flattened spine-like hairs on dorsal and lateral surfaces of body. Upper parts are grayish brown, there is usually pale-pink to buffy lateral line, and belly is white. Hairs on back are not curled upward so as to be conspicuous above spines. Posterior parts of soles of hindfeet are sparsely haired, with five plantar tubercles; claw of second digit on hindfoot is spoon-like, apparently an adaptation for digging. Tail is moderately haired, and darker on upper part. Cheekteeth have medium-high crowns, and lower premolar has two lophids. Auditory bullae are only moderately inflated. Chromosomal complement has 2n = 60 and FN = 62.
Habitat. Steppe, thicket, and scrub desert and pine-oak montane situations from sea level to elevations of nearly 3500 m. The Mexican Spiny Pocket Mouse is usually restricted to relatively dry situations, although the subspecies guerrerensis inhabits cloud forest. Where the Mexican Spiny Pocket Mouse is sympatric with the Painted Spiny Pocket Mouse (H. pictus) in a band from central Jalisco to the mountains of the Sierra Madre del Sur in Oaxaca, it occupies dry upland areas whereas the Painted Spiny Pocket Mouse occupies low, more mesic areas. Although somewhat arid-adapted, the Mexican Spiny Pocket Mouse is absent from areas on the Altiplano that receive less than 50 cm of annual precipitation. Burrow entrances are often covered with leaves or a small mound ofsoil.
Food and Feeding. Diet of the Mexican Spiny Pocket Mouse consists mostly of seeds but also green plants and insects, all of which are transported in its external, fur-lined cheek pouches back to its burrow for storage. In the laboratory,it is not able to maintain body weight on a diet of wild birdseed unless free water is available or if it is allowed to burrow.
Breeding. The Mexican Spiny Pocket Mouse probably breeds throughout the year, with an average litter size of 4-4 young (range of 2-8). Peak breeding occurs in August—November.
Activity patterns. The Mexican Spiny Pocket Mouse is nocturnal and active throughout the year.
Movements, Home range and Social organization. The Mexican Spiny Pocket Mouse is probably solitary, and mating system is probably promiscuous or effectively polygynous.
Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List (as Liomys rroratus).
Bibliography. Best (1993a), Ceballos & Oliva (2005), Genoways (1973), Dowler (1999), Dowler & Genoways (1978), Hafner et al. (2007), Jones (1993), Linzey, Timm, Alvarez-Castarieda, Castro-Arellano & Lacher (2008s), Rogers (1990), Rogers & Engstrom (1992), Rogers & Vance (2005), Williams et al. (1993).
description: Published as part of Don E. Wilson, Thomas E. Lacher, Jr & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2016, Heteromyidae, pp. 170-233 in Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 6 Lagomorphs and Rodents I, Barcelona :Lynx Edicions on page 196, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6611160