Dipodomys ornatus Merriam 1894
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
Dipodomys
Dipodomys ornatus

description: 51.
Plateau Kangaroo Rat
Dipodomys ornatus
French: Rat-kangourou orné / German: Altiplano-Kangururatte / Spanish: Rata canguro de altiplano
Other common names: Ornate Kangaroo Rat
Taxonomy. Dipodomys ornatus Merriam, 1894,
Berriozabal, Zacatecas, Mexico.
Based on molecular sequence analyses, D. ornatus is a member of the phillipsii species group along with D. phillipsii and D. elator. Until recently, it was considered a subspecies of D. phillipsii, but sequence analysis supports specific distinction. Monotypic.
Distribution. NC Mexico (Chihuahuan Desert of the Mexican Altiplano from SE Durango through Zacatecas, Aguascalientes, Jalisco, San Luis Potosi, and Guanajuato to Querétaro)
Descriptive notes. Head—body 101-110 mm, tail 151-192 mm, ear 12-16 mm, hindfoot 38-45 mm; weight mean 53 g. Male Plateau Kangaroo Rats are slightly larger than females. This is a medium-sized kangaroo rat with four toes on hindfeet. Upper parts are cinnamon; tail is relatively long and bicolored; and dark dorsal and ventral stripes unite in distal one-third, with black crest and sharply contrasting white, 5-15 mm long, terminal tuft. Chromosomal complement has 2n = 72 and FN = 138. The Plateau Kangaroo Rat closely resembles the Texas Kangaroo Rat (D. elator) and Phillips’s Kangaroo Rat (D. phillipsii). Compared with these two species, the Plateau Kangaroo Rat has a shorter white tail tip than the Texas Kangaroo Rat (10-15 mm vs. 20-25 mm), and longer than Phillips’s Kangaroo Rat (5-15 mm or entirely lacking). Contrasting black-and-white tail plume readily distinguished the Plateau Kangaroo Rat where it occurs with Merriam’s Kangaroo Rat (D. merriami), but it is considerably smaller than sympatric Nelson’s Kangaroo Rat (D. nelsoni) and the Banner-tailed Kangaroo Rat (D. spectabilis).
Habitat. Sandy soils in areas of short grass with clumps of prickly pear or nopal cactus (Opuntia, Cactaceae) or catclaw (Senegalia, Fabaceae). The Plateau Kangaroo Rat has been found on edges of oak forests in rocky hills and grassy areas of inter-montane valleys and lava fields. In Durango, Colorado, all populations were above elevations of 2000 m.
Food and Feeding. There is no information available for this species.
Breeding. Limited data for the Plateau Kangaroo Rat indicate a year-round breeding season. Females have been found with 2-3 embryos.
Activity patterns. Plateau Kangaroo Rats are active on calm nights even when temperature is below freezing, but they do not forage during severe storms.
Movements, Home range and Social organization. There is no information available for this species.
Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List (under D. phillipsii).
Bibliography. Alexander & Riddle (2005), Alvarez-Castafieda, Castro-Arellano, Lacher & Vazquez (2008b), Eisenberg (1963, 1993), Fernandez, J.A. et al. (2012), Genoways & Jones (1971), Hafner et al. (2007), Hall (1981), Jones (1993), Merriam (1894), Patton & Rogers (1993), 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 225, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6611160