Ictidomys mexicanus
Creators: name: Wilson, Don E.
name: Thomas E. Lacher, Jr
name: Mittermeier, Russell A.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2016
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Chordata
Mammalia
Rodentia
Sciuridae
Ictidomys
Ictidomys mexicanus

description: 216. Mexican Ground Squirrel <i>Ictidomys mexicanus</i> <b>French:</b> Spermophile du Mexique / <b>German:</b> Mexiko-Ziesel / <b>Spanish:</b> Ardilla terrestre de México <b>Taxonomy.</b> Sciurus mexicanus Erxleben, 1777, “in nova Hispania?” Restricted by E. A. Mearns in 1896 to “Toluca, [Mexico,] Mexico.” This species is monotypic. <b>Distribution.</b> Endemic to the Central Plateau of Mexico from E Jalisco to WC Veracruz. <b>Descriptive notes.</b> Head-body 322-380 mm, tail 124-166 mm; weight 217-398 g. The Mexican Ground Squirrel is medium-sized and has ornate, olivaceous gray to sepia dorsal pelage, with nine rows of white-to-buff spots extending from head to haunches. Eye rings are white to cream and prominent contrasts to yellowish to cinnamon face and chin. Sides and venter are buff, sometimes suffused with yellow. Tail is grizzled slate-gray, frosted with light color of venter. <b>Habitat.</b> Grassy pastures and meadows, grassy shrublands and savannas, and arid regions. The Mexican Ground Squirrel appears capable of persisting in many humanmodified environments that promote short grass and open arid habitats. <b>Food and Feeding.</b> The Mexican Ground Squirrel is an opportunistic omnivore, feeding mostly on grass and forb leaves, stems, shoots, tubers, and especially seeds; cacti flesh and fruits are also eaten. It eats significant numbers of insects, especially in spring, and scavenges animal matter. <b>Breeding.</b> The Mexican Ground Squirrel inhabits burrows, and maternity burrows are often more convoluted and contain nest chamber in which young are born. Males emerge before females in spring. Individuals mate soon after female emergence. Litters average four young (range 2-6), and young emerge from burrows in early summer. Females nurse throughout summer, and scrotal males remain in the population until mid-July. <b>Activity patterns.</b> Mexican Ground Squirrelis diurnal and hibernates for c.6 months in relatively simple burrow systems. It is active aboveground beginning in spring, usually late March for males and 2-4 weekslater for females. Immergence begins in September for males and October for females. Young remain aboveground for extended periods and may not hibernate until November. <b>Movements, Home range and Social organization.</b> The Mexican Ground Squirrel can live at very low densities and appears to be solitary and effectively asocial. Loosely structured colonies can occur in high-quality habitat, but aggressive chases are common. High-pitched, shrill whistles are given when predators are detected or when surprised. <b>Status and Conservation.</b> Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. Population trend of the Mexican Ground Squirrel is stable. Major conservation challenges may be degradation of rangelands and fragmentation of habitats. It is locally common and can be viewed as a pest; it is hunted, trapped, and poisoned and burrows are ploughed. It is able to persist in human-modified landscapes in pastures, roadsides, mowed parks, and lawns. <b>Bibliography.</b> Cothran (1983), Cothran &amp; Honeycutt (1984), Martinez et al. (1999), Mearns (1896a), Millan-Pena (1998), Schwanz (2006), Thorington et al. (2012), Valdez &amp; Ceballos (1991, 2003), Young &amp; Jones (1982).
description: Published as part of <i>Don E. Wilson, Thomas E. Lacher, Jr &amp; Russell A. Mittermeier, 2016, Sciuridae, pp. 648-837 in Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 6 Lagomorphs and Rodents I, Barcelona :Lynx Edicions</i> on pages 805-806, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6840226