Dipodomys venustus
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 venustus

description: 58.
Narrow-faced Kangaroo Rat
Dipodomys venustus
French: Rat-kangourou des Santa Cruz / German: Santa-Cruz-Kangururatte / Spanish: Rata canguro de cara estrecha
Other common names: Santa Cruz Kangaroo Rat; Big-eared Kangaroo Rat, Elephant-eared Kangaroo Rat (elephantinus)
Taxonomy. Perodipus venustus Merriam, 1904,
Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz Co., California, USA.
Based on molecular sequence analyses, D. venustus is a member of the agilis species group, along with D. agilisand D. simulans. Prior to 1996, subspecies elephantinus was considered a distinct species but was found to differ only slightly in cranial characters and to be nearly identical to D. venustus in genic, karyotypic, and bacular characters. Three subspecies recognized.
Subspecies and Distribution.
D.v.venustusMerriam,1904—SWUSA(disjunctpopulationsintheSantaCruzMtsandadjacentareasWoftheSantaClaraValley,theDiabloRange,andtheNendoftheGabilanRangeofWCCalifornia).
D.v.elephantinusGrinnell,1919—SWUSA(restricteddistributionintheSGabilanRangeofWCCalifornia).
D. v. sanctiluciae Grinnell, 1919 — SW USA (Coast Ranges from S Monterey Bay to Santa Lucia Mts of WC California).
Descriptive notes. Head—body 115-130 mm, tail 175-203 mm, ear mean 19 mm, hindfoot mean 46 mm, weight 68-97 g. Male Narrow-faced Kangaroo Rats are slightly larger than females. This is a moderately large-sized kangaroo rat, with large ears,five toes on hindfeet (including small claw on side of hindfoot), and narrow skull. Upper parts are a dark yellowish brown or cinnamon buff; tail is bicolored, with dull brownish-black crest and tuft. Chromosomal complement has 2n = 60 and FN = 116. Compared with the nearby Heermann’s Kangaroo Rat (D. heermanni), the Narrow-faced Kangaroo Rat is somewhat larger, with relatively longertail and longer ears.
Habitat. Chaparral and chaparral mixed with oak (Quercus, Fagaceae) or digger pine (Pinus sabiniana, Pinaceae) along coastal mountains of west-central California, from sea level to elevations of ¢.1770 m. The subspecies elephantinus is generally restricted to denser chaparral, but it will inhabit more open spaces when not sympatric with Heermann’s Kangaroo Rat. Dark color of the Narrow-faced Kangaroo Rat reflects its occurrence in relatively moist maritime areas where annual rainfall is ¢.75 cm and frequent fogs and proximity to the Pacific Ocean temper summer—autumn dryness. Its relatively simple burrow consists of a main runway, a few blind side branches, a nest, and food caches. Burrows older than two years are no more complex than new ones (a few months). Openings are often under shrubs. Individuals apparently have several supplementary burrows, without side branches, nests, or caches and removed from the main burrow, that offer temporary safety. These supplementary burrows are left open, in contrast to the main burrow that is plugged during the day. Shallow burrows (5-50 cm deep) are damp during the rainy season because rain soaks the ground to 1-5 m deep, and they are easily destroyed by even light plowing; burrows are absent from cultivated areas but are found in open, abandoned agricultural land. The Narrow-faced Kangaroo Rat freely invades land cleared by human activity (e.g. fields fallow for a year, contour ditches, and berms). Although main burrow system is simple, 1-2 burrow caches contained up to 3145 cm?’ of seeds in each burrow examined in December. Small (5 cm diameter) surface caches are generally 10 cm deep and are usually located near burrow entrance. The Narrow-faced Kangaroo Rat is found in the same habitat as the Dusky-footed Woodrat (Neotoma fuscipes).
Food and Feeding. Diet of the Narrow-faced Kangaroo Rat can include some green vegetation and insects, but it is made up almost entirely of seeds from introduced annuals, particularly ripgut brome (Bromus rigidus, Poaceae) and telegraphweed (Heterotheca grandiflora, Asteraceae); sheep’s sorrel (Rumex acetosella, Polygonaceae); burclover (Medicago polymorpha, Fabaceae); and scarlet pimpernel (Anagallis arvensis, Primulaceae). Caching occurs in summer and autumn when seeds ripen and fall; some seeds are carried up to 50 m from their source. Unlike most other species of kangaroo rats, the Narrow-faced Kangaroo Rat cannot exist solely on metabolic water.
Breeding. Young Narrow-faced Kangaroo Rats are born in spring and summer, and 1-2 litters of 2—4 young/litter are produced each year.
Activity patterns. There is no information available for this species.
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 Lust.
Bibliography. Alexander & Riddle (2005), Best (1986, 1992b, 1993a, 1999d, 1999k), Best et al. (1996), Eisenberg (1963, 1993), Hall (1981), Ingles (1954), Jones (1993), Linzey & NatureServe (Hammerson) (2008g), 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 pages 228-229, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6611160