Cynomys mexicanus Merriam 1892
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
Cynomys
Cynomys mexicanus

description: 261. Mexican Prairie Dog <i>Cynomys mexicanus</i> <b>French:</b> Chien-de-prairie du Mexique / <b>German:</b> Mexiko-Prariehund / <b>Spanish:</b> Perrito de la pradera de México <b>Other common names:</b> Mexican Prairie Marmot <b>Taxonomy.</b> Cynomys mexicanus Merriam, 1892, “La Ventura, Coahuila, Mexico.” This species is monotypic. <b>Distribution.</b> SE Coahuila, SW Nuevo Leon, and N San Luis Potosi in NC Mexico. <b>Descriptive notes.</b> Head-body 380-440 mm, tail mean 105 mm (males) and 100 mm (females); weight mean 1-1 kg (males) and 0-93 kg (females). The Mexican Prairie Dog has grizzled pinkish buff on dorsum; head is often slightly darker, with lower muzzle showing patches of buff. Venteris yellow to buff, suffused with dark brown to black. Tail is long relative to other prairie dogs and tipped in black. Ears are small and pressed against head. Chromosomal complement is 2n = 50, FN = 74. <b>Habitat.</b> Open plains and plateaus with well-drained soil and dense grasses and herbs, sometimes with livestock (goats,cattle, horses). <b>Food and Feeding.</b> The Mexican Prairie Dog is an herbivore that feeds on a variety of grasses, forbs, flowers, and seeds. In pastures,it has only modest dietary overlap with livestock. <b>Breeding.</b> The Mexican Prairie Dog lives in multi-burrow colonies. Breeding occurs from January to late April. Males are reproductively active in December—July. Estrus peaks in February—March. After 30-35day gestation, females produce single litters of 2-8 young in burrows. Young nurse for 21-23 days and are weaned by late April or early May. Infanticide is not known. <b>Activity patterns.</b> Mexican Prairie Dogs are diurnal and do not hibernate. Nights are spent in burrows that are often provisioned with clipped vegetation for bedding. <b>Movements, Home range and Social organization.</b> Burrow entrances have small mounds of excavated soil in circles with radii of 1-2 m at entrances. Mexican Prairie Dogs are highly social and form coteries of 1-2 adult males, 1-4 adult females, yearlings, and young-of-the-year of each sex. Natal dispersal occurs during the second year. Group members are amicable and greet each other by investigating one another’s cheeks. Amicable interactions include kissing, analand oral-gland sniffing, playing, and allogrooming. Hostile interactions among adults include fights, chases, and territorial disputes. The Mexican Prairie Dog has two vocalizations: an alarm call to intruders and predators and an elation call emitted as an apparent affiliative behavior. <b>Status and Conservation.</b> CITES Appendix I. Classified as Endangered on The IUCN Red List. Population trend of the Mexican Prairie Dog is declining. It is listed as endangered in Mexico. Lack of knowledge about natural history hinders conservation and management. Outbreaks of sylvatic plague can cause rapid reductions to local populations. Loss of habitat, due to conversion to agriculture and livestock grazing, threatens persistence. Mexican Prairie Dogs are sometimes erroneously considered as competitors with livestock for forage, and have been the target of intensive and widespread poisoning, which led to extirpation of the Zacatecas population and reduced their distribution by 65% overthe last 150 years. <b>Bibliography.</b> Ceballos (2014), Ceballos &amp; Wilson (1985), Ceballos et al. (1993), Hoogland (2003a, 2003b), Mateju &amp; Kratochvil (2013), Mellado &amp; Olvera (2008), Pando et al. (2013), Thorington et al. (2012), Trevino-Villarreal (1990).
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 page 824, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6840226