Geomys personatus True 1889
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
Geomyidae
Geomys
Geomys personatus

description: 19.
Texas Pocket Gopher
Geomys personatus
French: Gaufre du Texas / German: Texas-Taschenratte / Spanish: Tuza de Texas
Other common names: Masked Pocket Gopher, South Texas Pocket Gopher; Del Rio Pocket Gopher (fuscus), Nueces Pocket Gopher (fallax), Padre Island Pocket Gopher(personatus), Rio Grande Pocket Gopher (davis), Seaside Pocket Gopher (maritimus)
Taxonomy. Geomys personatus True, 1889,
“Padre Island, [Cameron Co.], Texas,” USA.
Molecular studies suggest that this species is sister to G. attwateri. Six subspecies recognized.
Subspecies and Distribution.
G.p.personatusTrue,1889—MustangandPadreIs,KlebergCounty,Texas,USA.
G.p.davisiWilliams&Genoways,1981—STexas,USA(NofRioGrandeinWebbandZapatacounties).
G.p.fallaxMerriam,1895—SportionsofSETexas(N&NWofNuecesBayalongthelowerNuecesRiver),USA.|
G.p.fuscusDavis,1940—STexas(NofRioGrandeinKinneyandValverdecounties),USA.
G.p.maritimusDavis,1940—GulfcoastofSTexas(mainlandbetweenBaffinBayandFlourBluff),USA.
G. p. megapotamus Davis, 1940 — SE Texas, USA, into coastal NE Tamaulipas, Mexico.
Descriptive notes. Head—body 140-280 mm, tail 60-120 mm; weight 165-400 g. Male Texas Pocket Gophers are usually larger than females. There is considerable variation in body size among subspecies, with personatus being the largest and fuscus the smallest. The Texas Pocket Gopher has a fusiform body shape typical of all pocket gophers, and it possesses furlined cheek pouches that open external to the mouth. Pelage is drab brown or grayish brown dorsally and lighter ventrally. Albino individuals and others with white spots or a faint mid-dorsal stripe have been reported. Anterior surface of each upper incisor has a large medial groove flanked by a smaller groove located along the inner margin of the tooth. Chromosomal complement has 2n = 68-70 and FN = 70-76.
Habitat. Deep, sandy soils along river drainages, coastal beaches, barrier islands, and inland remnants of ancient coastlines. The Texas Pocket Gopheris absent from silt loams of the Rio Grande floodplains and gravelly, stony, or clayey soils scattered throughout its general distribution. Its habitats are typically semiarid, and vegetation associated with them includes mesquite (Prosopis juliflora, Fabaceae), and several true grasses such as bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum), exotic Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon), and sandbur (Cenchrus echinatus).
Food and Feeding. The Texas Pocket Gopher feeds on roots, tubers, stems, and leaves of most plants available within the vicinity of its burrow system, including acacia (Acacia, Fabaceae), sunflowers (Helianthus sp., Asteraceae), and a variety of grass species. It readily invades cultivated fields and is considered an agricultural pest wherever it occurs in contact with humans. As in all other pocket gophers, the burrow system is a series of shallow feeding tunnels radiating spoke-like from a deeper, central network that contains one or more nest chambers and several smaller chambers for storage of food or fecal pellets.
Breeding. The Texas Pocket Gopher appears to breed throughout the year, with a peak period of reproduction in October—May. Each female produces 1-2 litters/year, and litters have 2-5 young. Individuals live c.2 years in the wild.
Activity patterns. There is no specific information available for this species, but the Texas Pocket Gopher is probably active at any hour of the day, with periods of peak activity around dawn and dusk. It does not hibernate and is active year-round.
Movements, Home range and Social organization. The Texas Pocket Gopheris solitary and aggressively territorial. Because it rarely leaves its burrow system, its home range is defined by size and extent ofits burrow system. On sandy coastal islands off the coast of Texas, USA, Texas Pocket Gophers form small colonies usually separated by at least 1-5 km.
Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. The subspecies maritimus and fuscus are of conservation concern because of their limited distributions and detrimental effects of habitat modification by humans. Subspecies maritimus was listed in 2010 as threatened under the Mexican Endangered Species Act.
Bibliography. Chambers et al. (2009), Hafner, Timm & Lacher (2008b), Jolley et al. (2000), Patton (2005b), SEMARNAT (2010), Williams, S.L. (1982, 1999b).
description: Published as part of Don E. Wilson, Thomas E. Lacher, Jr & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2016, Geomyidae, pp. 234-269 in Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 6 Lagomorphs and Rodents I, Barcelona :Lynx Edicions on pages 243-244, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6603807