Kangaroo mouse

Kangaroo mouse
Kangaroo mouse
Temporal range: Late Pleistocene - Recent
A Pale Kangaroo Mouse in Nevada
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Family: Heteromyidae
Subfamily: Dipodomyinae
Genus: Microdipodops
Merriam, 1891
Species

Microdipodops megacephalus
Microdipodops palllidus

A kangaroo mouse is either one of the two species of jumping mouse (genus Microdipodops) native to the deserts of the Southwestern United States, predominantly found in the state of Nevada. Although native to the deserts in the southwest they have been plentiful in Missouri and Pennsylvania. The name "kangaroo mouse" refers to the species' extraordinary jumping ability, as well as its habit of bipedal locomotion. The two species are:

Both species of kangaroo mouse live in sandy desert ecosystems, and forage for seeds and vegetation amongst the scrub brush of their native habitat. The Dark Kangaroo Mouse is also known to feed occasionally on insects and carrion. The mouse never drinks water, instead deriving it metabolically from the foods it eats. The kangaroo mouse collects food and maintains large caches in their burrows, which are excavated to a length of between 3 and 8 feet (1 to 2.5 meters). The burrow, the entrance to which the mouse covers during daylight hours, is also used to raise litters of between 2 and 7 young. The Pale Kangaroo Mouse burrows only in fine sand, while the Dark Kangaroo Mouse prefers fine, gravelly soils but may also burrow in sand or sandy soil. Kangaroo mice are nocturnal, and are most active in the two hours following sunset. They are believed to hibernate during cold weather.

The kangaroo mice are closely related to the kangaroo rats, which belong to the same subfamily, Dipodomyinae.

See also

References


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Kangaroo mouse — kangaroo kan ga*roo , n. [Said to be the native name.] (Zo[ o]l.) Any one of numerous species of jumping marsupials of the family {Macropodid[ae]}. They inhabit Australia, New Guinea, and adjacent islands, They have long and strong hind legs and… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • kangaroo mouse — ▪ rodent       either of two species of leaping bipedal rodents (rodent) found only in certain deserts of the western United States. They have large ears and a large head with fur lined external cheek pouches. The forelimbs are short, but the… …   Universalium

  • kangaroo mouse — noun 1. small silky haired pouched rodent; similar to but smaller than kangaroo rats • Syn: ↑dwarf pocket rat • Hypernyms: ↑pocket rat • Member Holonyms: ↑Microdipodops, ↑genus Microdipodops 2. leaping rodent of …   Useful english dictionary

  • kangaroo mouse — Jumping Jump ing, p. a. & vb. n. of {Jump}, to leap. [1913 Webster] {Jumping bean}, a seed of a Mexican {Euphorbia}, containing the larva of a moth ({Carpocapsa saltitans}). The larva by its sudden movements causes the seed to roll to roll and… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • kangaroo mouse — noun One of the two species in the Microdipodops genus native to the deserts of the South western United States …   Wiktionary

  • kangaroo mouse — noun a small hopping rodent with large cheek pouches and long hind legs, found in North America. [Genus Microdipodops: two species.] …   English new terms dictionary

  • Pale Kangaroo Mouse — A Pale Kangaroo Mouse in Nevada Conservation status …   Wikipedia

  • Dark Kangaroo Mouse — Conservation status Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)[1] …   Wikipedia

  • New Guinea kangaroo mouse — Naujosios Gvinėjos kengūrinė pelė statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas taksono rangas rūšis atitikmenys: lot. Lorentzimys nouhuysi angl. New Guinea jumping mouse; New Guinea kangaroo mouse ryšiai: platesnis terminas – kengūrinės pelės …   Žinduolių pavadinimų žodynas

  • dark kangaroo mouse — tamsusis šokliukas statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas taksono rangas rūšis atitikmenys: lot. Microdipodops megacephalus angl. dark kangaroo mouse rus. тёмный малый прыгун ryšiai: platesnis terminas – šokliukai …   Žinduolių pavadinimų žodynas

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