Variable pocket gopher
| Variable pocket gopher | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Rodentia |
| Family: | Geomyidae |
| Genus: | Orthogeomys |
| Species: | O. heterodus |
| Binomial name | |
| Orthogeomys heterodus (Peters, 1865) | |
The variable pocket gopher (Orthogeomys heterodus) is a species of rodent in the family Geomyidae. It is endemic to Costa Rica, usually being found in grasslands and tropical forests at higher altitudes, up to 8,000 feet. It is threatened by habitat loss, but are sometimes kept as pets in the United States and elsewhere.
The gopher typically has soft and dense fur colored blackish on the posterior and pale on the anterior. Its dentition features a longitudinal groove on outer face of each upper incisor. Large specimens range in length from 12 to 19 inches in length and weigh 16 to 35 ounces.
References
- ↑ Reid, R. & Emmons, L. (2008). "Orthogeomys heterodus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2008. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 12 March 2009. Database entry includes a brief justification of why this species is of least concern
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/7/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.