Morgan's gerbil mouse facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Morgan's gerbil mouse |
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|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Eligmodontia
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| Species: |
morgani
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The Morgan's gerbil mouse (Eligmodontia morgani) is a small rodent that lives in South America. It is also known as the western Patagonian laucha. This mouse was named after J. P. Morgan, who helped fund the trip where scientists first found this species.
Contents
What Does It Look Like?
The Morgan's gerbil mouse is a thin, mouse-like rodent. It has big ears and long back feet. Adult mice are about 15 to 20 centimeters (6 to 8 inches) long, including their tail. Their tail is usually about 8 centimeters (3 inches) long. These mice weigh between 10 and 31 grams (about 0.3 to 1 ounce). Female mice are a bit bigger than males.
Their fur is long and soft. It is a dull brownish-grey color on their upper body. Their belly is pure white. A clear line of yellowish fur runs along their sides, separating the brown from the white. Their tail is hairy and darker on top than underneath. Unlike most other mice in its group, this species has thick fur on the bottoms of its back feet.
Where Does It Live?
The Morgan's gerbil mouse lives in southern Argentina. You can find it from the Mendoza, Neuquén, and Río Negro provinces in the north, all the way down to the Strait of Magellan in the south. They also live in the Magallanes and Tierra del Fuego provinces of Chile.
These mice are most common in open, sandy grasslands and steppes. A steppe is a large area of flat grassland without trees. They can live from sea level up to about 1,280 meters (4,200 feet) high. There are no different types or subspecies of this mouse known.
Daily Life and What It Eats
Morgan's gerbil mice mostly eat plants. They like seeds from shrubs like Berberis, Acaena, and Lycium. They also eat a small number of insects.
These mice are nocturnal, which means they are active at night. During the day, they rest in nests they build. They make their nests by cutting holes into the bottom of clumps of grass. They do not store food in these nests.
Owls and other local animals often hunt these mice. When they are attacked, they are known to run away in a zigzag pattern. They move by partly running and partly leaping.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
The breeding season for Morgan's gerbil mouse lasts from October to April in most areas. In colder, more southerly places, the breeding season is shorter.
A mother mouse usually has three to nine babies in one litter. The young mice grow up quickly. They can have their own babies when they are only six to eight weeks old. Most Morgan's gerbil mice do not live longer than nine months.
