Narrow-skulled pocket mouse facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Narrow-skulled pocket mouse |
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|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Chaetodipus
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| Species: |
artus
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The narrow-skulled pocket mouse (Chaetodipus artus) is a type of rodent. It belongs to the Heteromyidae family, which includes mice, rats, and similar small mammals. This special mouse is found only in western Mexico. It lives west of the Sierra Madre Occidental mountains.
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About the Narrow-Skulled Pocket Mouse
This pocket mouse is a medium-sized animal. It grows to about 185 mm (7.3 in) long. Its tail adds another 96 mm (3.8 in) to its length. Male mice are usually a little bigger than females.
What Makes It Special?
The narrow-skulled pocket mouse has a skull that is smaller and narrower. This helps tell it apart from a similar mouse, Goldman's pocket mouse. Both mice live in the same parts of Mexico.
Other ways to tell them apart include:
- Its tail is less hairy and more scaly.
- It has a wider stripe on its back.
- It is a bit shorter overall.
- Its ears are darker.
- Its fur on its back is darker and less "grizzled" (meaning it doesn't have as many mixed-color hairs).
In one area, near the Rio Septentrion, these mice have even darker fur. This might be because the soil there is darker. Darker fur helps them hide from animals that hunt during the day.
What Do They Eat?
Like many other pocket mice, the narrow-skulled pocket mouse mainly eats seeds.
Where Do They Live?
The narrow-skulled pocket mouse lives only in Mexico. You can find it in the states of Chihuahua, Sonora, Durango, and Sinaloa.
Different Homes for Different Mice
These mice live in different places depending on the state:
- In Chihuahua, they prefer rocky areas and canyons.
- In Durango, they live in humid tropical forests. These forests are on the western side of the Sierra Madre Occidental mountains.
- In Sonora, they live among mesquite trees in sandy areas. They can be found near the Rio Mayo, in gullies, and next to farms.
- In northern Sinaloa, they live higher up in more humid woodlands with short trees.
When the narrow-skulled pocket mouse lives near Goldman's pocket mouse, they usually choose different spots. The narrow-skulled mouse prefers areas closer to rivers. Goldman's pocket mouse tends to live in drier places away from the water.
Who Are Their Neighbors?
Many other animals share the same home as the narrow-skulled pocket mouse. These include:
- The painted spiny pocket mouse
- The Sinaloan pocket mouse
- The southern grasshopper mouse
- The white-throated woodrat
- The cactus mouse
- The antelope jackrabbit
Is This Mouse Safe?
The narrow-skulled pocket mouse is common in many areas where it lives. Scientists believe there are many of them. Some of these mice live in protected areas. However, if they move into farmland, they can be in danger. Farmers sometimes use poisons to control rodents, which can harm these mice.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) checks on animals around the world. They have listed the narrow-skulled pocket mouse as "least concern". This means they are not currently worried about this species becoming endangered.
