Phillips's kangaroo rat facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Phillips's kangaroo rat |
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| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Rodentia |
| Family: | Heteromyidae |
| Genus: | Dipodomys |
| Species: |
D. phillipsii
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| Binomial name | |
| Dipodomys phillipsii J. E. Gray, 1841
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The Phillips's kangaroo rat (scientific name: Dipodomys phillipsii) is a small, jumping animal. It's a type of rodent that belongs to the Heteromyidae family. These special rats live only in Mexico, which means they are endemic there. They love to live in hot, dry places like deserts.
This kangaroo rat is named after John Phillips. He was a person who worked for a mining company in Mexico. John Phillips sent animal samples, including the first example of this kangaroo rat, to the British Museum.
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What Does Phillips's Kangaroo Rat Look Like?
Phillips's kangaroo rat is a medium-sized rodent. It has a small body and a very long tail. This tail looks a bit like a flag. Its front teeth are smaller than those of other kangaroo rats. It has four toes on its back feet.
The fur of these rats can be different colors. It can be yellowish-brown, cinnamon, or even brownish-black. They have dark marks on their face. Their tail has dark stripes on the sides. These stripes join together near the white tip of the tail.
Male and female kangaroo rats look similar. However, their size and color can change a lot depending on where they live.
- Rats from southern Mexico are smaller and paler. They are about 26 centimeters (about 10 inches) long. Their tail is about 16.5 centimeters (about 6.5 inches) long.
- Rats from northern areas are medium to large. They are pale in color and have a wide head.
- Rats from the middle of their home range are medium or large. They tend to be darker in color.
Where Do Phillips's Kangaroo Rats Live?
Phillips's kangaroo rat lives only in Mexico. Its home range stretches from the middle of the State of Durango. It goes south to the northern part of the State of Oaxaca. Long ago, these rats also lived in the Valley of Mexico. But they are no longer found there.
They live at different heights, from about 950 meters (3,117 feet) to 2,850 meters (9,350 feet) above sea level. These kangaroo rats prefer dry or partly dry land. Their favorite places have:
- Bare ground
- Short grass
- Weeds
- Small patches of thorny bushes
- Prickly pear and other types of cactus
How Do Phillips's Kangaroo Rats Live?
Phillips's kangaroo rats are nocturnal. This means they are active at night. During the day, they rest in their burrows underground. Some burrows have only one entrance. This entrance is about 7.5 centimeters (3 inches) wide. It goes into the ground at a slight angle. Other burrows have several entrances. These entrances are about a meter (3 feet) apart. The tunnels inside are curved tubes. They are about 5 centimeters (2 inches) wide. Each burrow has a main room at the end.
These kangaroo rats look for food on calm nights. They even go out when it's frosty. But they do not leave their burrows during bad storms. Sometimes, Phillips's kangaroo rats share their burrows. They might share with the silky pocket mouse (Perognathus flavus).
Reproduction and Diet
Scientists don't know much about how these kangaroo rats have babies. However, female rats with two or three babies inside them were found in June and October. Young kangaroo rats were caught in traps during seven months of the year. This suggests they can have babies at different times.
Their eating habits are also not fully known. But seeds and small green leaves have been found in their cheek pouches. These pouches are like little pockets on their cheeks. Dandelion leaves have also been found in one burrow.
What Is the Status of Phillips's Kangaroo Rat?
Phillips's kangaroo rat is common in the large area where it lives. Scientists believe there are many of them. Their numbers seem to be steady. Because of this, the IUCN (a group that checks animal populations) says the species is of "least concern". This means they are not currently in danger of disappearing.
History of the Name
In 1841, John Edward Gray first described this species. He named it Dipodomys phillipii. People think this was a mistake in spelling. Gray himself used D. phillipsii in a paper the next year. Other writers used different spellings too. For example, Elliott Coues used D. phillipsi.
 | William Lucy |
 | Charles Hayes |
 | Cleveland Robinson |
