White-eared pocket mouse facts for kids
Quick facts for kids White-eared pocket mouse |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Perognathus
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| Species: |
alticola
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| Synonyms | |
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The white-eared pocket mouse (Perognathus alticola) is a small rodent that belongs to the Heteromyidae family. These special mice are only found in certain parts of southern California in the United States. You can find them in the San Bernardino Mountains and the Tehachapi Mountains. There are two types, or subspecies, of this mouse: P. a. alticola and P. a. inexpectatus. Both are considered important to protect by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
What Makes Them Special?
White-eared pocket mice are named for the white or yellowish fur on the outside of their ears. They are medium to large-sized mice within their group, Perognathus. Their backs are yellowish-brown with dark lines, and their bellies are white.
How to Identify Them
The tail of a white-eared pocket mouse usually has two or three colors. The bottom part is white, and the top matches their back. The very tip of the tail is often black or dark. Male mice are generally larger than females. This means they show sexual dimorphism based on their size.
- Total body length: about 155 millimeters (6 inches)
- Tail length: about 80 millimeters (3 inches)
- Hind foot length: about 21 millimeters (less than 1 inch)
- Ear length: about 6 millimeters (a quarter of an inch)
Where Do They Live?
White-eared pocket mice are only found in California. You can find them in Kern County, Los Angeles County, San Bernardino County, and the San Bernardino Mountains. They live in dry shrublands and forests. These areas are usually at high elevations, more than 1,500 meters (about 4,900 feet) above sea level.
Their Home and Habitat
Perognathus alticola can be found in several different types of places. They live in Ponderosa pine forests, especially open ones with bracken ferns (Pteridium aquilinum). They also like wooded areas that have Joshua trees and pinyon-juniper woodland. Sometimes, they are found in grasslands with scattered Ponderosa pines. Other habitats include chaparral, coastal-sage areas, and places with lots of Salsola plants.
