Family of burrowing rodents
Pocket gophers
, commonly referred to simply as
gophers
, are
burrowing
rodents
of the family
Geomyidae
.
[2]
The roughly 41 species
[3]
are all
endemic
to North and Central America.
[4]
They are commonly known for their extensive tunneling activities and their ability to destroy farms and gardens.
The name "pocket gopher" on its own may refer to any of a number of
genera
within the
family
Geomyidae. These are the "true" gophers, but several
ground squirrels
in the distantly related family
Sciuridae
are often called "gophers", as well. The origin of the word "gopher" is uncertain; the French
gaufre
, meaning
waffle
, has been suggested, on account of the gopher tunnels resembling the
honeycomb
-like pattern of holes in a waffle;
[5]
another suggestion is that the word is of
Muskogean
origin.
[6]
Description
[
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]
Pocket gophers weigh around
200 g (
1
⁄
2
lb), and are about 15?20 cm (6?8 in) in body length, with a tail 2.5?5 cm (1?2 in) long. A few species reach weights approaching 1 kg (2.2 lb). Within any particular gopher species, the males are larger than the females, and can be nearly double their weight.
[7]
Average lifespans are one to three years.
[8]
The maximum lifespan for the pocket gopher is about five years.
[9]
Some gophers, such as those in the
genus
Geomys
, have lifespans that have been documented as up to seven years in the wild.
[8]
Most gophers have brown fur that often closely matches the color of the
soil
in which they live. Their most characteristic features are their large
cheek
pouches, from which the word "pocket" in their name derives. These pouches are fur-lined, can be turned inside out, and extend from the side of the mouth well back onto the shoulders. Gophers have small eyes and a short, hairy tail, which they use to feel around tunnels when they walk backwards.
Pocket gophers have often been found to carry external
parasites
including, most commonly, lice, but also ticks, fleas, and mites.
[8]
Common predators of the gopher include
weasels
,
snakes
, and
hawks
.
[10]
Behavior
[
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]
All pocket gophers create a network of
tunnel
systems that provide protection and a means of collecting food. They are
larder hoarders
, and their cheek pouches are used for transporting food back to their burrows. Gophers can collect large hoards. Unlike
ground squirrels
, gophers do not live in large communities and seldom find themselves above ground. Tunnel entrances can be identified by small piles of loose soil covering the opening.
[11]
Burrows are in many areas where the soil is softer and easily tunneled. Gophers often visit vegetable gardens, lawns, or farms, as they like moist soil (see
Soil biomantle
). This has led to their frequent treatment as
pests
.
Gophers eat plant roots, shrubs, and other vegetables such as carrots, lettuce, radishes, and any other vegetables with juice.
[12]
Some species are considered agricultural pests. The resulting destruction of plant life then leaves the area a stretch of
denuded
soil. At the same time, the soil disturbance created by turning it over can lead to the early establishment of
ecological succession
in
communities
of
r-selected
and other
ruderal plant species
. The stashing and subsequent decomposition of plant material in the gophers' larder can produce deep fertilization of the soil.
Pocket gophers are
solitary
outside of the
breeding season
, aggressively maintaining
territories
that vary in size depending on the resources available. Males and females may share some burrows and nesting chambers if their territories border each other, but in general, each pocket gopher inhabits its own individual tunnel system. Although they attempt to flee when threatened, they may attack other animals, including
cats
and humans, and can inflict serious bites with their long, sharp teeth.
Depending on the species and local conditions, pocket gophers may have a specific annual breeding season, or may breed repeatedly through the year. Each litter typically consists of two to five young, although this may be much higher in some species. The young are born blind and helpless and are
weaned
when around 40 days old.
[13]
Control
[
edit
]
Geomys
and
Thomomys
species are classed as "prohibited new organisms" under New Zealand's
Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996
, preventing them from being imported into the country.
[14]
Classification
[
edit
]
Much debate exists among
taxonomists
about which races of pocket gophers should be recognized as full species, and the following list cannot be regarded as definitive.
- Family
Geomyidae
[3]
- Genus
Cratogeomys
; some authors treat this genus as a subgenus of
Pappogeomys
.
- Genus
Geomys
? eastern pocket gophers; principally live in the southwestern United States, east of the
Sierra Nevada
mountains
- Genus
Heterogeomys
? giant pocket gophers or taltuzas; live in Mexico, Central America, and Colombia; some authors treat this genus as a subgenus of
Orthogeomys
.
- Genus
Orthogeomys
; live in Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico;
- Genus
Pappogeomys
; live in Mexico
- Genus
Thomomys
? western pocket gophers; widely distributed in North America, extending into the northwestern US, Canada, and the southeastern US.
- Genus
Zygogeomys
Some sources also list a genus
Hypogeomys
, with one species, but this genus name is normally used for the
Malagasy giant rat
, which belongs to the family
Nesomyidae
.
In popular culture
[
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]
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
Eduardo Jimenez-Hidalgo; Rosalia Guerrero-Arenas; Krister T. Smith (2018). "
Gregorymys veloxikua
, The Oldest Pocket Gopher (Rodentia: Geomyidae), and The Early Diversification of Geomyoidea".
Journal of Mammalian Evolution
.
25
(3): 427?439.
doi
:
10.1007/s10914-017-9383-z
.
S2CID
207195992
.
- ^
"ODFW, Oregon Wildlife Species: Gophers"
.
Dfw.state.or.us
. 2014-08-25. Archived from
the original
on 2016-02-08
. Retrieved
2017-05-27
.
- ^
a
b
Search results for "Geomyidae" on the
ASM Mammal Diversity Database
.
- ^
"Outwit Critters"
. Retrieved
16 January
2014
.
There are 35 species of gophers living in both North and Central America.
- ^
"Gopher - definition of gopher in English | Oxford Dictionaries"
. Archived from
the original
on 2017-04-04
. Retrieved
2017-04-03
.
- ^
"American Heritage Dictionary Entry: gopher"
.
Ahdictionary.com
. Retrieved
2017-05-27
.
- ^
Macdonald, David W., ed. (2006).
The Encyclopedia of Mammals
. Oxford University Press.
ISBN
0-19-920608-2
.
- ^
a
b
c
Hygnstrom, Scott E. (2010).
Prevention and Control of Wildlife Damage
. DIANE Publishing Inc. p. B?21.
ISBN
978-1-4379-3688-9
.
- ^
Whisson, Delsey (2006).
Small Grain Production Pt 8: Pest Management -- Vertebrates
. UCANR Publications. p. 5.
ISBN
1-60107-411-5
.
- ^
"Pocket Gophers"
. National Wildlife Federation
. Retrieved
19 January
2014
.
- ^
"Gopher"
. A-Z Animals
. Retrieved
19 January
2014
.
- ^
"Pocket Gopher FAQs"
. Archived from
the original
on 3 February 2018
. Retrieved
2 February
2018
.
- ^
Patton, James (1984). Macdonald, D. (ed.).
The Encyclopedia of Mammals
. New York: Facts on File. pp.
628?631
.
ISBN
0-87196-871-1
.
- ^
Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 2003 - Schedule 2 Prohibited new organisms
, New Zealand Government
, retrieved
26 January
2012
- ^
"Thirteen-lined ground squirrel"
.
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
. Retrieved
6 June
2023
.
The 13 liner is very familiar to Minnesotans because this little animal is the mascot for the University of Minnesota's "Golden Gophers!"
- ^
"Gainer punted from McMahon Stadium"
. Archived from
the original
on 2012-11-09
. Retrieved
2010-09-17
.
- ^
Martin, Scott (25 March 2007).
The Book of Caddyshack: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About the Greatest Movie Ever Made
. Taylor Trade Publishing.
ISBN
9781589795143
– via Google Books.
- ^
"The Go Gopher - The Go Blog"
.
- ^
"Archive - The CBBC Broom Cupboard - 25 Years of live Children's BBC presentation"
.
BBC
. Retrieved
2017-05-27
.
- ^
TV, Guardian (6 August 2015).
"Gordon's alive! Phillip Schofield's puppet sidekick is back"
.
The Guardian
.
External links
[
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]