Baird's Pocket Gopher
Encyclopedia
Baird’s Pocket Gopher or Louisiana Pocket Gopher (Geomys breviceps) is a species of pocket gopher
that is native to the Southern United States
. In total, there are three almost identical species of eastern pocket gopher
; Geomys attwateri, Geomys bursarius, and Geomys breviceps. Geomys breviceps are larger in size, the Geomys attwateri are medium and the Geomys bursarius are a bit smaller. The only variation is in size, but other than this they are un-identifiable by external features. Baird’s Pocket Gophers are small rodents with the majority of their weight set on their top half.
Baird’s Pocket Gopher is native to eastern Texas
, western Louisiana
, eastern Oklahoma
and southwestern Arkansas
. It is a burrowing creature, meaning it digs tunnels and generally lives underground, except during the rainy seasons. It has sharp, long, curved front claws designed specifically for digging. Generally, they are safe from predators since it lives underground, though other burrowing rodents such as badgers and long tailed weasels may pose a threat. Baird’s Pocket Gopher has bacteria in its digestive system, allowing it to digest various grasses and they are able to re-ingest fecal pellets. It is polygamous and has a high reproductive rate which is one of the main reasons for its survival. On average, Baird’s Pocket Gopher has two to three babies per litter. It lives about 1 to 2 years in the wild.
y Lufkin and Ochlocknee soil types where the topsoil
has a depth of less than 10 centimetres (3.9 in). The third soil type, Wilson sandy loam
, becomes hard and compact when it dries, therefore G. breviceps is not inclined to habituate itself in any soil made of dense clay.
The species is less likely to be in soil that has a high moisture content as well. Baird’s pocket gopher lives a solitary life underground with the ability to create burrows. The only time a gopher may retreat from its burrow is during wet months, to avoid being flooded out. Burrows are the common form of living quarters that the pocket gopher creates. On average each burrow is 6 cm (2.4 in) in diameter and are found at depths of 10–68 cm (3.9–26.8 in) underground, making it possible for only one adult gopher to occupy a single burrow system. Burrow systems are very complex and range from 55–180 cm (21.7–70.9 in) in length. The tunnels meander aimlessly through various feeding areas, which indicates that burrowing is primarily done in the search for food. An average mound created by the Geomys breviceps is about 30 by 45 cm (11.8 by 17.7 in)in length, and about 8 cm (3.1 in) in height, and is in a crescent shape. During the winter months, the gopher creates special mounds, which contain feeding galleries, a nesting chamber, a "bathroom", and food storage chambers.
is shorter than width of the mouth meaning the dorsal of the animal exceeds the jugal
bone. The neck is a little thinner but the heaviest part of the body is carried on the back of the head. The eyes are very small and beadlike and the ears are found only by a meager flap of skin that follows the top of the temple. There are external pouches on the cheeks; these pouches are fur-lined and used for transporting food. The body gradually tapers from the head to the tail, widening a little at the thighs.
Short hair covers the body with range of colors from pale brown to black and usually more pale when you travel towards the belly area. The tail is short, thick, and bare with very little hair found at the base averaging 65 mm (2.6 in). The front feet are used for digging; the feet appear as long curved claws, the rear feet are smaller with an average length of 31 mm (1.2 in). They look identical to the G. attwateri and the G. bursarius and the only they difference is by scientific testing. The males have an average weight of 180 – with a cranium length of 19 mm (0.748031496062992 in), while the average weight for females is 120 – with a cranium length of 19 mm (0.748031496062992 in).
, tuber
s, certain roots, and all kinds of other types of plant life. It burrows underground and while they are making their nests they even obtain food from the roots of different plants in their tunnels. They store the food they gather in small pockets called “cheek pouches” on the side of their head that look like black slits; this is where the name “pocket gopher” was thought up from [Tumlison: 1]. If there is no food where they burrow, they at least tend to try and find food that is closer to where they are nesting; it is rarely seen above ground. Like other rodents, Baird's Pocket Gopher has gnawing front teeth called incisor
s, which makes it easier for the animal to dig through dirt and still gather food [Tumlison: 1].
To make it a simpler process on the Baird’s Pocket Gopher to digest the grasses and plants they eat, their body creates a kind of bacteria called cellulose in their digestive system, helping the body process and digest the grasses and plants better. Like other mammals, or rodents, Baird's Pocket Gopher re-ingests fecal pellets which benefit them during the winter and for the more rainy seasons throughout the year. The re-ingestion of fecal pellets increases the efficiency of food utilization which is useful when the plants are scarce in these seasons.
Pocket gopher
The pocket gophers are burrowing rodents of the family Geomyidae. These are the "true" gophers, though several ground squirrels of the family Sciuridae are often called gophers as well...
that is native to the Southern United States
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
. In total, there are three almost identical species of eastern pocket gopher
Geomys
The genus Geomys contains nine species of pocket gophers often collectively referred to as the eastern pocket gophers. Like all pocket gophers, members of this genus are fossorial herbivores.-Species:*Geomys...
; Geomys attwateri, Geomys bursarius, and Geomys breviceps. Geomys breviceps are larger in size, the Geomys attwateri are medium and the Geomys bursarius are a bit smaller. The only variation is in size, but other than this they are un-identifiable by external features. Baird’s Pocket Gophers are small rodents with the majority of their weight set on their top half.
Baird’s Pocket Gopher is native to eastern Texas
East Texas
East Texas is a distinct geographic and ecological area in the U.S. state of Texas.According to the Handbook of Texas, the East Texas area "may be separated from the rest of Texas roughly by a line extending from the Red River in north central Lamar County southwestward to east central Limestone...
, western Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, eastern Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
and southwestern Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
. It is a burrowing creature, meaning it digs tunnels and generally lives underground, except during the rainy seasons. It has sharp, long, curved front claws designed specifically for digging. Generally, they are safe from predators since it lives underground, though other burrowing rodents such as badgers and long tailed weasels may pose a threat. Baird’s Pocket Gopher has bacteria in its digestive system, allowing it to digest various grasses and they are able to re-ingest fecal pellets. It is polygamous and has a high reproductive rate which is one of the main reasons for its survival. On average, Baird’s Pocket Gopher has two to three babies per litter. It lives about 1 to 2 years in the wild.
Habitat
Baird's Pocket Gopher is commonly located on the Gulf Coastal Plains of Eastern Texas in three different soil types. It is found in fine sandSand
Sand is a naturally occurring granular material composed of finely divided rock and mineral particles.The composition of sand is highly variable, depending on the local rock sources and conditions, but the most common constituent of sand in inland continental settings and non-tropical coastal...
y Lufkin and Ochlocknee soil types where the topsoil
Topsoil
Topsoil is the upper, outermost layer of soil, usually the top to . It has the highest concentration of organic matter and microorganisms and is where most of the Earth's biological soil activity occurs.-Importance:...
has a depth of less than 10 centimetres (3.9 in). The third soil type, Wilson sandy loam
Loam
Loam is soil composed of sand, silt, and clay in relatively even concentration . Loam soils generally contain more nutrients and humus than sandy soils, have better infiltration and drainage than silty soils, and are easier to till than clay soils...
, becomes hard and compact when it dries, therefore G. breviceps is not inclined to habituate itself in any soil made of dense clay.
The species is less likely to be in soil that has a high moisture content as well. Baird’s pocket gopher lives a solitary life underground with the ability to create burrows. The only time a gopher may retreat from its burrow is during wet months, to avoid being flooded out. Burrows are the common form of living quarters that the pocket gopher creates. On average each burrow is 6 cm (2.4 in) in diameter and are found at depths of 10–68 cm (3.9–26.8 in) underground, making it possible for only one adult gopher to occupy a single burrow system. Burrow systems are very complex and range from 55–180 cm (21.7–70.9 in) in length. The tunnels meander aimlessly through various feeding areas, which indicates that burrowing is primarily done in the search for food. An average mound created by the Geomys breviceps is about 30 by 45 cm (11.8 by 17.7 in)in length, and about 8 cm (3.1 in) in height, and is in a crescent shape. During the winter months, the gopher creates special mounds, which contain feeding galleries, a nesting chamber, a "bathroom", and food storage chambers.
Physical description
The pocket gophers are considered to be medium to small in size in the Rodentia Order. Baird's Pocket Gopher has a cylinder shaped body with most of its weight carried near their head. The zygomatic archZygomatic arch
The zygomatic arch or cheek bone is formed by the zygomatic process of temporal bone and the temporal process of the zygomatic bone , the two being united by an oblique suture; the tendon of the Temporalis passes medial to the arch to gain insertion into the coronoid process...
is shorter than width of the mouth meaning the dorsal of the animal exceeds the jugal
Jugal
The jugal is a skull bone found in most reptiles, amphibians, and birds. In mammals, the jugal is often called the malar or Zygomatic. It is connected to the quadratojugal and maxilla, as well as other bones, which may vary by species....
bone. The neck is a little thinner but the heaviest part of the body is carried on the back of the head. The eyes are very small and beadlike and the ears are found only by a meager flap of skin that follows the top of the temple. There are external pouches on the cheeks; these pouches are fur-lined and used for transporting food. The body gradually tapers from the head to the tail, widening a little at the thighs.
Short hair covers the body with range of colors from pale brown to black and usually more pale when you travel towards the belly area. The tail is short, thick, and bare with very little hair found at the base averaging 65 mm (2.6 in). The front feet are used for digging; the feet appear as long curved claws, the rear feet are smaller with an average length of 31 mm (1.2 in). They look identical to the G. attwateri and the G. bursarius and the only they difference is by scientific testing. The males have an average weight of 180 – with a cranium length of 19 mm (0.748031496062992 in), while the average weight for females is 120 – with a cranium length of 19 mm (0.748031496062992 in).
Diet
Baird's Pocket Gopher eats grassGrass
Grasses, or more technically graminoids, are monocotyledonous, usually herbaceous plants with narrow leaves growing from the base. They include the "true grasses", of the Poaceae family, as well as the sedges and the rushes . The true grasses include cereals, bamboo and the grasses of lawns ...
, tuber
Tuber
Tubers are various types of modified plant structures that are enlarged to store nutrients. They are used by plants to survive the winter or dry months and provide energy and nutrients for regrowth during the next growing season and they are a means of asexual reproduction...
s, certain roots, and all kinds of other types of plant life. It burrows underground and while they are making their nests they even obtain food from the roots of different plants in their tunnels. They store the food they gather in small pockets called “cheek pouches” on the side of their head that look like black slits; this is where the name “pocket gopher” was thought up from [Tumlison: 1]. If there is no food where they burrow, they at least tend to try and find food that is closer to where they are nesting; it is rarely seen above ground. Like other rodents, Baird's Pocket Gopher has gnawing front teeth called incisor
Incisor
Incisors are the first kind of tooth in heterodont mammals. They are located in the premaxilla above and mandible below.-Function:...
s, which makes it easier for the animal to dig through dirt and still gather food [Tumlison: 1].
To make it a simpler process on the Baird’s Pocket Gopher to digest the grasses and plants they eat, their body creates a kind of bacteria called cellulose in their digestive system, helping the body process and digest the grasses and plants better. Like other mammals, or rodents, Baird's Pocket Gopher re-ingests fecal pellets which benefit them during the winter and for the more rainy seasons throughout the year. The re-ingestion of fecal pellets increases the efficiency of food utilization which is useful when the plants are scarce in these seasons.
Further reading
- Wilson, Don E. The Smithsonian Book of North American Mammal. UBC Press, 1999 http://books.google.com/books?id=qNFgzIPGuSUC
- Sulentich, James M. and Williams, Lawrence R. "Geomys breviceps." Mammalian Species." 1991. 10 May 2009 http://www.science.smith.edu/departments/Biology/VHAYSSEN/msi/pdf/i0076-3519-383-01-0001.pdf