Until recently, this species was refered to as Perognathus. Hafner suggested that, based on morphological and other characters, spiny perognathine pocket mice merited the elevation of the subgenus Chaetodipus to full generic status.
No information could be found on the communication techniques of C. formosus. However, as mammals, they are able to perceive visual stimuli, and have senses of smell and taste. It is likely that these senses are involved in communication. Tactile communication is probably important between mates, rivals, or between mother and offspring.
Perception Channels: visual ; tactile ; acoustic ; chemical
Long-tailed pocket mice are not listed by IUCN or CITES.
US Federal List: no special status
CITES: no special status
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: least concern
Burrowing could be a potential conflict for farmers if the species is creating burrows in farm fields. Heteromyid rodents are also reservoirs for many zoonotic diseases.
Negative Impacts: injures humans (carries human disease); crop pest; causes or carries domestic animal disease
No information was found on positive economic impacts of long-tailed pocket mice.
Burrows are excavated in gravely or rocky banks, or at the base of shrubs. This provides aeration of the soil because they are burrowing and turning up the soil. As seed cachers, they probably help to disperse seeds. Because they are a prey species, it is likely they could affect predator populations--especially in years where reproduction is high.
Ecosystem Impact: disperses seeds; soil aeration
Commensal/Parasitic Species:
Chaetodipus formosus has external fur lined cheek pouches to carry seed and other food items. Seed caching and food storage is common among the family Heteromyidae. Although this species is primarily granivorous, they also eat fruits and arthropods, and feed opportunistically on stems and leaves of green vegetation. Seeds are collected on the ground beneath and between shrubs, and on rocky surfaces. Water is obtained from food, especially green vegetation.
Animal Foods: insects; terrestrial non-insect arthropods
Plant Foods: leaves; seeds, grains, and nuts; fruit
Foraging Behavior: stores or caches food
Primary Diet: herbivore (Granivore )
Chaetodipus formosus is found in the western United States including southern Nevada, western Utah, southeastern California into the Baja peninsula, and the northwest corner of Arizona. Chaetodipus formosus also is found in Northern Mexico.
Biogeographic Regions: nearctic (Native )
Chaetodipus formosus occupies a wide variety of elevations, from 85 m below sea level to 1,970 meters above. They are most often found in rocky desert areas that contain sagebrush, desert scrub, and desert succulent shrubs with hard groundcover and/or rocky soils. These areas are often at the base of cliffs or at the mouth of canyons. They are found in the lava beds of Vulcan's Throne, on rocky or gravelly soil of dry stream beds, or among marble-sized rocks of the desert scrub floor and Colorado River beaches.
Range elevation: -85 to 1,970 m.
Habitat Regions: temperate ; terrestrial
Terrestrial Biomes: desert or dune
No information could be found on the lifespan of long-tailed pocket mice, but generally pocket mice only live 1 to 2 years.
Range lifespan
Status: wild: 5 (high) years.
Body length of these animals is between 76 and 101 mm, with a crested tail usually adding 80 to 110 mm in length. They weigh between 10.5 and 17 grams. The dorsal pelage is grey with a white underside. Chaetodipus formosus has the same dental formula as all heteromyids: I 1/1, C 0/0, P 1/1, M 3/3 X 2 = 20
Range mass: 10.5 to 17.0 g.
Range length: 76 to 101 mm.
Other Physical Features: endothermic ; heterothermic ; bilateral symmetry
Sexual Dimorphism: sexes alike
Average basal metabolic rate: 0.103 W.
Predators include owls, snakes, leopard lizards, swift foxes, and other predatory mammals.
Known Predators:
The is no information found on the mating systems of long-tailed pocket mice
Chaetodipus formosus is an iteroparous species breeding more than once in its life time. The breeding season occurs in the spring lasting about four months with a peak in the middle two months. Populations can increase rapidly, and under good conditions up to 70 per cent of the females in the population will become pregnant. With an average litter size just under 6 young, this can lead to up to a five fold increase in population size. In years with good precipitation and food suppy a second breeding season may occur, and those young born early in the year are able to reproduce by this second season.
Breeding interval: These animals usually produce one litter per year, but can produce two if the conditions are good.
Breeding season: Breeding season for these mice is from April to July.
Range number of offspring: 2 to 7.
Average number of offspring: 6.
Range age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female): 10 to 12 months.
Range age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male): 10 to 12 months.
Key Reproductive Features: iteroparous ; seasonal breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; fertilization ; viviparous
Average birth mass: 1 g.
Average gestation period: 28 days.
Average number of offspring: 5.
There is no information on the parental care of C. formosus. However, most small mice are altricial when they are born. Mothers typically care for the young in a nest of some sort until they are able to walk about. Most parental care in mice is provided by females, who groom, nurse, and protect the young. No information is available on the extent of male parental care in this species.
Parental Investment: no parental involvement; altricial ; pre-fertilization (Protecting: Female); pre-hatching/birth (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Female); pre-weaning/fledging (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Female); pre-independence (Protecting: Female)
The long-tailed pocket mouse (Chaetodipus formosus) is a species of rodent in the family Heteromyidae. It is found in Arizona, California, Nevada and Utah in the United States and Baja California in Mexico.[1]
The long-tailed pocket mouse (Chaetodipus formosus) is a species of rodent in the family Heteromyidae. It is found in Arizona, California, Nevada and Utah in the United States and Baja California in Mexico.
