Thomomys monticola

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	MAMMALIA	RODENTIA	GEOMYIDAE

Scientific Name:	Thomomys monticola
Species Authority:	J.A. Allen, 1893
Common Name/s: English – Mountain Pocket Gopher
Taxonomic Notes:	Thomomys mazama was included in this species in some older literature, but is now considered a valid species.

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:	Least Concern     ver 3.1
Year Assessed:	2008
Assessor/s:	Linzey, A.V. & NatureServe (Hammerson, G.)
Reviewer/s:	Amori, G. (Small Nonvolant Mammal Red List Authority) & Chanson, J. (Global Mammal Assessment Team)
Justification: Listed as Least Concern because its range is much greater than 20,000 km², it is common and its populations are secure, and there are no major threats at present.
History:	1996 – Lower Risk/least concern

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	This species is known from the Central Sierra Nevada Mountains of California and western Nevada from Yosemite National Park to Mount Shasta in the United States. There is a disjunct population on South Yolla Bolly Mountain in northwestern California.
Countries:	Native: United States (California, Nevada)
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	This species is common within its range and considered secure (NatureServe). Population densities may be 4-14/acre.
Population Trend:	Stable

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:

Mountain pocket gophers are found on mountain meadows and rocky slopes in pine, fir, spruce, and hemlock forests (Patton, in Wilson and Ruff, 1999); in rich moist soil, as well as gravelly or rocky ground. They occur on the open forest floor and at the edge of meadows. This species is primarily fossorial. In winter nests may be above ground in snow. Gestation probably lasts about 18-19 days. Females produce one litter of three to four young per year. Young are born in July-August. This species is solitary, except during the breeding season. Its underground burrow system may cover 200sqft for young animals to 2,000sqft for old females. They may live four years in the wild. Pocket gophers are ecologically important as prey items and in influencing soils, microtopography, habitat heterogeneity, diversity of plant species, and primary productivity (Huntly and Inouye, 1988). Diet includes roots, tubers, and some surface vegetation. Gophers will forage within underground burrows, they may also forage on the surface of ground. Food is collected in external cheek pouches and stored in underground chambers.

Systems:

Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):

There are no major threats to this species.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:

This species is not of conservation concern, and its range includes several protected areas.

Bibliography [top]

Huntly, N. and Inouye, R. 1988. Pocket gophers in ecosystems: patterns and mechanisms. BioScience 38: 386-793. Wilson, D. E. and Ruff, S. 1999. The Smithsonian Book of North American Mammals. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC, USA.