The fur of pocket gophers is generally short and may be very sparse in species living in hot, tropical environments. When full, the pouches make the pocket gopher's head appear almost twice its natural size. These commodious pouches are lined with fur and are used to transport food and nest material (but not soil) within the burrow system. Pocket gophers have cheek pouches that open external to the mouth and extend from the mouth region to the animal's shoulders (hence the common name 'pocket' gopher).

These powerful digging appendages can also be used to push large quantities of earth within the burrow. Although short, the forelegs are stout, withīroad hands and long, curved claws. While digging, the pocket gopher's lips can be closed behind the incisors to prevent soil from entering the mouth. Most digging is accomplished using the claws of the powerful forefeet, but the large, procumbent, and blade-like incisor teeth also are used on occasion for digging. Pocket gophers have relatively short limbs and a short, almost hairless tail. Their eyes and external ears (pinnae) are reduced in size, and numerous hairs around the eyes and ears prevent the entry of soil. Their body is tubular in shape, which permits them to travel rapidly both forwards and backwards in tunnels. Pocket gophers are extraordinarily well adapted for life in subterranean tunnels. Surprisingly, the louse relationships almost exactly mirror the relationships among their hosts (a phenomenon known as 'cospeciation'), which suggests that lice and pocket gophers have been living together for many millions of years. Pocket gophers are most diverse in Mexico, where representatives of all six genera (and 22 of the 36 species) can be found.Įvolutionary relationships among species of pocket gophers have been compared to the relationships among species of chewing lice that live in the pocket gopher's fur. Molecular analyses of DNA sequences support this basic subdivision within the family Geomyidae. Living pocket gophers comprise two major lineages, one of which contains only a single living genus, Thomomys, the other containing the living genera Geomys, Cratogeomys, Orthogeomys, Pappogeomys, and Zygogeomys. The closest living relatives to pocket gophers are members of the rodent family Heteromyidae, which includes kangaroo rats ( Dipodomys) and pocket mice ( Chaetodipus and Perognathus). Pocket gophers have an extensive fossil record that dates back to the late Oligocene or early Miocene of North America, approximately 25 million years ago. North, central, and northwestern North America Evolution and systematics Meadows, prairies, woodlands, and desertsĬritically Endangered: 2 species Endangered: 1 species Vulnerable: 2 species Lower Risk/Near Threatened: 10 species

Small- to medium-sized herbivores, characterized by a tube-shaped body, small eyes and ears, short tail, short but stout forelimbs, and small hindlimbsĥ–14 in (13–36 cm) 0.13–3.1 lb (60–1,400 g)