Smoky Pocket Gopher (Cratogeomys fumosus) lives in mountainous forests across Central America. It feeds on grass and roots. Its conservation status is Least Concern.
Fascinating facts about the Smoky Pocket Gopher
- The smoky pocket gopher lives only within the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt, a chain of mountains that runs across central Mexico. Its distribution is confined to the states of Jalisco, Colima, Michoacan, Guanajuato, Queretaro, Hidalgo, Estado de Mexico and the Mexican Federal District, where it inhabits subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland.
- Genetic studies have revealed that what were once thought to be separate species are actually members of a single taxon, Cratogeomys fumosus. Molecular phylogenetics shows that the animals formerly named C. tylorhinus and C. zinseri all belong to this species. Because of this revision, four subspecies are now recognised under the name Cratogeomys fumosus, reflecting the genetic continuity across its range.
- The smoky pocket gopher is a rodent belonging to the family Geomyidae, the group that includes all pocket gophers. As a member of this family it is a burrowing mammal adapted to a subterranean lifestyle, using strong forelimbs and incisors to excavate soil.
- The scientific name Cratogeomys fumosus uniquely identifies the smoky pocket gopher. It places the animal within the rodent family Geomyidae, a group known for its burrowing specialists. This species is endemic to the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt, occurring only in a string of central Mexican states.
Sources
Every fact above was checked against these pages, and kept only where one of them states it.
At a glance
RangeCentral America
HabitatMountainous forests
DietGrass and roots
About the Smoky Pocket Gopher
In the sun-baked badlands, a secretive creature stirs, its paws barely disturbing the dusty earth as it navigates a subterranean world of dark tunnels and hidden chambers. The Smoky Pocket Gopher, a master of stealth and industry, moves unseen, its powerful claws and robust body sculpting a labyrinthine network of burrows that crisscross the arid landscape like an invisible metropolis. As it digs, the gopher's sensitive whiskers twitch, guiding it through the darkness, driven by an insatiable urge to excavate and create, its remarkable engineering prowess a testament to the enduring power of life in even the most inhospitable of environments.
Hear the Smoky Pocket Gopher, and 4,400+ more
Real recorded sounds, 11 nature games and a free Daily 5, 1v1 quiz duels, conservation wins and a safe Kids mode. Free on Feravox.
