Geographic distribution, characteriscs and taxonomic key to Costa Rican Pocket Gophers (Orthogeomys spp., Rodentia: Geomyidae)
Geographic distribution, characteriscs and taxonomic key to Costa Rican Pocket Gophers (Orthogeomys spp., Rodentia: Geomyidae). Pocket gophers are land mammals of agricultural importance for the damage they can cause to crops. There are four species in Costa Rica: Orthogeomys cherriei, O. heterodus, O. underwoodi and O. cavator. I checked their distribution records until January 2010 to assess their current biogeography. O. cherriei is distributed in the hot and humid North and North Caribbean regions, and is characterized by a dark gray fur with a distinctive white patch on the head. O. heterodus occurs in the Central region in mid to high altitudes, with rainfall and temperature similar to O. cherriei, but it is larger and uniformly brown-gray. O.underwoodi is found in the Central and South Pacific regions, in hot and humid climate. It differs from O. cherriei because it has a broad white strip on the back in the lumbar region. O. cavator dwells in the Central Region and to the west of the country, including some of the Southern Caribbean and South Pacific regions, with varied climates. It is uniformly dark gray and similar in size to O. heterodus. This article includes a key to species.
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| Format: | Digital revista |
| Language: | spa |
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Universidad Estatal a Distancia, Costa Rica
2010
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| Online Access: | https://revistas.uned.ac.cr/index.php/cuadernos/article/view/219 |
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