Order Rodentia Family Cricetidae

1. Order RodentiaFamily Cricetidae • Diastema • 1 pair incisors • Ears shorter than tail • Eyes, ears visible • Tail with fur, or laterally flattened; not bushy • Tail shorter than head and body Peromyscus leucopus

2. Reithrodontomys megalotis Identification: Long bicolored tail; fur bristly, short; dorsum yellow-brown to gray; venter white; upper incisor face grooved Distribution: Statewide Habitat: Grassy habitats; spherical nest of grasses, fibers, down

3. Reithrodontomys megalotis Diet: Seeds, grains, herbaceous vegetation; some invertebrates Reproduction: Up to 14 litters of 1-9 annually Conservation: Fairly common

4. Peromyscus maniculatus bairdii Identification: Large eyes; fur not very bristly; incisors lack grooves; bicolored tail; dorsum brown to gray; dorsum white (TL 125-160 mm) Distribution: Statewide Habitat: Grassy and brushy areas; early invader of disturbed habitat (e.g., tilled fields)

5. Peromyscus maniculatus bairdii Diet: Grains, invertebrates Reproduction: Several litters of 1-11 annually Conservation: Very abundant Other: Most common carrier of Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome

6. Peromyscus leucopus Identification: Large eyes; fur not very bristly; incisors lack grooves; bicolored tail in winter; dorsum brown to gray; dorsum white (TL 160-200) Distribution: Statewide Habitat: Tall weedy, brushy, wooded habitat

7. Peromyscus leucopus Diet: Nuts, seeds, berries, invertebrates Reproduction: Several litters of 1-7 annually Conservation: Common Other: Carrier of Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome

8. Clethrionomys gapperi Identification: Small eyes, ears; dorsum with reddish stripe flanked by gray; venter grayish to white Distribution: Northern Iowa Habitat: Cold, moist forests and open wet areas; tunnel under logs

9. Clethrionomys gapperi Diet: Nuts, seeds, berries, herbaceous vegetation, some invertebrates Reproduction: Multiple litters of 2-10 Conservation: Endangered; likely survives only in Pilot Knob State Park, Hancock County

10. Microtus pinetorum Identification: Small eyes and ears; tail longer than hind foot, and up to 29 mm; fur soft and velvety; dorsum reddish to reddish brown Distribution: Statewide Habitat: Old-growth forest

11. Microtus pinetorum Diet: Nuts, seeds, roots, grasses, bark Reproduction: Multiple litters of up to 3 young Conservation: Uncommon

12. Microtus ochrogaster Identification: Small eyes and ears; tail usually > 29 mm; fur long and coarse; dorsum brown to gray with salt-and-pepper appearance; venter usually yellowish; tail somewhat bicolored; molars with 5,4,4 islands of dentine Distribution: Statewide Habitat: Dry, grassy areas Molars

13. Microtus ochrogaster Diet: Green vegetation, roots, seeds, bark Reproduction: Multiple litters of 1-7 Conservation: Generally common, uncommon in east Iowa; probably declining due to agriculture

14. Microtus pennsylvanicus Identification: Small eyes, ears; tail usually longer than 29 mm; fur soft; dorsum brown to gray with salt-and-pepper appearance; venter usually gray; 3 molars with 5,5,5-6 islands of dentine Distribution: Statewide Habitat: Moist grassy areas Molars

15. Microtus pennsylvanicus Diet: Green vegetation, seeds Reproduction: Multiple litters of 1-11 Conservation: Very abundant; probably increasing; densities may reach 100 per acre

16. Order RodentiaFamily MuridaeKristin Myers The Mammals of Texas - Online Edition

17. Onychomys leucogaster: Northern Grasshopper Mouse Identification: stout body; drab brown dorsally, white ventrally; stout, bicolored tail with a white tip, usually less than 1/3 of TL http://www.enature.com/fieldguide/showSpeciesFT.asp?fotogID=942&curPageNum=15&recnum=MA0087

18. Distribution: The Loess Hills

19. Habitat: Shortgrass prairies, sand dunes and sage brush desert. Build burrows in sandy soil; prefer higher elevations Diet: Insects such as grasshoppers, crickets, scorpions and beetles; other grasshopper mice

20. Reproduction: Year round but mainly May-Oct. Give birth to usually 4 young in several litters annually. Males do not care for the young. http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Onychomys_leucogaster.html

21. Conservation status: Threatened Other: Stalk their prey like a feline and let out a shrill cry before attacking. http://jagor.srce.hr/XIIIgim/pictures/rodents/northern_grasshopper_mouse.jpg

22. References • National Wildlife Federation. ENature. Available at http://www.enature.com/fieldguide/showSpeciesFT.asp?fotogID=942&curPageNum=15&recnum=MA0087 • The University of Michigan Museum of Zoology. Animal Diversity Web. Available at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Onychomys_leucogaster.html • Sevilleta LTER Data. Available at http://sevilleta.unm.edu/data/species/mammal/sevilleta/profile/northern-grasshopper-mouse.html

23. Ondatra zibethicusMuskrat Elizabeth Yoder

24. Identification • Semiaquatic • Tail laterally compressed, nearly hairless and scaly • Large hindfeet, partly webbed • Smaller than beaver

25. Identification continued • Upper pelage dark, dense, and glossy • Flanks are paler • Underparts silvery gray

26. Measurements • Total length= 470-630 cm • Tail= 200-260 cm • Hindfoot= 70-90 cm • Weight= .7-1.5 kg

27. Distribution • Statewide • From Alaska and Labrador south to northernmost Mexico

28. Habitat • Streams, ponds, lakes, marshes, sloughs • Home range within 200 yards of den • Average 1 Ondatra zibethicus per 15 acres • Modify habitat

29. Diet • Omnivore • Plants, stems, leaves, bulbs, roots of aquatic plants, fish, frogs, crayfish, snails • Nocturnal feeder of aquatic plants • Feeding huts • Swim and forage under ice

30. Reproduction • Polygamous • Breed March- July • 2-4 litters • 2-9 young per litter • Gestation 29-31 days • 8 weeks weaned from mother

31. Reproduction continued • Conical dens of aquatic plants and mud • Built in shallow water, islands, or along banks • Bank burrows • Smaller den than beaver

32. Conservation Status • Abundant

33. Other… • Valuable furbear • >1 million hunted for pelts in North central states each winter • Pelt=$5 • Territioral, vicious fighter • Swim submerged for 15 min • Swim up to 3mph

34. Other continued • Swim backwards • Digging weakens dams • Predators: mink, raptors, snapping turtles, fox, and coyote

35. References Jones, J.K, Jr. and E.C. Birney. 1988. Handbook of Mammals of the North-Central States. University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis Kays, R.W. and D.E. Wilson. 2002. The Mammals of North America. Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey. Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection. Available at http://dep.state.ct.us/burnatr/wildlife/factsheets/muskrat.htm http://www.images.google.com http://www.nature.ca/notebooks/english/muskrat.htm

36. Synaptomys cooperiSouthern Bog Lemming • ID: smaller than voles; similar to Northern species, but with dark brown above & pale gray underside; relatively large head, with small ears concealed by fur; 6 mammae; TL usually 115-140mm • Distribution: statewide, with possible exception of extreme northwestern IA • Largely abundant in higher altitudes • When populations are high, they move to drier habitats http://www.glfc.forestry.ca/landscape/picgallery_e.html

37. Synaptomys cooperi • Habitat: variety, including-clearings in woodlands, grasslands, mixed deciduous/coniferous woodlands, spruce-fir forests and freshwater wetlands • Use runways built by other mictrotines • Nests built of shredded vegetation along trails and often built underground animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/.../ view.html

38. Synaptomys cooperi • Diet: primarily plant material, leafy parts of sedges, fruits, rootlets, mosses, ferns and bark • Reproduction: breeding restricted to warmer months; gestation lasts 21-23 days; litter size usually 3-4; newborns pink, except for light gray dorsum • Development: fur-7 days; lower incisors-6 to 8 days; eyes open-10 to 11 days • Longevity about 1 year http://www.dlia.org/atbi/species/animals/vertebrates/mammals/muridael

39. Synaptomys cooperi • Conservation status: threatened statewide • Other: • Even though called “bog” lemming, seldom found near bogs • Primarily nocturnal & active all year • Bright green feces in runways signal presence • Predators include: foxes, coyotes, weasels, badgers, owls, snakes and others • Parasites include: fleas, mites, ticks and others http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site//resources/mzm2/33.mr2.jpg/view.html

40. References • Animal Diversity Web. Southern Bog Lemming. Available at http://animaldiveristy.ummz.edu. October 2004 • ENature. Southern Bog Lemming. Available at http://www.enature.com/search/show_search/South_Bog_Lemming. October 2004 • Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Iowa’s threatened and endangered species. Available at http://www.state.ia.us/dnr/organiza/ppd/tespecies.htm. October 2004 • Jones, J.K, Jr. and E.C. Birney, 1998. Handbook of Mammals of North- central States. University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis. • Kays, R.W. and D.E. Wilson. 2002. Then Mammals of North America. Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey