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. Onychomys leucogaster Identification: Stocky body; thick tail with blunt tip; dorsum brownish; venter white; molars cuspidate Distribution: West, southeast Iowa Habitat: Prairies; burrow in grassy areas; need bare areas for dustbathing

3. Onychomys leucogaster Diet: Invertebrates, carrion, herbaceous vegetation, seeds Reproduction: Multiplelitters of 1-6 annually Conservation: Rare (formerly Endangered); possibly adapting to agriculture and increasing

4. 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

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

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. Synaptomys cooperi Identification: Small eyes, ears; tail about same length as hind foot; face of upper incisors grooved; dorsum usually brownish; venter grayish brown Distribution: Formerly statewide; presently poorly known Habitat: Wet grassy areas

9. Synaptomys cooperi Diet: Leaves, grasses, twigs, roots, fungi, mosses, ferns Reproduction: Multiple litters of 2-6 Conservation: Threatened; few recent records

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

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

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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

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

18. Order RodentiaFamily CricetidaeOndatra zibethicus picture by Mark F. Wallner

19. Ondatra zibethicus • 25-36 cm long • Tail 20-28 cm • Shoulder height 13 cm • 908-1816 g Plump, rat shaped body Entire body covered with fur, feet and tail hairless Small ears and eyes hidden within fur Hind feet partially webbed Tail scaly, black and flattened vertically

20. Ondatra zibethicus • Skull contains 16 teeth • 4 large incisors (2cm) • Used for cutting plant material Dental Formula 1-1-0-0-0-03-3

21. Ondatra zibethicus • North America 1.8 mil years ago • One of most widely distributed • Require marshy area salt/freshwater • Water depth 1-2 m • Cattails, pondweeds, and bulrushes • Food and nest material • In prime habitat, 25/ acre

22. Ondatra zibethicus • Crepuscular organism • Feeds mainly on aquatic vegetation • Build dens of cattails, reeds and mud • Important waterfowl nesting habitat • 1982-83 about 7 million muskrats trapped • Fur yielded a profit of 28 million dollars

23. Ondatra zibethicusreferences • Jones, J. Knoox, Jr. and Elmer C. Birney. 1988. Handbook of Mammals of the North-central states. University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis. 346 pp. ISBN 0-8166- 1420-2 • Kays, Roland and Don E. Wilson. 2002. Mammals of North America. Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey. 240 pp. ISBN 0-691-07012-1 • Willner, G.R.,G.A. Feldhamer, E.E. Zucker, and J.A. Chapman. 1980. Ondatra zibethicus. Mamm. Species, 141:1-8

24. Peromyscus maniculatusbairdii Deer mouse Sara Eubanks A ECL 364

25. Identification: smallest Peromyscus in north central region, dorsum dark, grayish brown, ventral white, tail distinctly bicolored, dark on top and white on bottom tipped with a tuft of short, stiff hairs. (TL 125-160, tail 42-65, hind foot 15-19, ear 13-15, weight 12-25 g) www.yahoo.com www.bear-tracker.com Peromyscus maniculatus bairdii:deer mouseSara Eubanks

26. Habitat: Open, except in woodlands and wet, swampy lowlands. Thrives in grassy areas, weedy fields, along overgrown fencerows and roadsides. Diet: omnivorous; eat insects, invertebrates, and seeds; get most of water from dew and water in their food. www.nsrl.ttu.edu/tmot1.peromani.htm Peromyscus maniculatus bairdii

27. Peromyscus maniculatus bairdii • Distribution: statewide • Reproduction: several litters annually of 1-11 offspring, usually 4-6. Nests are constructed below ground level in a burrow dug by occupant or abandoned by another small animal. Young are weaned at 3 weeks and can breed at 5 to 6 weeks old.

28. Peromyscus maniculatus bairdii • Conservation status: Abundant; densities can reach 11 mice per acre depending on habitat. http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/ site/accounts/information/Peromyscus_ maniculatus.html.

29. Peromyscus maniculatus bairdii • Other: Host of a strain of hantavirus called Sin Nombre virus (also called Four Corners or Muerto Canyon virus). This causes fatal disease in humans termed pulmonary syndrome • Nocturnal • In winter, ten or more of mixed sexes huddle together in nests to conserve heat.

30. Peromyscus maniculatus bairdii • References • Bunker, A. 2001. "Peromyscus maniculatus" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed September 26, 2004 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Peromyscus_maniculatus.html. • Kays, R.W. and D.E. Wilson. 2002. The Mammals of North America. Princeton University press, Princeton, New Jersey. • Jones, J.K. and E.C. Birney. 1988. Handbook of Mammals of the North-central States. University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis. • http://www.wildwnc.org/af/deermouse.html