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Home/Species/ Agile Kangaroo Rat

Dipodomys agilis

Gambel, 1848

Agile Kangaroo Rat

G4Apparently Secure Found in 4 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G4Apparently SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
MediumThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.101563
Element CodeAMAFD03050
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicendemic to a single state or province
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassMammalia
OrderRodentia
FamilyHeteromyidae
GenusDipodomys
Concept Reference
Wilson, D. E., and D. M. Reeder (editors). 1993. Mammal species of the world: a taxonomic and geographic reference. Second edition. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC. xviii + 1206 pp. Available online at: http://www.nmnh.si.edu/msw/.
Taxonomic Comments
Dipodomys simulans formerly was regarded as conspecific with D. agilis (Sullivan and Best 1997). Best et al. (1996) examined genetic and morphological variation in D. agilis, D. elephantinus, and D. venustus and concluded that D. agilis is not conspecific with D. elephantinus or D. venustus and that D. elephantinus should be regarded as a subspecies of D. venustus.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2022-07-21
Change Date2022-07-21
Edition Date2022-07-21
Edition AuthorsHunting, K. (2022)
Threat ImpactMedium
Range Extent200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank Reasons
The agile kangaroo rat was once a common species in sage-scrub communities in southern California and Baja, Mexico. Evidence suggests this species has declined over historical levels from habitat loss and fragmentation. Remaining habitat continues to be lost but this species is still relatively widespread and benefits from public and conservation lands designations within its range.
Range Extent Comments
The agile kangaroo rat range includes west-central California from the southern Sierra Nevada and Tehachapi mountain ranges (Kern County) west to the Temblor and Santa Inez mountains (Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties) and Mount Pinos south to the northern foothills of the San Bernardino and San Gabriel mountain ranges in Los Angeles and San Bernardino Counties. The range also includes the low foothills and occasionally the coastal plains of Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles, Orange, and San Diego counties, California, USA (Best 1983, Grinnell 1922, GBIF 2022) and throughout the mountains, foothills, and occasionally coastal plains of Baja, Mexico. Based on a concave hull analysis of 836 recent research grade unique location records from the Global Biological Information Facility (GBIF 2022), the Range Extent of this species is about 295,900 km2.
Occurrences Comments
Using museum records, direct observations, and extent of suitable habitat as a guide, there may be over 150,000 Agile kangaroo rat occurrences throughout its range.
Threat Impact Comments
This species' range has been reduced from historical levels by urban development displacing and fragmenting remaining scrub habitat. Edge effects associated with fragmentation including predation by cats and other invasive species, noise, vehicular traffic, and vagrant lighting also likely impact this species although the severity of these impacts to the overall populations is unknown. Intense and more frequent fire regimes may also negatively affect this species.
Ecology & Habitat

Description

This medium to large kangaroo rat has a tail with with a brown or black tuft and dorsal and ventral dark stripes with very few white hairs; hind foot has 5 toes; total length 265-319 mm, 67-76 g (Jameson and Peeters 2004).

Diagnostic Characteristics

Dipodomys stephensi lacks a white or light spot at the base of the ear pinna. The oval auditory bullae (when viewed from above) are oval in D. agilis, kidney shaped in D. simulans (Jameson and Peeters 2004).

Habitat

This species is primarily montane, occupying chaparral-covered slopes upward to coniferous forests (Best et al. 1996). This species prefers easily excavated sandy or gravelly soils for constructing burrows, typically on steep slopes. Abundance increases following fires that create open space (Price and Waser 1984). Nests are in underground burrows.

Reproduction

This species produces an average of 2.5 young per litter (Best 1999).
Terrestrial Habitats
Shrubland/chaparral
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN3
ProvinceRankNative
CaliforniaSNRYes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
1 - Residential & commercial developmentLarge (31-70%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
1.1 - Housing & urban areasLarge (31-70%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
7 - Natural system modificationsPervasive (71-100%)Slight or 1-10% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
7.1 - Fire & fire suppressionPervasive (71-100%)Slight or 1-10% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
8 - Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseasesRestricted (11-30%)Slight or 1-10% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
8.1 - Invasive non-native/alien species/diseasesRestricted (11-30%)Slight or 1-10% pop. declineHigh (continuing)

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Roadless Areas (4)
California (4)
AreaForestAcres
MatilijaLos Padres National Forest5,218
RinconSequoia National Forest54,610
Sawmill - BadlandsLos Padres National Forest51,362
Slate Mtn.Sequoia National Forest12,299
References (42)
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