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Thomomys talpoides

(Richardson, 1828)

Northern Pocket Gopher

G5Secure Found in 57 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.104542
Element CodeAMAFC01040
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassMammalia
OrderRodentia
FamilyGeomyidae
GenusThomomys
Other Common Names
Gaufre gris (FR) northern pocket gopher (EN)
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
Formerly included T. idahoensis and T. clusius. Considerable chromosomal differentiation in different parts of the range suggests that more than one biological species is currently included under the name T. talpoides (Thaeler 1985; Patton, in Wilson and Reeder 1993, 2005).
Conservation Status
Rank MethodExpertise without calculation
Review Date2016-04-05
Change Date1996-11-07
Range Extent Comments
Central plains and western mountain regions in Canada and the U.S. Southern British Columbia to central Alberta and southwestern Manitoba, south to central South Dakota and northern New Mexico, northern Arizona, northern Nevada, and northeastern California (Patton, in Wilson and Reeder 1993).
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Prefers deep soils along streams and in meadows and cultivated fields, but also found in rocky soils and clay. Occupies a wide variety of habitats ranging from sagebrush steppe, mountain meadows and tundra, to agricultural fields, grasslands, and suburban gardens and lawns (MacMahon, in Wilson and Ruff 1999). Fossorial. Young are born in a grass- or leaf-lined nest in a natal chamber within the underground burrow system.

Ecology

Primarily solitary. Home range may occupy 150-200 sq yards. Population density varies widely with quality of habitat; from < 1/acre to > 50/acre (Banfield 1974, Jones et al. 1983). Pocket gophers are ecologically important as prey items and in influencing soils, microtopography, habitat heterogeneity, diversity of plant species, and primary productivity (Huntly and Inouye 1988).

Reproduction

Females are monoestrous. Mating usually occurs from March to mid-June, depending on weather and latitude. Gestation lasts about 19-20 days. Litter size is 4-7. Young disperse from natal burrow at about 2 months of age (Jones et al. 1983).
Terrestrial Habitats
Woodland - ConiferWoodland - MixedShrubland/chaparralSavannaGrassland/herbaceousAlpineCropland/hedgerow
Palustrine Habitats
Riparian
Other Nations (2)
CanadaN5
ProvinceRankNative
British ColumbiaS4Yes
SaskatchewanS5Yes
AlbertaS5Yes
ManitobaS5Yes
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
IdahoS4Yes
MinnesotaS2Yes
South DakotaS5Yes
WyomingS5Yes
NebraskaSNRYes
OregonS4Yes
ColoradoS5Yes
UtahS4Yes
CaliforniaSNRYes
NevadaS5Yes
Navajo NationS3Yes
New MexicoS4Yes
WashingtonS5Yes
MontanaS5Yes
North DakotaSNRYes
ArizonaS4Yes
Roadless Areas (57)
California (1)
AreaForestAcres
Bear Camp FlatModoc National Forest2,471
Idaho (2)
AreaForestAcres
NeedlesPayette National Forest131,279
PalisadesCaribou-Targhee National Forest122,002
Montana (17)
AreaForestAcres
Alexander Creek #696Kootenai National Forest6,719
Big LogHelena National Forest8,954
Cabinet Face East #671Kootenai National Forest50,326
Crazy MountainGallatin National Forest82,093
Dry CanyonGallatin National Forest3,242
Electric PeakHelena National Forest27,872
Gallatin FringeGallatin National Forest51,571
HoodooLolo National Forest105,162
Hyalite - Porcupine - Buffalo Horn Wilderness Study AreaGallatin National Forest143,991
Lost Water CanyonCuster National Forest9,251
Lost Water Canyon RnaCuster National Forest561
Meadow Creek - Upper North ForkLolo National Forest6,906
Red Lodge Creek HellroaringCuster National Forest17,210
Reservation DivideLolo National Forest16,908
Sheep Mountain - StatelineLolo National Forest37,844
Snowcrest MountainBeaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest97,649
Tenderfoot - Deep CreekLewis and Clark National Forest85,614
Oregon (3)
AreaForestAcres
Grande RondeUmatilla National Forest12,296
Lookout MountainOchoco National Forest14,115
Twin MountainWallowa-Whitman National Forest58,533
Utah (18)
AreaForestAcres
0401012Ashley National Forest46,400
418002Uinta National Forest19,152
418026Uinta National Forest14,038
418027Uinta National Forest13,884
418028Uinta National Forest34,002
418044Uinta National Forest5,495
GibsonWasatch-Cache National Forest5,350
HancockDixie National Forest9,809
Mahogany RangeWasatch-Cache National Forest11,409
Mt. AireWasatch-Cache National Forest9,681
Mt. Logan NorthWasatch-Cache National Forest18,930
Mt. Logan SouthWasatch-Cache National Forest17,014
Mt. NaomiWasatch-Cache National Forest41,922
Right Hand Fork LoganWasatch-Cache National Forest15,023
SanpitchManti-Lasal National Forest29,129
Temple PeakWasatch-Cache National Forest24,081
Upper South ForkWasatch-Cache National Forest16,811
White PineWasatch-Cache National Forest1,942
Washington (5)
AreaForestAcres
Canyon CreekWenatchee National Forest7,983
Nason RidgeWenatchee National Forest19,329
Rock CreekWenatchee National Forest32,239
TaneumWenatchee National Forest26,140
Twin LakesWenatchee National Forest22,496
Wyoming (11)
AreaForestAcres
Gannett Hills - Spring CreekBridger-Teton National Forest45,462
Grayback RidgeBridger-Teton National Forest295,113
Lake Alice - Commissary RidgeBridger-Teton National Forest166,707
Munger MountainBridger-Teton National Forest12,827
Pacific Creek - Blackrock CreekBridger-Teton National Forest24,658
PalisadesTarghee National Forest1,121
Phillips RidgeBridger-Teton National Forest10,108
Salt River RangeBridger-Teton National Forest235,661
Teton Corridor TrailheadsBridger-Teton National Forest286
West Slope TetonsTarghee National Forest47,448
Wilderness Study AreaTarghee National Forest51,961
References (15)
  1. American Society of Mammalogists (ASM). 2024. The Mammal Diversity Database (MDD). Online. Available: www.mammaldiversity.org
  2. Banfield, A. W. F. 1974. The mammals of Canada. University of Toronto Press, Toronto, Canada. 438 pp.
  3. Howard, W. E., and H. E. Childs, Jr. 1959. Ecology of pocket gophers with emphasis on <i>Thomomys bottae mewa</i>. Hilgardia 29:277-358.
  4. Huntly, N., and R. Inouye. 1988. Pocket gophers in ecosystems: patterns and mechanisms. BioScience 38:786-793.
  5. Ingles, L. G. 1952. The ecology of the mountain pocket gopher, <i>Thomomys monticola</i>. Ecology 33:87-95.
  6. Jones, J. K., Jr., D. M. Armstrong, R. S. Hoffmann, and C. Jones. 1983. Mammals of the Northern Great Plains. University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln, Nebraska.
  7. Jones, J. K., Jr., R. S. Hoffman, D. W. Rice, C. Jones, R. J. Baker, and M. D. Engstrom. 1992a. Revised checklist of North American mammals north of Mexico, 1991. Occasional Papers, The Museum, Texas Tech University, 146:1-23.
  8. Nowak, R. M. 1999. Walker's mammals of the world. Sixth edition. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore. Two volumes, 1,936 pp.
  9. Oxley, D. J., M. B. Fenton and G. R. Carmody. 1974. The effects of roads on populations of small mammals. Journal of Applied Ecology 11: 51-59.
  10. Thaeler, C. S. and L. L. Hinesley. 1979. <i>Thomomys clusius</i>, a rediscovered species of pocket gopher. Journal of Mammalogy 60:480-8.
  11. Thaeler, C. S., Jr. 1985. Chromosomal variation in the <i>Thomomys talpoides</i> complex. Acta Zoologica Fennica 170:15-18.
  12. Williams, L. R., and G. N. Cameron. 1990. Intraspecific response to variation in food resources by Attwater's pocket gopher. Ecology 71:797-810.
  13. 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/.
  14. Wilson, D. E., and D. M. Reeder (editors). 2005. Mammal species of the world: a taxonomic and geographic reference. Third edition. The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore. Two volumes. 2,142 pp. [As modified by ASM the Mammal Diversity Database (MDD) at https://www.mammaldiversity.org/index.html]
  15. Wilson, D. E., and S. Ruff. 1999. The Smithsonian book of North American mammals. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, D.C. 750 pp.