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Home/Species/ Merriam's Kangaroo Rat

Dipodomys merriami

Mearns, 1890

Merriam's Kangaroo Rat

G5Secure Found in 2 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
PSESA Status
LowThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.100458
Element CodeAMAFD03140
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassMammalia
OrderRodentia
FamilyHeteromyidae
GenusDipodomys
USESAPS
Other Common Names
Merriam's kangaroo rat (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
Includes insularis and margaritae (Álvarez-Castañeda et al. 2009).
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2025-07-14
Change Date1996-11-08
Edition Date2025-07-14
Edition AuthorsGundy, R. L . (2025)
Threat ImpactLow
Range Extent20,000-2,500,000 square km (about 8000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences81 to >300
Rank Reasons
This species is widespread in the southwestern U.S. and northern México. The population appears stable and no major rangewide threats are known.
Range Extent Comments
This species occurs in southwestern North America. It is found from northwestern Nevada and northeastern California south through western Texas, southern Baja California, northern Sinaloa, and the Mexican Plateau to San Luis Potosi (Wilson and Reeder 2005). Using Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) (2025) records from 2000-2025, range extent is estimated to be 2,164,659 km² (RARECAT 2025).
Occurrences Comments
There are many occurrences throughout the range.
Threat Impact Comments
No major rangewide threats are known at this time.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Low deserts, sparsely vegetated with sandy-rocky soils, grasslands and open chaparral, alkali sink, creosote bush scrub, and sagebrush scrub. Sleeps and gives birth in underground burrows.

Ecology

Solitary, dispersed social system. Adults defend small core territories near burrow, overlap with neighbors in outlying areas of home range; female-female overlap slight (Jones 1989). Few survive more than 2 years. In one county in Texas, population density was estimated at 1 male/1.63 acres and 1 female/1.91 acres; average home range for males 6.89 acres, 4.26 acres for females (Schmidly 1977). Home range in Arizona was 1/3-1/2 acres; less than 1/2 acre in California. In southeastern Arizona, lifetime dispersal distance ranged from 0-265 m; nightly movements were up to about 150 m from home range center (Jones 1989).

With other kangaroo rats, affects vegetation structure and plant species diversity in the Chihuahuan Desert (Heske et al. 1993).

Reproduction

Breeds August-March. Pregnancy rate peaks in spring and fall, often coinciding with growth of new vegetation. Gestation lasts 17-23 days. Most births occur January-July in southeastern Arizona. Usually produces 2 young/litter. Weaned in just less than 3 weeks. Sexually mature in season of birth (Kenagy and Bartholomew 1985).
Terrestrial Habitats
Shrubland/chaparralSavannaGrassland/herbaceousDesertPlaya/salt flat
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
CaliforniaSNRYes
UtahS3Yes
ArizonaS5Yes
New MexicoS5Yes
NevadaS5Yes
TexasS4Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
No known threats———

—

Roadless Areas (2)
Arizona (1)
AreaForestAcres
Catalina St. Pk. Roadless AreaCoronado National Forest951
Nevada (1)
AreaForestAcres
Charleston - Macks CynHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest11,378
References (41)
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