northern grasshopper mouse

Onychomys leucogaster

Summary 4

The northern grasshopper mouse, or killer mouse (Onychomys leucogaster), is a North American carnivorous rodent originating from the dry areas of the continent.

Description 5

Northern Grasshopper Mice are highly predatory, and their skulls and teeth resemble those of flesh-eating carnivores such as cats and dogs. Their forelimbs, equipped with elongated fingers and claws, have developed great dexterity, so they are able to manipulate captured prey. These Mice have a complex social system, using howling vocalizations to broadcast information on sex, identity, body size, and location. Grasshopper Mice prey primarily on grasshoppers, crickets, and beetles, yet they incorporate some seeds into their diet, presumably a dietary preference retained from a seed-eating ancestry.

Links:
Mammal Species of the World
Click here for The American Society of Mammalogists species account

Fuentes y créditos

  1. (c) Jeremy Yoder, algunos derechos reservados (CC BY-NC), http://www.flickr.com/photos/87484925@N00/4016853203
  2. (c) 1999 California Academy of Sciences, algunos derechos reservados (CC BY-NC-SA), http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?seq_num=774&one=T
  3. (c) Biodiversity Heritage Library, algunos derechos reservados (CC BY), http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6172/6216711237_2e9cc2f6e4_o.jpg
  4. (c) Wikipedia, algunos derechos reservados (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onychomys_leucogaster
  5. (c) Smithsonian Institution, algunos derechos reservados (CC BY), http://eol.org/data_objects/6625273

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