201.

Stephens’s Woodrat

Neotoma stephensi

French: Néotoma de Stephens / German: Stephens-Buschratte / Spanish: Rata de bosque de Stephens

Taxonomy. Neotoma stephens: Goldman, 1905, Hualapai Mountains, 6300 ft (= 1920 m), Mohave County, Arizona, USA.

Two subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution.

N.s.stephensiGoldman,1905—CArizonaandCWNewMexico(SWUSA).

N. s. relicta Goldman, 1932 — extreme S Utah, NE Arizona, and NW New Mexico (SW USA).

Descriptive notes. Head-body 151-163 mm, tail 135-149 mm, hindfoot 28-31 mm. No specific data are available for body weight. Stephens’s Woodrat is small, with semi-bushy tail; more bushy than in any other woodrat species except the Bushy-tailed Woodrat (N. cinerea). Rostrum is narrow, and nasals are truncated posteriorly. It is similar in many respects to the Desert Woodrat (N. lepida). Dorsum of Stephens’s Woodratis grayish buff to yellowish; venter is creamy or white, sometimes washed with pinkish buff; and pelage is plumbeous to base, except in throat and pectoral region. Feet are white but dusky from ankle to their top onethird. Tail is gray to grayish brown and heavily haired.

Habitat. Rocky terrain in pinyon ( Pinus, Pinaceae) and juniper ( Juniperus, Cupressaceae) zone. Stephens’s Woodrat can also be found associated with cacti ( Opuntia, Cactaceae) and agave ( Agave, Asparagaceae).

Food and Feeding. Stephens’s Woodrat is heavily dependent on juniper as a food source. Water is obtained from other succulent plants in its diet.

Breeding. Reproduction mainly occurs in February—July. Females reach reproductive age at 9-10 months old, and gestation is 31 days. Females can have 1-5 litters/year.

Activity patterns. Stephens’s Woodrat is presumably nocturnal.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Male Stephens’s Woodrats are territorial and mark their territories with scent from ventral sebaceous glands. Middens are constructed at bases or nearjuniper trees. Middens can reach heights of 1-6-2 m.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The [UCN Red List.

Bibliography. Goldman (1932a), Hoffmeister & de la Torre (1960), Jones & Hildreth (1989), Vaughan (1982).