Neotoma (Neotoma) micropus Baird 1855

Neotoma (Neotoma) micropus Baird 1855, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, 7: 333.

Type Locality: México, Tamaulipas, Charco Escondido.

Vernacular Names: Southern Plains Woodrat.

Synonyms: Neotoma (Neotoma) canescens J. A. Allen 1891; Neotoma (Neotoma) leucophaea Goldman 1933; Neotoma (Neotoma) littoralis Goldman 1905; Neotoma (Neotoma) planiceps Goldman 1905; Neotoma (Neotoma) surberi Elliot 1899 .

Distribution: SE Colorado and SW Kansas through W Texas and most of New Mexico, USA; south in México to N Chihuahua, E San Luis Potosí, and S Tamaulipas.

Conservation: IUCN – Lower Risk (lc).

Discussion: Subgenus Neotoma, micropus species group ( sensu Edwards and Bradley, 2002 b). Limited hybridization documented with N. floridana in Oklahoma (Birney, 1973) and believed probable with N. leucodon (reported as N. albigula) in Colorado (Finley, 1958) and Coahuila (Anderson, 1969); also see commentary under N. albigula, N. floridana, and N. leucodon . Genetically distinct from but generally related to the N. albigula complex ( sensu Planz et al., 1996), in particular N. leucodon ( micropus species group sensu Edwards et al., 2001). See Braun and Mares (1989, Mammalian Species, 330).