DESCRIPTION 



The darkest colored of all kangaroo rats, this 

 population was originally described as a distinct 

 species, partly on the basis of its dark pelage and 

 markings (Merriam 1907, Grinnell 1922). The hip 

 stripe, characteristic of the genus, is often incom- 

 pletely formed, thus failing to completely sepa- 

 rate the thigh patch from the rest of the back 

 (Grinnell 1922, Stewart and Roest 1960). The 

 white side tail stripes are narrow; less than one- 

 half the width of the dark dorsal and ventral 

 stripes. The tail is often completely black just be- 

 hind the white basal collar (Grinnell 1922). Audi- 

 tory bullae are less highly inflated than neighbor- 

 ing subspecies of D. heermanni (Grinnell 1922, 

 Boulware 1943). 



RANGE 



This rat is found in six disjunct patches of 

 habitat just south and southeast of Morro Bay, 

 California. The total area currently occupied is 

 estimated at 1.3 km^ (Roest 1977). All current 

 populations occupy remnants of the historical 

 range, and can be enclosed by a circle 6.5 km in 

 diameter. 



RANGE MAP 



Distribution is shown on the accompanying 

 map (after Roest 1977). Occupied areas are indi- 

 cated by shading. 



STATES /COUNTIES 



California: San Luis Obispo. 



HABITAT 



Habitat consists of early serai stages of the 

 chaparral community, where vegetation is low 

 and sparse and shrubs are widely scattered (Cong- 

 don and Roest 1975), on medium-textured sandy 

 loam (Stewart and Roest 1960). Plants typical of 

 the habitat include Lotus scoparius, Erigonum 

 parvifolium. Salvia mellifera, and scattered annual 



grasses (Stewart and Roest 1960). 



FOOD AND FORAGING BEHAVIOR 



Food in the wild not known. In the related 

 Tulare subspecies (D. h. tularensis) , food consists 

 primarily of seeds of grasses and shrubs during the 

 dry season, and grass and herb cuttings during the 

 rainy season. Also, small amounts of insect mater- 

 ial are taken seasonally (Tappe 1941, Fitch 1948). 

 The Morro Bay subspecies probably stores small 

 amounts of food material in its burrows, as 

 reported for the Tulare subspecies (Fitch 1948). 

 Captive Morro Bay kangaroo rats eat seeds and 

 leaves of native plants found within their range, 

 including those of Lotus, Dudleya, and Bromus 

 (Stewart and Roest 1960). 



SHELTER REQUIREMENTS 



Like other heteromyid rodents, the Morro 

 Bay kangaroo rat constructs its own burrow in 

 sandy soil. Burrows are often located along low 

 ridges near open space, particularly in areas of 

 thick brush (Congdon and Roest 1975). 



The burrow of D. h. morroensis consists of 

 shallow tunnels (15 to 30cm below the surface) 

 measuring 1.8 to 3 m long, with two or three 

 chambers and a similar number of escape tunnels, 

 the latter terminating about 2.5 cm below ground 

 level (Stewart and Roest 1960). 



NESTING OR BEDDING 



Nests are located in one of the chambers of 

 the burrow systems (Stewart and Roest 1960). 

 No description of the nest of this subspecies is 

 available, but Tappe (1941) described the nest of 

 the Tulare kangaroo rat as an ovoid chamber 12.7 

 by 15 cm and 10 cm high, which was lined with 

 fine grass stems, fine grass roots, and husks of 

 grass seeds. The nests were used only during the 

 breeding season. A similar nest may be made by 

 the Morro Bay kangaroo rat. 



RITUAL REQUIREMENTS 



The behavior of this free-living nocturnal 

 rodent is not known. Information for the related 

 great basin kangaroo rat (Z). microps) indicates a 

 need by members of the genus Dipodomys for 

 open ground around the burrow (Kenagy 1976). 

 In D. microps, courtship is limited to drumming 



