What is the name of a jumping mouse? - briefly
The animal known as a jumping mouse belongs to the genus Zapus, commonly called the North American jumping mouse.
What is the name of a jumping mouse? - in detail
The designation “jumping mouse” applies to a group of small, long‑tailed dipodid rodents native to North America. These animals belong to the genus Zapus, which is part of the family Dipodidae, the same family that includes jerboas and birch mice.
Taxonomic placement:
- Order: Rodentia
- Family: Dipodidae
- Subfamily: Zapodinae
- Genus: Zapus
Recognized species within the genus:
- Zapus hudsonius – Northern jumping mouse
- Zapus luteus – Western jumping mouse
- Zapus montanus – Merriam’s jumping mouse
- Zapus oregonus – Oregon jumping mouse
Morphology:
- Body length 80–110 mm; tail length 100–150 mm, often longer than the body.
- Dense fur ranging from brown to gray, with a pale underbelly.
- Hind limbs significantly elongated, providing powerful leaping ability.
Locomotion:
- Capable of leaps up to 1.5 m in a single bound.
- Uses a bipedal hopping gait when startled; quadrupedal movement when foraging.
Habitat and distribution:
- Occupies moist meadows, riparian zones, and forest edges.
- Z. hudsonius ranges across eastern Canada and the northern United States.
- Z. luteus inhabits the Pacific Northwest, extending into northern California.
- Z. montanus and Z. oregonus occupy mountainous regions of the western United States.
Reproduction:
- Breeding season from April to August.
- Litters of 3–6 young after a gestation period of approximately 21 days.
- Offspring are weaned within three weeks and reach independence by two months.
Conservation:
- Z. hudsonius listed as Least Concern by the IUCN.
- Z. luteus and Z. oregonus also classified as Least Concern, though localized habitat loss may affect populations.
- Monitoring programs focus on wetland preservation and fragmentation mitigation.