TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY

Natural Science Research Laboratory

Occasional Papers

Museum of Texas Tech University

Number 329 27 January 2015

A Record of Microtus ochrogaster from the Llano Estacado and Other
Distributional Records of Mammals from Texas

Emma K. Roberts, Howard Crenshaw, Christopher D. Dunn, James Q. Francis, William L. Hood II,
MeganS. Keith, Laramie L. Lindsey, Sarah F Mangum, Nicte Ordonez-Garza, Roy N. Platt II, and

Robert D. Bradley

Abstract

Mammal trapping efforts were conducted during the summer and fall of 2014 at sites in
five counties in Texas (Delta, Fayette, Hopkins, Lubbock, and Dickens). These efforts resulted
in 18 county records involving: one soricomorph, one chiropteran, one lagomorph, one cingu¬
late, and ten species of rodents. The species record for Microtus extends the range substantially
southward into the central region of the Llano Estacado in Texas. These records expand our
knowledge of the distribution and occurrence of mammals in Texas.

Key words: Delta County, Dickens County, Fayette County, Hopkins County, Llano Es¬
tacado, Lubbock County, Microtus ochrogaster , mammals

Introduction

In June, July, and September of 2014, 18 county
records of mammals were obtained from Delta, Fayette,
Hopkins, Lubbock, and Dickens counties, Texas. These
records were determined as such based on distributional
information compiled in Schmidly (2004). Specimens
collected in Delta and Hopkins counties were from the
Cooper Wildlife Management Area, located near Sul¬
phur Springs, Texas; the specimen obtained in Lubbock
County was collected on private property near Idalou,
Texas (4.8 km N, 3.2 km W); the specimen collected

in Dickens County was on a private ranch near Afton,
Texas (1.6 km E); and the specimens from Fayette
County were collected on a private ranch located near
West Point, Texas (4.8 km S, 4.8 km W). Habitats at
the collecting sites were: riparian hardwood forests,
pine forests, and mixed grasslands (Delta and Hopkins
counties); mixed grasslands and post-oak savannahs
(Fayette County); Conservation Rotation Program
(CRP) grasslands (Lubbock County); and mesquite
grassland (Dickens County).

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Occasional Papers, Museum of Texas Tech University

Materials and Methods

Sherman traps were used to collect 34 of the 42
specimens, firearms were used to collect the bat, squir¬
rel, and cottontail specimens, a Havahart trap was used
to collect the armadillo, and one specimen was collected
by a landowner’s dog. Standard field collecting proce¬
dures followed the guidelines of the American Society
of Mammalogists (Sikes et al. 2011) and the Texas Tech
University ACUC (Animal Care and Use Committee).
Standard field measurements and morphological data
were recorded in the field. Voucher specimens were
prepared as standard skin and skeleton preparations,
and tissues (blood, heart, kidney, liver, muscle, and
spleen) were frozen in liquid nitrogen. Reproductive
tissues (testes) were obtained for some specimens. All

voucher specimens and frozen tissues were deposited
in the Natural Science Research Laboratory at the Mu¬
seum of Texas Tech University (MoTTU) and assigned
a museum catalogue number (TTU) and a Tissue and
Karyotype number (TK). Specific localities for most
specimens collected in these counties were recorded
as Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) coordinates.
Species accounts and descriptions follow the taxonomic
organization in Schmidly (2004). Taxonomy and au¬
thority order follow the format in The Mammals of
North America (Hall 1981), Mammal Species of the
World (Wilson and Reeder 2005), and Revised checklist
of North American mammals north of Mexico (Bradley
et al. 2014).

Results

ORDER CINGULATA
Family Dasypodidae
Dasypus novemcinctus Linnaeus 1758
Nine-banded Armadillo

On 14 September 2014, one male individual
(TTU 118704) was collected on a private ranch 1.6 km
east of Afton, Dickens County. Nine-banded armadil¬
los are distributed throughout most of Texas except the
extreme western part of the state in the Trans-Pecos
region (Schmidly 2004). This specimen was collected
in the rancher’s yard that was surrounded by a mesquite
grassland habitat. Armadillos are relatively common
in this area and Dickens County is within the expected
range of nine-banded armadillos in Texas.

ORDER SORICOMORPHA
Family Soricidae
Cryptotis parva (Say 1823)

Least Shrew

On 21 July 2014, one pregnant (two embryos
taken) female least shrew (TTU 116587) was collected
at the Cooper Wildlife Management Area in Hopkins
County, Texas (UTM 15S-257730-3690178). In Texas,

this species is relatively common throughout much of
the eastern portion of the state but is rare in the Edwards
Plateau and absent in the Trans-Pecos and adjacent
areas (Schmidly 2004). The specimen was collected in
a tail-grass prairie interspersed with fallen logs. Other
specimens collected at this site include Sigmodon hispi-
dus, Peromyscus gossypinus, and Peromyscus leucopus.
This specimen represents the first record of C. parva
in Hopkins County.

ORDER CHIROPTERA
Family Vespertilionidae
Nycticeius humeralis (Rafinesque 1818)
Evening Bat

The evening bat is distributed throughout eastern,
central, and south-central regions of Texas. Habitat
preferences include forested areas with available water
sources and hollow trees for roosting sites (Schmidly
2004). At the West Point locality (Fayette County), a
single female specimen (TTU 116592) was collected
on 16 July 2014. This specimen was collected over a
pond adjacent to a hardwood oak forest (UTM 14R-
683386-3313248) and serves as the first record of N.
humeralis for Fayette County.

Roberts et al.—Mammal Records from Five Texas Counties

3

ORDER RODENTIA
Family Sciuridae

Sciurus carolinensis Gmelin 1788
Eastern Gray Squirrel

On 12 September 2014, a male eastern gray
squirrel (TTU 116623) was collected in a hardwood
bottomland habitat near the Sulphur River channel at
the Cooper Wildlife Management Area in Delta County
(UTM 15S-255955-3691553). The native distribution
of S. carolinensis in Texas includes the eastern one-third
of the state (Schmidly 2004). Habitat preferences of
eastern gray squirrels include dense understories of a
variety of vegetation including hammocks of live and
water oaks. This specimen represents the first county
record for S. carolinensis from Delta County and oc¬
curs within the expected range of eastern gray squirrels
in east Texas. Although this is the first record for S.
carolinensis in Delta County, gray squirrels are com¬
mon in this region. The absence of prior documentation
of gray squirrels in Delta County is probably due to a
lack of collecting efforts by biologists.

Sciurus niger Linnaeus 1758
Eastern Fox Squirrel

The eastern fox squirrel is distributed in the east¬
ern three-quarters of Texas but has expanded westward
as a result of human introductions (Schmidly 2004).
This species is a common inhabitant of open woodlands
and bottomland areas of streams and rivers (Schmidly
2004). Two female specimens (TTU 116625 from
Delta County, collected on 12 September 2014, UTM
15S-254981-3692170; TTU 116624 from Hopkins
County, collected on 23 September 2014, UTM 15S-
257754-3689313) were collected in a hardwood bottom
forest habitat. The eastern fox squirrel is common in
this county and other portions of East Texas; however
many counties in this region have not been surveyed
extensively by field biologists. These specimens repre¬
sent the first records of S. niger for Delta and Hopkins
counties.

Family Heteromyidae
Chaetodipus hispidus (Baird 1858)

Hispid Pocket Mouse

From 15 July to 18 July 2014, four specimens
(1 female, 3 males) of the hispid pocket mouse were

collected in Fayette County, Texas. Specimens were
obtained in old-field or disturbed grasslands (TTU
116583, UTM 14R-681965-3311761; TTU 116584,
UTM 14R-682930-3310653; TTU 116585, UTM
14R-684235-3310515; and TTU 116586, UTM MR-
682791-33 11424). This species is a common inhabitant
of dry, sandy grasslands throughout most of Texas,
except for the extreme southeastern portion of the state
(Schmidly 2004). In addition, other specimens col¬
lected from these sites include P. leucopus , S. hispidus ,
and Neotoma floridana.

Family Cricetidae
Oryzomys texensis Harlan 1894
Texas Marsh Rice Rat

Two male specimens were collected on 19 July
2014, at the Cooper Wildlife Management Area in
Hopkins County, Texas (TTU 116593; TTU 116594).
The habitat was dense grassland adjacent to a creek
and wooded area (UTM 15S-257543-3689275). This
species, formerly recognized as O. palustris , was shown
to be genetically distinct from rice rats in the eastern
United States (Hanson et al. 2010); consequently, we
have used O. texensis as the appropriate species name
(Bradley et al. 2014). This species occurs throughout
most of the eastern fourth of the state to the lower Rio
Grande valley in Cameron and Hidalgo counties in
Texas (Schmidly 2004). Typically, Texas marsh rice
rats occur in wet, grassy areas (Eubanks et. al 2011).
Other mammals collected from this area include Pero-
myscus maniculatus, S. hispidus, Sylvilagusfloridanus,
and Procyon lotor. These specimens denote the first
record of O. texensis for Hopkins County.

Reithrodontomys fulvescens J. A. Allen 1894
Fulvous Harvest Mouse

On 20 July 2014, one female individual (TTU
116609) was collected in a hardwood bottomland
interspersed with an old-field habitat (UTM 15S-
254914-3692227). This species occupies most of the
eastern and central part of Texas, as well as parts of the
Trans-Pecos region, but is absent from the northwest¬
ern portion of the state, specifically the Panhandle and
Flano Estacado region (Schmidly 2004). In addition,
several S. hispidus were located at this site. This speci¬
men represents the first county record of R. fulvescens
for Delta County.

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Occasional Papers, Museum of Texas Tech University

Peromyscus gossypinus (Le Conte 1853)
Cotton Mouse

The range of this species includes much of the
eastern portions of Texas. The cotton mouse is found
primarily in woodland habitat bordering open areas
(Schmidly 2004). From 18 July to 20 July 2014, two
females and two male individuals (TTU 116604, TTU
116605, TTU 116606, TTU 116607) were collected
from Hopkins County at the Cooper Wildlife Manage¬
ment Area (UTM 15S-257245-3688918). In addition,
on 21 July 2014, one male (TTU 116620) was collected
at a second locality (UTM 15S-257730-3690178). On
20 July 2014, three females and five male individu¬
als (TTU 116595, TTU 116596, TTU 116597, TTU
116598, TTU 116599, TTU 116600, TTU 116601,
TTU 116602, TTU 116603) were collected at a third
locality on the Cooper WMA in Delta County (UTM
15S-254914-3692227). The three trapping localities
included hardwood bottomland habitats surrounded
by old-field grasslands. In addition to P. gossypinus,
P. leucopus, N. floridana, R. fulvescens, S. hispidus,
C. parva, and O. texensis were collected at these sites.

Peromyscus maniculatus (Wagner 1845)
North American Deer Mouse

The North American deer mouse occurs through¬
out Texas but is uncommon in the eastern, coastal,
and southern regions of the state. They are found in
a variety of habitats, ranging from dense grasslands
to open, sparsely vegetated deserts (Schmidly 2004).
On 19 July 2014, one female individual (TTU 116608)
was collected in a grassy field (UTM 15S-257543-
3689275). Other species found at this locality include
S. hispidus, S.floridanus,P. lotor, and O. texensis. This
specimen represents the first record of P. maniculatus
for Hopkins County.

Sigmodon hispidus Say and Ord 1825
Hispid Cotton Rat

The hispid cotton rat occurs statewide in Texas,
inhabiting grassy areas (Schmidly 2004). On 28 June
2014, one male individual (TTU 116613) was collected
in Fayette County (UTM 14R-684683-3309286). This
specimen was captured in the landowner’s yard. Addi¬
tionally, three males and three females were obtained at
three localities in Fayette County: UTM 14R-681965-

3311761 (TTU 116614), UTM 14R-683742-3311432
(TTU 116615), and UTM 14R-682791-3311424 (TTU
116610, TTU 116611, TTU 116612, TTU 116616).
These individuals were collected in tall, grassy areas
bordering a pine forest. Other species found at these
localities include C. hispidus, P. leucopus, N. floridana,
Mus musculus, and Geomys attwateri.

Neotoma floridana (Ord 1818)

Eastern Woodrat

The eastern woodrat is distributed throughout
much of eastern and central Texas. Habitat preference
in Texas includes post-oak savannahs, characterized by
fallen logs and brush piles (Schmidly 2004). On 14-17
July 2014, one female and three male individuals were
collected at four localities: UTM 14R-682251-3310603
(TTU 116588), UTM 14R-684683-3309286 (TTU
116589), UTM 14R-681965-3311761 (TTU 116590),
and UTM 14R-682930-3310653 (TTU 116591). All
specimens were collected in a hardwood forest habitat.
Other species collected from these localities include C.
hispidus, M. musculus, P. leucopus, S. hispidus, and G.
attwateri. This specimen represents the first county
record of N. floridana for Fayette County.

Microtus ochrogaster (Wagner 1842)

Prairie Vole

On 6 September 2014, one female prairie vole
(TTU 116621) was trapped in an old grassy field area
adjacent to a CRP grassland (UTM 14S-0248341-
3731579) in Lubbock County. Prairie voles typically
inhabit tall grass prairies in the northern regions of the
Texas Panhandle. Historically, the distribution of M.
ochrogaster in Texas was restricted to Hansford and
Lipscomb counties (Schmidly 2004). More recently,
M. ochrogaster was documented from Armstrong
and Ochiltree counties within the Texas Panhandle
(Poole and Matlack 2007). This specimen serves as a
county record of M. ochrogaster in Lubbock County
and extends the distribution southward on the Llano
Estacado. Based on the current distribution records,
M. ochrogaster appears to have a discontinuous range
in the Texas Panhandle and Llano Estacado. However,
it is unclear whether this scattered distribution is the
result of a lack of trapping efforts in intervening areas or
an ongoing, natural range extension. Alternatively, for
some rodent species, human agricultural activities (i.e.,

Roberts et al.—Mammal Records from Five Texas Counties

5

movement of hay, grain, and feeds) may be responsible
for transporting and ultimately introducing individuals
into recently unoccupied areas.

This distributional record is, most likely, evidence
that M. ochrogaster is reclaiming portions of the origi¬
nal range it occupied during the late Pleistocene and not
the result of a recent range extension into a previously
unoccupied habitat. During the late Pleistocene, M.
ochrogaster was distributed throughout the northern
half of Texas but retreated northward during the more
arid Holocene (Stangl 2004). Perhaps the combination
of increased CRP acreage and irrigation of croplands
and grasslands has allowed this species to repopulate
portions of their previously occupied habitat.

Other specimens collected at this locality include
S. hispidus , M. musculus, C. hispidus , P. maniculatus ,
Reithrodontomys montanus, and Reithrodontomys
megalotis.

Family Leporidae

Sylvilagus floridanus (J. A. Allen 1890)
Eastern Cottontail

The eastern cottontail has a ubiquitous distri¬
bution in Texas. Habitat preferences include dense,
brushy areas, habitats surrounding cultivated fields,
as well as riparian areas (Schmidly 2004). On 15 July
2014, one male individual (TTU 116617) was collected
in a mowed field adjacent to a post-oak savannah habitat
in Fayette County (4.8 km S, 4.8 km W West Point, Van
Wart Ranch). On 20 July 2014, one female individual
(TTU 116618) was collected in a mixed pine/hardwood
bottomland at the Cooper Wildlife Management Area
in Hopkins County (UTM 15S-257543-3689275). Ad¬
ditionally, on 12 September 2014, one female individual
(TTU 116622) was obtained in a hardwood bottomland
habitat at the Cooper WMA in Delta County (UTM
15S-240124-3689001). These specimens serve as the
first records of S. floridanus for Delta, Fayette, and
Hopkins counties.

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank K. R. Herriman and C.
Mason of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department,
members of the Van Wart family at the Van Wart
Ranch, and K. and J. Isom for permission to collect
on their properties. Thanks to R. J. Baker for collect¬
ing the armadillo specimen. Special thanks to L. D.
Densmore and the Department of Biological Sciences,
Texas Tech University for use of vehicles to travel to

field sites and to E. Johnson and the Museum of Texas
Tech University for funding portions of this study. H.
Garner and K. MacDonald at the Natural Science Re¬
search Laboratory provided assistance with cataloguing
voucher specimens and J. P. Carrera, J. Hunter, and S.
Papas provided assistance in editing earlier versions
of this manuscript. Thank you to Boudreaux, the dog,
for assistance in collection of one of the specimens.

Literature Cited

Bradley, R. D., L. K. Ammerman, R. J. Baker, L. C. Bradley,
L. J. Cook, R. C. Dowler, C. Jones, D. J. Schmidly,
F. B. Stangl, Jr., R. A. Van Den Bussche, and B.
Wtirsig. 2014. Revised checklist of North Ameri¬
can mammals north of Mexico. Occasional Papers,
Museum of Texas Tech University 327:1-27.

Eubanks, B. W., E. C. Hellgren, J. R. Nawrot, and R. D.
Bluett. 2011. Habitat associations of the marsh
rice rat (Oryzomys palustris) in freshwater wet¬
lands of southern Illinois. Journal of Mammalogy
92:552-560.

Hall, E. R. 1981. The mammals of North America. 2nd
edition. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York. 1181
+ 90 pp.

Hanson, J. D., J. L. Indorf, V. J. Swier, and R. D. Bradley.
2010. Molecular divergence within the Oryzomys
palustris complex: Evidence for multiple species.
Journal of Mammalogy 91:336-347.

Poole, M. W., and R. S. Matlack. 2007. Prairie vole and
other small mammals from the Texas Panhandle.
The Southwestern Naturalist 52:442-445.

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Schmidly, D. J. 2004. The mammals of Texas. University
of Texas Press, Austin, Texas. 501 pp.

Sikes, R. S., W. L. Gannon, and the Animal Care and Use
Committee of the American Society of Mammalo-
gists. 2011. Guidelines of the American Society
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Stangl Jr., F. B., J. R. Goetze, and K. D. Spradling. 2004.
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Addresses of authors:

Emma K. Roberts

Department of Biological Sciences
Texas Tech University
Lubbock, TX 79409-3131 USA
emma. k. roberts@ttu. edu

Howard Crenshaw

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
829 CR 4795

Sulphur Springs, TX 75482-0402 USA
howard. crenshaw @tpwd. texas.gov

Christopher D. Dunn

Department of Biological Sciences
Texas Tech University
Lubbock, TX 79409-3131 USA
Christopher. dunn@ttu. edu

James Q. Francis

Department of Biological Sciences
Texas Tech University
Lubbock, TX 79409-3131 USA
jqfrancis@ttu. edu

William L. Hood II

1207 Vogelsang Rd.

Columbus, TX 98934 USA
will. hood@ttu. edu

Megan S. Keith

Department of Biological Sciences
Texas Tech University
Lubbock, TX 79409-3131 USA
megan. corley@ttu. edu

Laramie L. Lindsey

Department of Biological Sciences
Texas Tech University
Lubbock, TX 79409-3131 USA
laramie. lindsey@ttu. edu

Sarah F. Mangum

Department of Biological Sciences
Texas Tech University
Lubbock, TX 79409-3131 USA
sarah. mangum@ttu. edu

Nicte Ordonez-Garza

Department of Biological Sciences
Texas Tech University
Lubbock, TX 79409-3131 USA
nicte. ordonez-garza@ttu. edu

Roy N. Platt II

Department of Biological Sciences
Texas Tech University
Lubbock, TX 79409-3131 USA
neal.platt@gmail. com

Roberts et al.—Mammal Records from Five Texas Counties

7

Robert D. Bradley

Department of Biological Sciences and
Natural Science Research Laboratory,
Museum of Texas Tech University
Lubbock, TX 79409-3131 USA
robert. bradley@ttu. edu

Editor for this manuscript was Robert J. Baker, Horn Professor of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University.

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