First records of 13 mammalian species within the southwestern Cross Timbers region of Texas

TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY

Natural Science Research Laboratory

Occasional Papers

Museum of Texas Tech University

Number 284 11 March 2009

First Records of 13 Mammalian Species Within the
Southwestern Cross Timbers Region or Texas

Jim R. Goetze and Allan D. Nelson

Abstract

Fieldwork from 2004 to 2008 and investigation of the mammal collection of Tarleton State
University, Stephenville, Texas, resulted in the collection and discovery of 13 species of mam¬
mals that constitute county records for Brown, Callahan, Comanche, Erath, Hamilton, and Mills
counties within the southwestern Texas Cross Timbers ecological region. The Cross Timbers
region is a transition zone between the eastern deciduous forests and the western prairie regions.
The mammalian fauna of the region has been sporadically studied and these specimens help
define mammalian distributions within the southwestern Cross Timbers.

Key words: Cross Timbers, distribution records, mammals, Texas

Introduction

The Cross Timbers region of Texas constitutes
a distinct biogeographical region located between the
Rolling Plains to the west, the Llano Basin and Edwards
Plateau to the south, and the Red River and Blackland
Prairie to the north and east (Diggs et al. 1999). As
delineated by Gould (1962), Correll and Johnston
(1970), and Hatch et al. (1990), the Cross Timbers of
Texas comprises a large area of north-central Texas
encompassing all or part of 38 counties (Fig. 1). The
land area of the Texas Cross Timbers is approximately
67,339 km 2 . The Texas Cross Timbers is surrounded
by prairie on eastern and western sides and consists
of two belts of forest divided by the enclosed Grand
Prairie (Diggs et al. 1999). The region demarcates and
is a final, western, disjunct extension of the eastern
deciduous forests of the United States.

The conspicuous vegetation and topography of
the Cross Timbers was recognized by early travelers
and described as a belt of timber varying in width and
stretching from south to north as an immense wall of
woods (Diggs et al. 1999). Woody vegetation of the
Texas Cross Timbers is dominated by post oak (Ouercus
stellata) and blackjack oak (Ouercus marilandica).
Original vegetation ranged from open areas of prairie
to dense thickets (Schmidly 2002). Although the region
has a long history of human occupation and disturbance,
significant remnants of virgin forests remain (Diggs et
al. 1999).

Vernon Bailey recognized the importance of the
Cross Timbers’ vegetation and topography in limiting
distributions of woodland and campestrian species

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Occasional Papers, Museum of Texas Tech University

Figure 1. Map of Texas illustrating the location and
counties included within the Cross Timbers ecological
region (shaded area).

(Schmidly 2002). Bailey (1905) noted six mammalian
species reaching eastern limits and four mammalian
species with western limits along the borders of the
Texas Cross Timbers. Despite recent works by Goetze
and Nelson (1998,2000,2004) and Goetze et al. (2003,
2004), the mammalian fauna of the southwestern Cross
Timbers region is incompletely known. As a result
of fieldwork from 2004 to 2008 and examination of

specimens deposited in the mammal collection of
Tarleton State University, thirteen species of mammals
from three orders and nine families representing county
records from six counties within the southwestern Cross
Timbers have been obtained. These specimens assist in
the documentation and clarification of species ranges
within this region of Texas.

Materials and Methods

Mammals were salvaged or trapped by the au¬
thors following methods approved by the American
Society of Mammalogists (Gannon et al. 2007) or
were examined from the Tarleton State University
(TSU) mammal collection. Collecting localities of
museum specimens from the TSU Mammal Collec¬
tion not obtained by the authors are reported in units
of miles from a city or county landmark, as originally
recorded on the museum label. This was deemed most
appropriate because the reported museum specimens
represent first records of the species from their respec¬
tive counties. Retention of the original collection data
preserves the accuracy of the voucher specimens and
allows future researchers to more easily access these
specimens in the TSU Mammal Collection. However,

the original TSU localities and our (JRG and ADN)
voucher specimen records also are reported in UTM
coordinates (in parentheses) to facilitate incorporation
into geographic information system (GIS) programs.
UTM coordinates were obtained for the TSU specimens
by utilizing a Maptech 1.0 Terrain Navigator program
(Maptech, Inc.; Amesbury, Massachusetts). Our (JRG
and ADN) localities were obtained with a WAAS en¬
abled, Magellan eXplorist GPS receiver (Magellan;
Santa Clara, California). Specimens reported herein are
deposited in the mammal collections of Tarleton State
University and Midwestern State University (MWSU).
Species accounts are arranged according to Wilson and
Reeder (2005).

Goetze and Nelson—Records of Cross Timbers Mammals

3

Species Accounts

ORDER SORICOMORPHA
Family Soricidae
Cryptotisparva (Say 1823)

Least Shrew

Two least shrews (MWSU 22807, 22808) were
salvaged from 1.1 km E, 1.9 km S Beattie in Coman¬
che County (14 530115E, 3543652N) on 14 and 20
March 2008, respectively. The individual captured on
14 March 2008 was a female; the gender of the other
individual could not be determined because of decom¬
position and desiccation. The shrews were obtained
from the immediate vicinity of an abandoned farmstead
home. The surrounding area was dominated by fields
of coastal bermuda grass ( Cynodon dactylori) and an
unimproved road fringed with post oak and China-berry
trees ( Melia azedarach ) and other dense vegetation
leading to the capture site. The least shrew has been
previously reported from Brown, Erath, Mills, and
Palo Pinto counties of the southwestern Cross Timbers
(Riddle et al. 1999; Goetze and Nelson 2000, 2004;
Goetze et al. 2004).

Family Talpidae

Scalopus aquaticus (Linnaeus 1758)

Eastern Mole

An adult male Scalopus aquaticus (TSU 527) was
collected at the city limits of Comanche in Comanche
County (14 537170E, 3529807N). The mole was
obtained on 5 October 1976 by O. Hall. This speci¬
men represents the first record of the eastern mole in
Comanche County, Texas. The eastern mole has been
reported from adjacent Eastland and Erath counties
(Goetze and Nelson 2000; Schmidly 2004). The distri¬
bution of S. aquaticus within the Cross Timbers likely
is limited by presence of soils suitable for excavation
activities by this species.

ORDER CARNIVORA
Family Canidae
Cams latrans Say 1823
Coyote

A coyote (MWSU 22803) was collected from
Mills County, 3.2 km S, 1.6 km W Mullin (14 530362
E, 3491012 N) on 28 July 2006. A government trap¬

per had captured the animal by use of snares. The
coyote was too decayed and desiccated for accurate
measurements, so its skull was salvaged as a voucher.
The area surrounding the capture site was mesquite
(Prosopis glandulosa ) pastureland and interspersed
coastal bermuda fields. This specimen represents the
first reported record for Mills County. Coyotes have
been reported previously from Comanche and Palo
Pinto counties within the southwestern Cross Timbers
(Goetze and Nelson 2004; Schmidly 2004).

Family Mephitidae

Conepatus leuconotus (Lichtenstein 1832)
American Hog-nosed Skunk

An adult female hog-nosed skunk (MWSU
21665) was collected 6.4 km SE Clairette in Erath
County from the roadside of State Highway 281 (14
587789E, 3542573N) on 9 August 1999. This specimen
represents the first reported record of C. leuconotus
from Erath County, Texas. The hog-nosed skunk previ¬
ously has been reported only from Brown, Lampasas,
and Palo Pinto counties within the Cross Timbers region
(Goetze and Nelson 1998; Schmidly 2004).

Mephitis mephitis (Schreber 1776)

Striped Skunk

An adult female Mephitis mephitis (TSU 4) was
collected 9 mi. SW Comanche, in Comanche County
(14 526563E, 3519545N) on 23 March 1968 by C. Os¬
born. This specimen represents the first reported record
for Comanche County, Texas. The striped skunk has
been reported previously from Eastland, Erath, Mills,
and Palo Pinto counties within the region (Goetze et
al. 2004).

ORDER RODENTIA
Family Sciuridae
Sciurus niger Linnaeus 1758
Eastern Fox Squirrel

An adult male Sciurus niger (TSU 20) was col¬
lected 2 mi. W of Cross Plains in Callahan County (14
481161E, 3554193N) on 8 February 1967 by C. Hick¬
man. Another adult female (TSU 15) was collected
20 mi. S of Comanche in Mills County (14 536877E,

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Occasional Papers, Museum of Texas Tech University

3496056N) on 8 May 1968 by C. Osborn. These speci¬
mens represent county records for Callahan and Mills
counties within the southwestern Cross Timbers region.
The eastern fox squirrel has been reported from Brown,
Coleman, Comanche, Coryell, Eastland, Hamilton, and
Lampasas counties. The TSU specimens help to define
the species’ range within the Cross Timbers of Texas.

Spermophilus mexicanus (Erxleben 1777)
Mexican Ground Squirrel

An adult male Spermophilus mexicanus (TSU
36) was collected 8 mi. SW of Rising Star in Brown
County (14 491093E, 3544125N) on 2 May 1967 by L.
Pittman. An additional adult female (MWSU 22802)
was collected at Oakwood Cemetery in the city of Co¬
manche (14 537929E, 3530012N), Comanche County
on 8 August 2007. A third, adult female S. mexicanus
(MWSU 22299) was collected 1.3 km E Regency with¬
in Regency Cemetery in Mills County (14515216 E,
3475932 N) on 3 July 2004. The Comanche and Mills
county individuals were non-gestating, adult females.
These three specimens represent county records for
Brown, Comanche, and Mills counties of Texas. The
Mexican ground squirrel has been reported previously
from Eastland and Erath counties of the Cross Timbers
region (Schmidly 2004).

Family Castoridae
Castor canadensis Kuhl 1820
American Beaver

An adult female Castor canadensis (TSU 527)
was collected 8 mi. N of Comanche on the Leon River
in Comanche County (14 533540E, 3545033N) on 16
May 1986 by H. Garner. The nearest reported records
of C. canadensis listed by Schmidly (2004) are from
Taylor County to the northwest, Johnson County in
the northeast, and Bell and McLennan counties in
the southeast. Goetze and Nelson (2004) collected a
specimen of C. canadensis from Erath County to the
east. The Comanche County specimen represents a
first record for that county and an additional record
of the American beaver from the southwestern Cross
Timbers of Texas.

Family Heteromyidae
Perognathus merriami J. A. Allen 1892
Merriam’s Pocket Mouse

Two adult female Perognathus merriami were
collected in Brown County. One (TSU 115) was col¬
lected on 15 October 1970, 2.5 mi. NE of Zephyr (14
522393E, 3507339N) by L. Carpenter and the second
(TSU 516) on 23 November 1976, 25 mi. NW of
Brownwood (14 487574E, 3544010N) by P. Wright.
These two specimens represent county records for the
species in Brown County, Texas. Merriam’s pocket
mouse is reported from Coleman, Eastland, Erath, and
Palo Pinto counties of the Cross Timbers (Goetze et al.
2004; Schmidly 2004).

Family Cricetidae
Baiomys taylori (Thomas 1887)

Northern Pygmy Mouse

Six Baiomys taylori (TSU 1008, 1009, 1010,
1011, 1012, 1013) were collected 2 mi. S Hico in
Hamilton County (14 591454E, 3535492N). An adult
female was collected on 22 September (TSU 1009), an
adult female on 26 September (TSU 1008), an adult
male on 5 October (TSU 1011), an adult female on 10
October (TSU 1012), a juvenile female on 12 October
(TSU 1010), and an adult female on 17 October (TSU
1013) of 1988 by H. Gamer. These specimens represent
first records for Hamilton County in the Cross Timbers
region. The northern pygmy mouse previously has been
reported from Bosque, Comanche, and Erath counties
adjacent to Hamilton County (Schmidly 2004), but
curiously has not been obtained in Coryell, Lampasas,
and Mills counties to the south and west.

Reithrodontomys fulvescens J. A. Allen 1894
Fulvous Harvest Mouse

An adult male Reithrodontomys fulvescens (TSU
1015) was collected 2 mi. S of Hico in Hamilton County
(14 591454E, 3535492N) on 9 February 1989 by H.
Garner. This specimen represents the first record of the
fulvous harvest mouse from Hamilton County, Texas.
The fulvous harvest mouse has been reported from
Brown, Comanche, Eastland, Erath, and Mills counties
of the Cross Timbers region (Goetze and Nelson 2000;
Goetze et al. 2004).

Goetze and Nelson—Records of Cross Timbers Mammals

5

Reithrodontomys montanus (Baird 1855)
Plains Harvest Mouse

An adult male Reithrodontomys montanus (TSU
534) was collected 25 mi. NW Brownwood in Brown
County (14 487574E, 3544010N) on 26 October 1976
by P. Wright. This specimen represents the first re¬
ported record of the species for Brown County, Texas.
The plains harvest mouse has been reported from Calla¬
han, Eastland, and Erath counties of the Cross Timbers
region of Texas (Goetze et al. 2004; Schmidly 2004).

Family Myocastoridae
Myocastor coypus (Molina 1782)

Coypu

An adult female Myocastor coypus (TSU 452)
was collected 2.4 km S, 4.8 km W Proctor at Proctor
Dam in Comanche County (14 549475E, 3537239N)
on July 1974 by H. Garner. This specimen represents
the first reported record for Comanche County, Texas.
The coypu has previously been reported from Bosque,
Brown, Erath, and Palo Pinto counties of the southwest¬
ern Cross Timbers region (Goetze et al. 2004). The
coypu has dispersed throughout most of Texas since
its introduction into the state (Schmidly 2004).

Acknowledgments

We wish to thank Philip Sudman for allowing us
access to specimens in his care at the Tarleton State
University mammal collection. We also gratefully
acknowledge Frederick Stangl, Jr. for permitting us
to deposit specimens obtained during our fieldwork in

the Midwestern State University Collection of Recent
Mammals. Two anonymous reviewers helped improve
the manuscript by their comments. Research was con¬
ducted under Texas Parks and Wildlife permit number
SPR-0496-775.

Literature Cited

Baily, V. 1905. Biological Survey of Texas. North American
Fauna No. 25. United States Department of Ag¬
riculture, Bureau Biological Survey, Washington,
DC.

Correll, D. S., and M. C. Johnston. 1970. Manual of the
vascular plants of Texas. Texas Research Founda¬
tion, Renner.

Diggs, G. M., Jr., B. L. Lipscomb, and R. J. O’Kennon.
1999. Shinners & Mahler’s flora of North Central
Texas. Botanical Research Institute of Texas, Fort
Worth.

Gannon, W. L., R. S. Sikes, and the Animal Care and Use
Committee of the American Society of Mammalo-
gists. 2007. Guidelines of the American Society
of Mammalogists for the use of wild animals in
research. Journal of Mammalogy 88:809-823.

Goetze, J. R., and A. D. Nelson. 1998. Noteworthy records
of mammals from Central and South Texas. Texas
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Goetze, J. R., and A. D. Nelson. 2000. Distributional records
and comments on mammals from six Texas coun¬

ties. Occasional Papers, Museum of Texas Tech
University 195:1-7.

Goetze, J. R., and A. D. Nelson. 2004. Distributional records
of mammals from the southern Cross Timbers of
Texas. Occasional Papers, Museum of Texas Tech
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Goetze, J. R., A. D. Nelson, and P. D. Sudman. 2003. Note¬
worthy records of bats from Central and South
Texas. Texas Journal of Science 55:365-367.

Goetze, J. R., P. D. Sudman, and A. D. Nelson. 2004. Note¬
worthy records of mammals from Erath County,
Texas. Occasional Papers, Museum of Texas Tech
University 234:1-6.

Gould, F. W. 1962. Texas plants: A checklist and ecological
summary. Texas Agriculture Experiment Station
Miscellaneous Publication 585:1-112.

Hatch, S. L., K. N. Gandhi, and L. E. Brown. 1990. Checklist
of the vascular plants of Texas. Texas Agriculture
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Occasional Papers, Museum of Texas Tech University

Riddle, W. W., B. L. Blossman-Myer, K. D. Spradling, and F.
B. Stangl, Jr. 1999. Noteworthy records of mam¬
mals from Palo Pinto County, Texas. Texas Journal
of Science 51:335-338.

Schmidly, D. J. 2002. Texas natural history: a century of
change. Texas Tech University Press, Lubbock.

Addresses of authors:

Jim R. Goetze

Laredo Community College
Science Department
West End Washington Street
Laredo, Texas 78040
jgoetze@laredo. edu

Schmidly, D. J. 2004. The mammals of Texas, Revised edi¬
tion. University of Texas Press, Austin.

Wilson, D. E., and D. M. Reeder (eds.). 2005. Mammal
species of the World, a taxonomic and geographic
reference. Third edition. Johns Hopkins University
Press, Baltimore, Maryland.

Allan D. Nelson

Tarleton State University
Department of Biological Sciences
Box T-0100

Stephenville, Texas 76402
nelson@tarleton. edu

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