Megascapheus laticeps

(S. F. Baird, 1855)

Northern California Pocket Gopher

Taxonomy

Subclass : Theria
Infraclass : Placentalia
Magnorder : Boreoeutheria
Superorder : Euarchontoglires
Order : Rodentia
Suborder : Supramyomorpha
Infraorder : Castorimorphi
Family : Geomyidae
Subfamily : Geomyinae
Tribe : Thomomyini
Genus : Megascapheus

Species status

Living
Found in the wild

Authority citation

Baird, S.F. 1855-06-15. Characteristics of some new species of North American Mammalia, collected chiefly in connection with the U. S. surveys of a railroad route to the Pacific. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 7:333-336.

Authority publication link

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/1694449

Original name as described

Thomomys laticeps

Type material

USNM:MAMM:513 (= USNM:MAMM:A1648)

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/37091ac86-d9fc-4df8-a109-cbf082246e14

Type locality

Humboldt Bay, Humboldt Co., California, USA.

Biogeographic realm

Nearctic

Country distribution

United States

Subregion distribution

USA(CA,OR)

Taxonomy notes

split from M. bottae, although further research using more integrative taxonomic methods is needed to confirm this taxonomic arrangement

Taxonomy notes citation

Álvarez-Castañeda, S. T., & Segura-Trujillo, C. A. (2025). Genus-level review of pocket gophers in the family Geomyidae. Therya, 16(1), 41-75.

IUCN Red List status

Not Evaluated

Species Permalink

https://www.mammaldiversity.org/taxon/1006917

Country distribution map

The map below provides a general overview. Most species inhabit only specific regions within countries. Hover over the highlighted regions to see the country name.

Names and synonyms

Present and past (if available) associated names to the species. Click on a name to view its details. If the list is long, scroll down to see more.

Thomomys laticeps

(S. F. Baird, 1855)

Family

Geomyidae

Root name

laticeps

Validity status

species

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

USNM:MAMM:513 (= USNM:MAMM:A1648)

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/37091ac86-d9fc-4df8-a109-cbf082246e14

Authority page

335

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/1694449

Authority publication

Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia

Name usages

  1. Murray (1866:357, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/15580353) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/39798)
  2. Álvarez-Castañeda (2010:679) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/6593)

Thomomys leucodon

(C. H. Merriam, 1897)

Family

Geomyidae

Root name

leucodon

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

USNM:MAMM:32034 (= USNM:MAMM:A43848)

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/3b34f0ff2-ec3a-4273-a224-dca9dee14220

Authority page

215

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/3942345

Authority publication

Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington

Name usages

Kellogg (1916:364, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/29524776) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/69086)

Thomomys leucodon navus

(C. H. Merriam, 1901)

Family

Geomyidae

Root name

navus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

USNM:MAMM:57791

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/35e261386-454a-493e-b615-d939abb3bd2c

Authority page

112

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/2338988

Authority publication

Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington

Name usages

Kellogg (1916:364, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/29524776) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/69086)

Thomomys alpinus awahnee

(C. H. Merriam, 1908)

Family

Geomyidae

Root name

awahnee

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

USNM:MAMM:133076

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/3ecfb570e-f21b-4469-889f-cdefc93989e0

Authority page

146

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/3333967

Authority publication

Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington

Thomomys bottae minor

(V. O. Bailey, 1914)

Family

Geomyidae

Root name

minor

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

USNM:MAMM:146463

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/3b344c8f4-7327-4978-8155-71bd304f5d76

Authority page

116

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/55445047

Authority publication

Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington

Name usages

Patton (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8529)

Thomomys bottae saxatilis

(J. Grinnell, 1934)

Family

Geomyidae

Root name

saxatilis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

MVZ:Mamm:63354

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

https://arctos.database.museum/guid/MVZ:Mamm:63354

Authority page

193

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/34575445

Authority publication

Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington

Name usages

Patton (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8529)

Thomomys bottae acrirostratus

(J. Grinnell, 1935)

Family

Geomyidae

Root name

acrirostratus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

MVZ:Mamm:58940

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

https://arctos.database.museum/guid/MVZ:Mamm:58940

Authority page

408

Authority publication

University of California Publications in Zoology

Name usages

Patton (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8529)

Thomomys bottae agricolaris

(J. Grinnell, 1935)

Family

Geomyidae

Root name

agricolaris

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

MVZ:Mamm:57158

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

https://arctos.database.museum/guid/MVZ:Mamm:57158

Authority page

409

Authority publication

University of California Publications in Zoology

Name usages

Patton (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8529)

Thomomys bottae detumidus

(J. Grinnell, 1935)

Family

Geomyidae

Root name

detumidus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

MVZ:Mamm:61336

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

https://arctos.database.museum/guid/MVZ:Mamm:61336

Authority page

405

Authority publication

University of California Publications in Zoology

Name usages

  1. Patton (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8529)
  2. Wilson, Lacher & Mittermeier (2016:240) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/59599)

Thomomys bottae silvifugus

(J. Grinnell, 1935)

Family

Geomyidae

Root name

silvifugus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

available

Type

MVZ:Mamm:58958

Type kind

holotype

Type specimen URI

https://arctos.database.museum/guid/MVZ:Mamm:58958

Authority page

406

Authority publication

University of California Publications in Zoology

Name usages

Patton (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8529)

Thomomys bottae laticeps

(V. O. Bailey, 1936)

Family

Geomyidae

Root name

laticeps

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

253

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/25806174

Authority publication

North American Fauna

Name usages

  1. Bailey (1936:253, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/25806174) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/35313)
  2. Patton (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8529)

Thomomys bottae leucodon

(V. O. Bailey, 1936)

Family

Geomyidae

Root name

leucodon

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

252

Authority page URI

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/25806173

Authority publication

North American Fauna

Name usages

  1. Bailey (1936:252, https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/25806173) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/35313)
  2. Patton (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8529)
  3. Wilson, Lacher & Mittermeier (2016:240) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/59599)

Thomomys bottae awahnee

(J. L. Patton, 2005)

Family

Geomyidae

Root name

awahnee

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority publication

Baltimore

Name usages

  1. Patton (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8529)
  2. Wilson, Lacher & Mittermeier (2016:240) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/59599)

Thomomys bottae navus

(J. L. Patton, 2005)

Family

Geomyidae

Root name

navus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority publication

Baltimore

Name usages

  1. Patton (2005) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/8529)
  2. Wilson, Lacher & Mittermeier (2016:240) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/59599)

Thomomys bottae saxatillis

(D. E. Wilson, Lacher, & Mittermeier, 2016)

Family

Geomyidae

Root name

saxatillis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

incorrectsubsequentspelling

Authority page

256

Authority publication

Barcelona

Name usages

Wilson, Lacher & Mittermeier (2016:256) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/59599)

M. l. agricolaris

Álvarez-Castañeda & Segura-Trujillo, 2025

Family

Geomyidae

Root name

agricolaris

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

59

Authority publication

Therya

Name usages

Álvarez-Castañeda & Segura-Trujillo (2025:59) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/68853)

M. l. awahnee

Álvarez-Castañeda & Segura-Trujillo, 2025

Family

Geomyidae

Root name

awahnee

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

59

Authority publication

Therya

Name usages

Álvarez-Castañeda & Segura-Trujillo (2025:59) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/68853)

M. l. detumidus

Álvarez-Castañeda & Segura-Trujillo, 2025

Family

Geomyidae

Root name

detumidus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

59

Authority publication

Therya

Name usages

Álvarez-Castañeda & Segura-Trujillo (2025:59) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/68853)

Megascapheus laticeps

Álvarez-Castañeda & Segura-Trujillo, 2025

Family

Geomyidae

Root name

laticeps

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

59

Authority publication

Therya

Name usages

Álvarez-Castañeda & Segura-Trujillo (2025:59) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/68853)

M. l. laticeps

Álvarez-Castañeda & Segura-Trujillo, 2025

Family

Geomyidae

Root name

laticeps

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

59

Authority publication

Therya

Name usages

Álvarez-Castañeda & Segura-Trujillo (2025:59) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/68853)

M. l. leucodon

Álvarez-Castañeda & Segura-Trujillo, 2025

Family

Geomyidae

Root name

leucodon

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

59

Authority publication

Therya

Name usages

Álvarez-Castañeda & Segura-Trujillo (2025:59) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/68853)

M. b. navus

Álvarez-Castañeda & Segura-Trujillo, 2025

Family

Geomyidae

Root name

navus

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

56

Authority publication

Therya

Name usages

Álvarez-Castañeda & Segura-Trujillo (2025:56) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/68853)

M. l. saxatilis

Álvarez-Castañeda & Segura-Trujillo, 2025

Family

Geomyidae

Root name

saxatilis

Validity status

synonym

Nomenclatural status

name_combination

Authority page

59

Authority publication

Therya

Name usages

Álvarez-Castañeda & Segura-Trujillo (2025:59) (information at https://hesperomys.com/a/68853)

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