The prairie dogs They are rodents, whose species make up the genus Cynomys. They have a stocky body, with short limbs; in terms of coloration, it can vary from ash yellow to reddish brown, which contrasts with the white of the ventral area.
The clade Cynomys is made up of five species: C. ludovicinus, C. leucurus, C. gunnisoni, C. parvidens Y C. mexicanus. In relation to distribution, it is found in the meadows, high plateaus, plains and mountain valleys of Canada, Mexico and the United States.
One of the most outstanding characteristics is its vocal language. In recent research, specialists identified some specialized vocalizations that prairie dogs emit. These are associated with the identification of some of its predators.
These calls transmit information to the rest of the group about the predator that is stalking them. Thus, the members of the colonies can know the size and the distance in which it is from the colony.
Species of the genus Cynomys are herbivorous and feed on herbs, flowers, fruits, leaves, and grasses. The diet varies according to the seasons, so in summer, the seeds are their favorite foods. In the fall and early winter, they tend to eat stems and roots.
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Prairie dogs have incisors that grow continuously. Enamel and dentin are found at the base of these teeth, but each in a different way.
Thus, the dentin is arranged in the shape of a cone along the entire length of the pulp cavity. As for the enamel, it covers the outer surface of the growing tooth, thus hiding the dentin. At the end of these teeth, there is an apical bud. It contains adult stem cells that renew themselves.
In the period of hibernation, the prolonged metabolic depression that occurs in the body causes a mark on the lower incisors. This imprint is evident in the dentin and enamel, due to the mechanism and the way of growth of said tooth..
Thus, during hibernation, the rate of dentin deposition is much lower. As for the enamel, it is deposed irregularly. This creates a thickening that is clearly distinguishable from pre-hibernating enamel. These marks on the incisors are used by researchers to learn details of this metabolic process..
The various species that make up the genus Cynomys have a robust body, with short limbs. On the legs, they have sharp claws, which they use to dig up to several meters deep. In this way they build their burrows in a short time.
As for the tail, it is generally short and covered with dense fur. However, there are variations between species in terms of color and length. On the head, it has two small, rounded ears, which are often hidden in the fur. The nose is pointed and black in color.
In relation to the eyes, they are located on the sides of the face. This could help to widen the field of view, allowing you to spot your prey more easily..
In the prairie dog, the male is usually larger than the female and up to 10% heavier than the female. Thus, body mass varies approximately from 800 to 1400 grams. As for the length, it can measure between 28 and 40 centimeters.
The coat is short and has a shade from ash yellow to reddish cinnamon. The ears are usually a little darker and the ventral area whitish.
As for the tail, some species have a black tip, such as Mexican prairie dogs and black-tailed dogs. Meanwhile, the white-tailed dogs and those of Utah, have it white.
Prairie dogs have various strategies for surviving cold winter temperatures. Experts point out that species C. mexicanus Y C. ludovicianus they are active throughout the year. This suggests that both animals do not hibernate..
However, research indicates that, given the low external temperatures, some C. ludovicianus are capable of causing facultative lethargy and perhaps hibernation.
In contrast, the C. gunnisoni, C. leucurus Y C. parvidens they are obligate hibernators. These cease their activity for several months, resuming them at the end of winter or in early spring..
During this period, the animals exhibit a body temperature typical of hibernation, accompanied by a deep and prolonged lethargy, interrupted by periodic excitations.
The moment of emerging from the burrow depends on several factors. These include age, sex, elevation of terrain, and species. Thus, the C. leucuruss emerges from its winter burrow at the beginning of February and March, where males usually do so two or three weeks before females.
On the other hand, the C. gunnisoni It emerges during the first days of March, when it lives in lands located between 1750 and 1950 meters above sea level. However, if it lives at 2850 meters above sea level, it does so in mid-April.
Prairie dogs play a very important role in their ecosystem, as members of the food chain.
In fact, they are considered key pieces, since they constitute the main food of many mammals, such as the badger and the black-footed ferret, and of some birds of prey, such as burrowing owls and the golden eagle..
In addition, the tunnels in their burrows help to prevent erosion and runoff from the ground, by directing the water towards the water table. They also contribute to reversing the compaction of soils, a product of cattle grazing..
Likewise, some animals such as bison and deer have shown a preference for grazing in the same area where prairie dogs live. Experts attribute this to the fact that they are attracted by the characteristics of the plant species in the area, where fresh shoots may abound..
On the other hand, the golden-mantled ground squirrel, burrowing owl and mountain plover depend on the burrows of prairie dogs for use as nesting areas..
-Animal Kingdom.
-Subkingdom: Bilateria.
-Phylum: Chordate.
-Subfilum: Vertebrate.
-Infrafilum: Gnathostomata.
-Superclass: Tetrapoda.
-Class: Mammal.
-Subclass: Theria
-Infraclass; Eutheria.
-Order: Rodentia.
-Suborder: Sciuromorpha.
-Family: Sciuridae.
-Subfamily: Xerinae.
-Tribe: Marmotini.
-Genus: Cynomys
-Cynomys ludovicianus
The black-tailed prairie dog has a brown coat, with a lighter belly. The adult can weigh from 600 to 1300 grams, with a body that measures between 35 and 43 centimeters.
This species is found in the Great Plains of North America, ranging from southern Canada to northern Mexico.
-Cynomys mexicanus
The hair of the Mexican prairie dog is yellowish, with darker ears and a white belly. Unlike other species, this mammal lacks a brown or black line over the eyes.
Regarding the tail, which has a length greater than 20% of the total length of the body, it has black hairs on the lateral margins and at the end. The weight of an adult can be up to 1 kilogram and the length ranges between 385 and 440 millimeters.
-Cynomys gunnisoni
The Gunnison prairie dog inhabits shrubs and prairies in the United States. The yellowish color of her hair is paler than that of the others. Likewise, it has a shorter tail than that of the rest of its gender..
-Cynomys leucurus
The largest populations of the white-tailed prairie dog are found in Wyoming. However, it also lives in Colorado, Montana, and some regions east of Utah..
As for its coloration, it is light brown, with dark eyes and black spots on the cheeks and above and below each eye. The length of its body ranges from 342 to 399 millimeters and its weight is between 750 and 1700 grams.
-Cynomys parvidens
The Utah prairie dog is the smallest of its kind. The length of this animal is 305 to 360 millimeters. Its coat is tan, with a tail almost all white..
In relation to the face, it has a dark brown spot above and below each eye. Also, the chin and upper lip are white.
Prairie dogs are found in the western United States, northwestern Mexico, and southwestern Canada. Within its preferred habitat are the thin bands of dry plains extending from Texas to Canada..
Within the range of distribution, each species is located in particular regions. In this sense, the black-tailed prairie dog lives in the Great Plains, ranging from northern Mexico to Canada..
The Gunnison prairie dog ranges in the territories of Colorado, Arizona, Utah, and New Mexico. In turn, the Mexican prairie dog has its habitat in northern Mexico. With respect to the Utah prairie dog, it is restricted to the southern area of that state.
For its part, the white-tailed prairie dog is found from eastern Wyoming, through the valleys of the Rocky Mountains, to the Great Basin..
The species of the genus Cynomys prefer to inhabit short grass meadows, avoiding very dense regions or those with very tall grasses. However, deforestation in regions such as the Great Plains has caused populations to be displaced to other areas..
As for the height of the regions where they live, they range between 600 and 3000 meters above sea level. The temperature can vary greatly, reaching 38 ° C in summer and -37 ° C during winter..
Prairie dogs spend much of their lives in burrows. These serve as a refuge from the threat of predators and as protection from climatic variations, floods and other natural events..
These shelters contribute to the body thermoregulation of the animal, since in the summer they have a temperature between 15 and 25 ° C and in winter they maintain it in a range of 5 to 10 ° C.
They also have an ecological function, since tunnel systems channel rainwater into the water table, thus preventing erosion. In addition, it could modify the composition of the land, by reversing its compaction, a product of grazing.
The prairie dog's burrow can be 5-10 meters long and 2-3 meters deep. It could have up to six entry holes, each with a diameter of approximately 10 to 30 centimeters..
The entrances can be simple flat holes, while other times they are surrounded by mounds of earth, around which the animal has cleared all the grass that surrounds it. This promontory could be 20 to 30 centimeters high, known as a dome crater. When the ground elevation measures up to one meter, it is called a rim crater..
Both structures serve as an observation post, where the prairie dog climbs to view the area and detect the presence of any predator. Likewise, the mounds protect the burrow from possible floods..
As for the holes, they provide ventilation to the shelter as air enters through the dome crater and exits through the rim crater..
Burrows have several chambers, which are usually lined with grass. The side spaces are generally used as bedrooms and as storage spaces.
Some of the prairie dog populations have declined. This situation has caused the IUCN to categorize several species within a group of animals at risk of becoming extinct..
Thus, the Cynomys gunnisoni and the Cynomys ludovicianus are at low risk, while the Cynomys mexicanus and the Cynomys parvidens are in serious danger of extinction.
Jungle plague is caused by bacteria Yersinia pestis, the same that can cause disease in man. The prairie dog becomes infected by flea bites and can transmit the condition to humans, although the likelihood of this happening is low.
This plague constitutes a serious threat to the species that make up the genus Cynomys, because it could kill an entire colony in a short time.
In the past, habitat fragmentation significantly impacted prairie dog populations. Thus, the regions where they lived were used for farmland and urban planning.
In the same way, the colonies that were on the terraces of the rivers became extinct, as a result of agricultural activities. Currently, the cropland that the prairies were converted into does not affect the prairie dog to a greater degree..
This rodent can live in empty urban fields, however, they could represent a risk, as it transmits diseases. In addition, farmers do not tolerate their presence in the fields, being considered as pests that damage crops.
Many of the colonies are protected in national and state parks, in the different regions where they live. The organisms in charge of its conservation suggest that it is important to carry out inventories where the location, size and characteristics of the populations are determined..
In this way, the relevant planning can be carried out to eliminate the factors that are afflicting the prairie dog..
In addition, it is imperative to carry out genetic work where the fact is evaluated if the currently reduced populations and the fragmentation of the habitat could cause inbreeding..
Prairie dogs begin their sexual activity around two years of age. However, occasionally the one-year-old female may go into heat and begin to reproduce..
During the heat stage, the female has some very particular behaviors. Among these is the fact that he licks his genitals, takes dust baths and enters the burrow very late at night..
For its part, the male emits a particular bark, which is made up of a group of 2 to 25 barks, which is repeated every 3 to 15 seconds. In this way, it sends signals that are interpreted by the group as a mating warning..
Copulation occurs within the burrow, thus reducing the risk of any threat from a predator. In addition, in this way it is avoided that another male can interrupt the reproductive process.
Once the couple finishes copulation, the male is no longer sexually interested in the female. As for gestation, it lasts from 28 to 32 days. When the birthing process is near, the female enters the burrow and between 1 and 8 young are born.
At birth, the young lack fur and have their eyes closed, which will open a few days later. The female is dedicated to caring for and breastfeeding the young, in addition to protecting the home where they live. The male defends the territory and the burrow.
The young remain for 6 weeks in the shelter, and after weaning, they begin to go out in search of food. When they are 5 months old they are fully developed and are on their own.
Prairie dogs come out of their burrows during the day to feed. They are herbivorous animals, however, they could eventually ingest some insects. The water they consume comes mainly from food.
The diet is usually made up of roots, herbs, grasses, shoots, flowers, and seeds. Herbaceous and grasses make up 90% of the diet of these animals, being the most relevant Muhlenbergia villosa, Bouteloua chasei Y Bouteloua dactyloides.
However, the seeds and flowers are their favorites, as they are rich in fat and protein. Food can vary according to the season of the year. Thus, during the fall, they eat broad-leaved grasses. In winter, pregnant and lactating females often eat snow to increase their water intake.
Also, each species shows a predilection for some plant species. In this way, the black-tailed prairie dogs that live in South Dakota eat blue grass, grass and buffalo grass..
Gunnison prairie dogs, on the other hand, eat tumbleweeds, rabbit brush, dandelions, cacti, salt teeth, and cacti, as well as bluegrass and buffalo grass..
Members of the genus Cynomys live in colonies, which can be located on hundreds of acres. The basic unit of society is the family group, made up of a reproductive male, two or three sexually mature females, and the offspring..
The average territory of these rodents covers between 0.05 and 1 hectare. These areas have their well-established borders, which coincide with some physical barriers, such as trees and rocks. The male defends the area where he lives and will have antagonistic behaviors with another male who tries to access his land.
When two males meet at the edge of the territory, they look at each other, snap their teeth, and smell the scent gland. In the event that they face each other, they tend to bite, kick and bump their bodies.
Prairie dogs have a specialized vocal communication system, with which they can describe the predator that threatens them. In such calls, the colony obtains important information from the attacker, such as their size and how quickly they approach the group..
In the opinion of experts, these vocalizations related to a specific predator imply that the rodent has cognitive abilities to interpret them.
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