Eozapus setchuanus (Pousargues, 1896)

Don E. Wilson, Russell A. Mittermeier & Thomas E. Lacher, Jr, 2017, Zapodidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 7 Rodents II, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 50-61 : 56

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Chinese Jumping Mouse

Eozapus setchuanus

French: Zapode de Chine / German: China-HlUpfmaus / Spanish: Raton saltador de China

Other common names: Sichuan Jumping Mouse

Taxonomy. Zapus setchuanus Pousargues, 1896 ,

Tatsienlu (Kangding), Sichuan Prov., China.

The most ancient FEozapus, E. prosimilis from the Loo Formation of Mongolia, is the earliest known zapodid. The discovery of E. prosimilis shows that this genus occurred much earlier than thought and rejects the hypothesis that this group developed in the Miocene of Europe. A new taxon vicinus, named by O. Thomas in 1912, was described as a subspecies of E. setchuanus, but later it was been synonymized with it. Monotypic.

Distribution. C China (E & S Qinghai, Gansu, S Ningxia, S Shaanxi, Sichuan, and NW Yunnan).

Descriptive notes. Head—body 70-100 mm, tail 115-144 mm, hindfoot 26-31 mm; weight 15-20 g. Dorsum of the Chinese Jumping Mouse is tawny orangish, with defined dark band running from forehead to tail. Hairs along sides are pale reddish brown. Venter is white, with pale light brown, 5mm wide stripe down the center;it is entirely white in those animals previously designated as subspecies vicinus. Tail is long, thinly haired, and bicolored, dark above and white below, and has white tip. Upper incisors have deep grooves on anterior surfaces. First upper premolaris reduced in size, and molars have complicated patterns of re-entrant folds, islands, and valleys. Dental formulais11/1,C0/0,P1/0,M 3/3 (x2) = 18.

Habitat. High elevations at 1780-4000 m in mountainous regions. The Chinese Jumping Mouse is usually found in areas with good ground cover and commonly found in shrub steppe or meadow but also coniferous forests and dense shrubland.

Food and Feeding. The Chinese Jumping Mouse eats mainly green plants. It would seem likely that their diet would be more like those of Napaeozapus and Zapus and include seeds, Endogonaceae and other fungi, and invertebrates. It is probable that characteristic behaviors of the Chinese Jumping Mouse are similar to those of the MeadowJumping Mouse ( Zapus hudsonius ). Feces from seven foxes in southern Ningxia contained skulls of ChineseJumping Mice. No cestodes or nematodes were found in five digestive tracts examined.

Breeding. As in other zapodids, male Chinese Jumping Mice probably emerge from hibernation before females, breeding likely occurs shortly after emergence, and there are probably 1-2 litters of 2-9 young. Gestation is likely 18-20 days.

Activity patterns. Poorly known. It is assumed that Chinese Jumping Mice probably walk or crawl through the grass. When startled, they can probablyjump up to 1 m and then hide in vegetation as observed in other zapodids. They are probably most active at night.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Based on other zapodids, home ranges of ChineseJumping Mice are probably 0-4-2-8 ha, and they overlap. Major movements occur when they go back and forth from their summer ranges to hibernacula.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. Chinese Jumping Mice are unlikely declining at nearly the rate required to qualify for listing in a threatened category due to their wide distribution and presumed large populations. They occur in a number of protected areas and tolerate some degree of habitat modification.

Bibliography. Allen (1940), Baillie & Groombridge (1996), Corbet & Hill (1992), Fahlbusch (1992), Giraudoux et al. (1998), Lopatin & Zazhigin (2000a), Quéré et al. (2009), Smith & Yan Xie (2008), Thomas (1912b), Wilson & Reeder (2005), Zhang Yongzu et al. (1997).

Figures

1. Chinese Jumping Mouse (Fozapus setchuanus), 2. Meadow Jumping Mouse (Zapus hudsonius), 3. Pacific Jumping Mouse (Zapus trinotatus), 4. Western Jumping Mouse (Zapus princeps), 5. Woodland Jumping Mouse (Napaeozapus insignis)

Distribution. C China (E & S Qinghai, Gansu, S Ningxia, S Shaanxi, Sichuan, and NW Yunnan).