Knox Jones's pocket gopher

{{Short description|Species of rodent}}

{{Speciesbox

| name = Knox Jones's pocket gopher

| image =

| status = LC

| status_system = IUCN3.1

| status_ref = {{cite iucn |author=Cassola, F. |date=2016 |title=Geomys knoxjonesi |volume=2016 |page=e.T136258A22218149 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T136258A22218149.en |access-date=12 November 2021}}

| genus = Geomys

| species = knoxjonesi

| authority = Baker & Genoways, 1975

| synonyms = Geomys bursarius knoxjonesi

}}

Knox Jones's pocket gopher (Geomys knoxjonesi) is a species of pocket gopher found in Texas and New Mexico. This species is named for Dr. J. Knox Jones Jr. (1929–1992), a prolific mammalogist at Texas Tech University.{{cite journal | author = Findlay, J.S.| date = 1996 | title = J. Knox Jones, Jr.: 1929–1992 | journal = Journal of Mammalogy | volume = 77 | issue = 2 | pages = 578–593 |display-authors=etal | jstor=1382831 | doi=10.2307/1382831 | doi-access = free }}

It is a relatively small gopher, with a total length of about {{convert|24|cm|abbr=on}}, including an {{convert|8|cm|abbr=on}} tail, and weighing from {{convert|160|to|185|g|abbr=on}}. Males are slightly larger than females. It has a typical gopher-like body, with large, clawed, forelimbs, small eyes and ears, and a fur-lined cheek pouches. The fur is buff-brown fur and fades to white on the belly and feet. It is visually indistinguishable from the plains pocket gopher, and was formerly considered to be a subspecies of that animal, before being raised to full species status in 1989 on the basis of genetic differences.{{cite journal |author1=Hopton, M.E. |author2=Cameron, G.N. | date = 2001 | title = Geomys knoxjonesi | journal = Mammalian Species | pages = Number 672: pp. 1–3 | doi = 10.1644/1545-1410(2001)672<0001:GK>2.0.CO;2 | volume=672|s2cid=198969071 }}

Knox Jones's pocket gopher is found in the central western regions of Texas, roughly between the counties of Ward, Martin, and Cochran, and in southeastern New Mexico as far as Chaves County.{{cite journal | author1 = Baker, R.J. | author2 = Genoways, H.H. | date = 1975 | title = A new subspecies of Geomys bursarius (Mammalia: Geomyidae) from Texas and New Mexico | journal = Occasional Papers, the Museum, Texas Tech University | volume = 29 | url = http://www.nsrl.ttu.edu/publications/opapers/ops/OP29.pdf | pages = 1–18 | access-date = 2015-02-07 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160304112112/http://www.nsrl.ttu.edu/publications/opapers/ops/OP29.pdf | archive-date = 2016-03-04 | url-status = dead }} Within this region, it inhabits areas with deep sandy soils, rather than the harder loamy soils favoured by the plains pocket gopher, and feeds on the roots and stems of plants such as yucca, sunflowers, and various grasses.

The gopher is territorial and solitary, except during the October to April breeding season.{{cite journal |author1=Pembleton, E.F. |author2=Baker, R.J. | date = 1978 | title = Studies of a contact zone between chromosomally characterized populations of Geomys bursarius | journal = Journal of Mammalogy | volume = 59 | issue = 2 | pages = 233–242 | doi = 10.2307/1379909|jstor=1379909 }} Gestation lasts about 23 days, and the young are weaned after three to four weeks.