Zapus is a genus of North American jumping mice. It is the only genus whose members have the dental (tooth) formula:

Zapus are the only extant mammals with a total of 18 teeth (Schwartz and Schwartz, 1997).

This genus was first separated from Old World jerboas by Coues in 1875. Members of this genus are very similar in appearance, all species having long tails, long hind feet and yellowish-brown pelage above and white below, the colors distinctly separated by a yellowish-orange lateral line.

Taxonomy

The genus contains three species:

• Meadow Jumping Mouse, Zapus hudsonius
  • Zapus hudsonius acadicus
  • Zapus hudsonius adamsi
  • Zapus hudsonius alascensis
  • Zapus hudsonius americanus
  • Zapus hudsonius campestris
  • Zapus hudsonius canadensis
  • Zapus hudsonius hudsonius
  • Zapus hudsonius preblei
  • Zapus hudsonius transitionalis
• Western Jumping Mouse, Zapus princeps
  • Zapus princeps chysogenys
  • Zapus princeps cinereus
  • Zapus princeps curtatus
  • Zapus princeps idahoensis
  • Zapus princeps kootenayensis
  • Zapus princeps minor
  • Zapus princeps oregonus
  • Zapus princeps pacificus
  • Zapus princeps princeps
  • Zapus princeps saltator
  • Zapus princeps utahensis
• Pacific Jumping Mouse, Zapus trinotatus
  • Zapus trinotatus eureka
  • Zapus trinotatus montanus
  • Zapus trinotatus orarius (Pt. Reyes Jumping Mouse?)
  • Zapus trinotatus trinotatus

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Zapus

Wikispecies has information related to: Zapus

• Allen, J. A. 1900. The North-American Jumping Mice. The American Naturalist, 34:399, pp. 199–202.
• Smithsonian. 1993. Mammal Species of the World.[1] Accessed 3 April 2007.
• Schwartz, C. W., E. R. Schwartz. 2001. The wild mammals of Missouri. University of Missouri Press, Columbia, Missouri, USA. pp. 262–267.