Microdipodops fossil map
Where fossils of Microdipodops have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 0 million years ago and on today’s map.
Dots are fossil collections recorded in the Paleobiology Database. The “then” view moves today’s fossil sites back to their positions 0 million years ago (the time slice nearest the median age of the fossils) using the Merdith et al. (2021) plate model; positions are approximate. Open on the timeline map →
| Group | Early mammals |
|---|---|
| Lived | 4.7 million years ago to the present (Zanclean to Holocene) |
| Periods | Neogene, Quaternary |
| Family | Heteromyidae |
| Named by | Merriam 1891 |
| Fossil records | 6 occurrences at 2 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | United States |
| Rock formations | Palm Spring, txn:41673 |
About Microdipodops
There are two species of kangaroo mouse (genus Microdipodops) native to the Great Basin Desert of the western United States, predominantly found in the state of Nevada. The name "kangaroo mouse" alludes to the species' extraordinary jumping ability, similar to the much larger-bodied kangaroos. The two species are:
Dark kangaroo mouse – Microdipodops megacephalus
Pale kangaroo mouse – Microdipodops pallidus
Both species of kangaroo mouse live in sandy desert ecosystems, and forage for seeds and vegetation amongst the scrub brush of their native habitat. The dark kangaroo mouse is also known to feed occasionally on insects and carrion. The mice rarely drink water, instead deriving it metabolically from the food they eat. The kangaroo mouse collects food and maintains large caches in their burrows, which are excavated to a length of between 3 and 8 ft (0.91 and 2.44 m). The burrow, the entrance to which the mouse covers during daylight hours, is also used to raise litters of between 2 and 7 young. The pale kangaroo mouse burrows only in fine sand, while the dark kangaroo mouse prefers fine, gravelly soils but may also burrow in sand or sandy soil.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Kangaroo mouse (revision 1378667542), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0; introduction excerpted verbatim, formatting removed. Ages, family, authority and fossil records: Paleobiology Database, accessed 23 October 2026. Ages are those of the rock layers the fossils were found in. Wikidata: Q922132.
