ADW: Dipodomys Ingens: INFORMATION - Animal Diversity Web

Physical Description

Giant kangaroo rats have relatively large back limbs and shorter forelimbs. Their heads are relatively large compared to their bodies. Their tail is longer than their body length. Like all mammals, these rats exhibit bilateral symmetry and are endothermic. These rats also have external cheek pouches.

Male kangaroo rats are slightly larger than females. Males have an average mass of 157g (range 140.0 g to 174.2 g) and females have an average mass of 151.4 g (range 130.8 g to 180.0 g). Males have an average total length of 334.4 mm while females have an average total length of 332.9 mm (range 311 to 348 mm). The kangaroo rats have an average tail length that is 128% the length of their head and body. Their hind foot length averages 47 mm and they have an ear length range of 6.2 to 6.4 mm.

All adults have a brown or tan coat color on the dorsal part of their bodies with a white coat on the ventral side, and visible vibrissae. Their tail tuft is bicolored, brown on dorsal side and white on ventral side and dark compared to their body color; they also have dark stripes running longitudinally from head to tail. The rats’ flanks are usually darker compared to the tan dorsum. Juveniles tend to have paler dorsal coats than adults.

• Other Physical Features
• endothermic endothermic
• bilateral symmetry bilateral symmetry

• Sexual Dimorphism
• male larger

Range mass 130.8 to 180.0 g 4.61 to 6.34 oz Average mass 155 g 5.46 oz Range length 311 to 348 mm 12.24 to 13.70 in Average length 330 mm 12.99 in