NATURAL HISTORY · CATALOGUE RECORD
Dusky-footed Woodrat
Neotoma (Neotoma) fuscipes Baird, 1857
Source-backed taxonomic record
Accepted species in Catalogue of Life’s 11 September 2026 base release. This preserves the source classification and available supporting data; it is not a completed species monograph.
Open encyclopedia reference
The dusky-footed woodrat (Neotoma fuscipes) is a species of nocturnal rodent in the family Cricetidae. Nicknames include "packrats" or "trade rats" because of their tendency to hoard things, build large domed dens, and "trade" by dropping then picking up another object for it. Coyotes and other predators will attempt to prey on these rodents by laying waste to the dens, but the sheer volume of material is usually dissuasive. Occasionally, dusky-footed woodrats will build satellite dens in trees. Although these animals are solitary, except in the mating season (when they are most vulnerable to predation), dens are frequently found in clusters of up to several dozen, forming rough "communities". The mating system in this species appears to be variable, with promiscuity most generally at high population densities and monogamy at lower densities. They are similar in appearance to the common rat species Rattus rattus and Rattus norvegicus, but with larger ears and eyes, softer coats, and furred tails. The California mouse, Peromyscus californicus, which has similar distribution, is sometimes found living in woodrat dens.
Wikipedia contributors, Dusky-footed woodrat; see linked history · CC BY-SA 4.0 . Plain-text lead excerpt, at most 180 words; no infobox or later sections Retrieved 2026-10-05T07:42:16.921873+00:00. This reference remains separate from the taxonomic record.
Identity & source status
- Scientific name
- Neotoma (Neotoma) fuscipes Baird, 1857
- Name authority
- Baird, 1857
- Common name
- Dusky-footed Woodrat
- Rank
- species
- Accepted status
- accepted
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Mammalia
- Order
- Rodentia
- Family
- Cricetidae
- Genus
- Neotoma
- Extinction status
- Recorded extant
Classification family tree
Nested taxonomic groups from the source. This is not a direct-ancestor chain, a dated evolutionary tree or a phylogenetic reconstruction.
- domainEukaryota (Chatton, 1925) Whittaker & Margulis, 1978
- kingdomAnimalia
- phylumChordata
- subphylumVertebrata
- infraphylumGnathostomata
- parvphylumOsteichthyes
- megaclassTetrapoda
- classMammalia Linnaeus, 1758
- subclassTheria Parker & Haswell, 1897
- infraclassEutheria Gill, 1872
- orderRodentia Bowdich, 1821
- suborderMyomorpha Brandt, 1855
- superfamilyMuroidea Illiger, 1811
- familyCricetidae Fischer, 1817
- subfamilyNeotominae Merriam, 1894
- genusNeotoma Say & Ord, 1825
- subgenusNeotoma Say & Ord, 1825
- speciesNeotoma (Neotoma) fuscipes Baird, 1857
Close classified relatives
These entries share the source’s genus, Neotoma. They are not necessarily the closest relatives established by molecular evidence.
| Species | Classification | Source status |
|---|---|---|
| Bushy-tailed WoodratNeotoma (Teonoma) cinerea (Ord, 1815) | CricetidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Arizona WoodratNeotoma (Neotoma) devia Goldman, 1927 | CricetidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Goldman's WoodratNeotoma (Neotoma) goldmani Merriam, 1903 | CricetidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| White-toothed WoodratNeotoma (Neotoma) leucodon Merriam, 1894 | CricetidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Allegheny WoodratNeotoma (Neotoma) magister Baird, 1857 | CricetidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Turner Island woodratNeotoma (Neotoma) varia Burt, 1932 | CricetidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Sonoran WoodratNeotoma (Teanopus) phenax (Merriam, 1903) | CricetidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| White-throated WoodratNeotoma (Neotoma) albigula Hartley, 1894 | CricetidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Tamaulipan WoodratNeotoma (Neotoma) angustapalata Baker, 1951 | CricetidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Bryant's WoodratNeotoma (Neotoma) bryanti Merriam, 1887 | CricetidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Bunker's Wood RatNeotoma (Neotoma) bunkeri Burt, 1932 | CricetidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extinct |
| Nicaraguan WoodratNeotoma (Neotoma) chrysomelas J. A. Allen, 1908 | CricetidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
Names & synonyms
Names explicitly linked to this accepted taxon in the source. Synonymy can change with revision.
| Recorded name | Source status |
|---|---|
| Neotoma splendens True, 1894 True, 1894 | synonym |
| Neotoma fuscipes annectens Elliot, 1898 Elliot, 1898 | synonym |
| Neotoma fuscipes bullatior Hooper, 1938 Hooper, 1938 | synonym |
| Neotoma fuscipes riparia Hooper, 1938 Hooper, 1938 | synonym |
| Neotoma monochroura Rhoads, 1894 Rhoads, 1894 | synonym |
| Neotoma fuscipes fuscipes Baird, 1857 Baird, 1857 | synonym |
| Neotoma fuscipes perplexa Hooper, 1938 Hooper, 1938 | synonym |
Documented distribution
Source distribution statements, not a complete range map. A listed locality is not necessarily a place of origin.
Source literature & publication evidence
References attached to this source record, including nomenclatural citations where supplied. This is a selected bibliography; abbreviated citations remain in the source’s form.
- https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=180373 Source fields: Taxon.tsv dwc:namePublishedIn, Taxon.tsv dcterms:references
Origins, evidence & remaining research
Name authority and publication references document nomenclature where the source supplies it. They do not establish evolutionary origins or the earliest fossil occurrence.
Specimen-level evidence, morphology, ecological research, phylogenetic studies, a comprehensive bibliography and a located literary passage have not yet been compiled for this record. A suitable sourced image remains to be added.
Dataset citation & attribution
This exact taxon in ChecklistBank · Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11
Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11; dataset 316321; doi:10.48580/dgz5n. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ . Retrieved 5 October 2026.
Stable key: col:46VCH. Classification follows source parent identifiers. English common names may vary by region.