A Comparison of Three Populations of the Plains Pocket Gophers, Geomys bursarius illinoensis, in Illinois

Morphometric and karyotypic analyses were performed on three Illinois populations of the Plains Pocket Gopher, Geomys bursarius illinoensis, to determine if any differences were present among the populations. Gophers were collected in three localities: 1) Iroquois and Kankakee Counties (IKC); McLean County (MC); and St. Clair and Madison counties (SMC). All three populations had the same kind and number of chromosomes (2n=72, FN=70). External measurements did not differ significantly among the three populations. Multivariate analysis of variance of the cranial characters showed that a significant (P\u3c.05) difference existed in both males, F(78,1825)=1.65, and females, F(78,1961)=1.63, between the three regions. Duncan\u27s multiple range tests of some cranial measurements showed a clinal increase going from east to west