. Biology of the Heteromyidae. Heteromyidae. Fig. 14.—An Argentine gerbil mouse, Elig- modontia moreni, from near Andalgala, Argen- tina. (Photo: M. A. Mares) though most were not. Nevertheless, the an- imals had an extraordinary ability to pro- cess electrolytes; they were able to maintain weight on M salt solution, or about three times the salt concentration of sea water. In many of the habitats frequented by Elig- modontia, halophytic plants are the domi- nant vegetation. Mares {\911b) suggested that the marked ability to process electro- lytes might allow the animals to utilize these p
. Biology of the Heteromyidae. Heteromyidae. Fig. 14.—An Argentine gerbil mouse, Elig- modontia moreni, from near Andalgala, Argen- tina. (Photo: M. A. Mares) though most were not. Nevertheless, the an- imals had an extraordinary ability to pro- cess electrolytes; they were able to maintain weight on M salt solution, or about three times the salt concentration of sea water. In many of the habitats frequented by Elig- modontia, halophytic plants are the domi- nant vegetation. Mares {\911b) suggested that the marked ability to process electro- lytes might allow the animals to utilize these plants as a food or water source. Mares (1988) examined growth rates in E. typus bom in the laboratory. In the southern Monte and Patagonia, the faunal composition is not strikingly differ- ent from that of the northern Monte. Ory- zomys longicaudatus becomes more com- mon in scrublands as rainfall becomes more equitable and as grass cover increases. Ako- don xanthorinus and A. iniscatus are also found in scrub/grass areas, while A. longi- pilis usually occurs in more mesic habitats. Phyllotis darwini and Auliscomys micropus frequent rocky areas in Patagonia, and G. griseoflavus is found in scrublands as far south as southern Patagonia. Eligmodontia typus and E. morgan! are found in the Pat- agonian scrublands. Various Ctenomys spe- cies are the only small caviomorphs in arid areas. As in the northern Monte, no hetero- myid equivalents are found in this region. There is a curious twist to the story of heteromyid equivalency among small mammals of the arid areas of Argentina. Elsewhere (Mares 1975^. 1976,1983), I have attributed the lack of ecological equivalency between the Monte and Sonoran deserts. Fig. 15. —Patagonian scrub desert in Rio Negro Province, Argentina. (Photo: M. A. Mares). Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability - coloration and appearance of these illustrations may not perfect
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