Jaliscan spiny pocket mouse

The Jaliscan spiny pocket mouse, Heteromys spectabilis, is a rodent of the family Heteromyidae that is endemic to Mexico and found only in the southeast of the state of Jalisco. It was formerly placed in the genus Liomys, which is now recognized to be paraphyletic and has been absorbed into Heteromys. The species name spectabilis means striking and refers to its relatively bright coloration: the back and flanks are reddish brown with a bright ochre stripe along each flank, the underparts are white, and the fine soft fur is almost hidden by a dense coat of stiff spines. It is relatively large for its genus, with a head and body length of 12 to 14 centimetres and a tail about as long again; adult males average about 68 grams and females about 51 grams. It inhabits xerophytic areas and oak forest between 950 and 1,615 metres and is common among low brush or grass and in agricultural land. Timber extraction from the pine-oak forests of the region is a major threat, and the species is rapidly decreasing in number. Its closest living relative is the painted spiny pocket mouse.