The Pocket Gophers (Genus Thomomys) of Utah University of Kansas Publications, Museum of Natural History, Vol. 1 No. 1

"The Pocket Gophers (Genus Thomomys) of Utah" by Stephen David Durrant is a mid-20th century scientific analysis that takes a very close look at Utah's pocket gophers, specifically those in the Thomomys group; the publication dives into the specifics of how these animals are classified, where they live, and how they change within their species. Looking at over a thousand gopher examples and old writings on the subject, the author attempts to provide complete facts about the gopher groups living in Utah; the study starts off by explaining how people first saw and named these gophers back in the 1800s, before going on to discuss collection methods and examinations that helped identify many different gopher subspecies. This sets the stage for a well-organized presentation that highlights the variety of gopher life and why it’s important to understand how they fit into Utah's different environments.