This woodrat has a pale throat and builds a large shelter from cactus pieces, sticks, and other materials. It ranges widely across dry areas and scrublands of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico.
Its back is brownish gray, while the belly and throat are white or light gray. The tail is shorter than the body and has different colors above and below.
It is mainly nocturnal. In desert habitats it feeds largely on cholla and prickly pear cactus, and builds a large shelter from cactus pieces, sticks, bones, and other materials. It also obtains much of its water from cactus.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.