This pocket gopher occurs in Mexico and the southwestern United States. A 1993 New Mexico account describes the local form living mainly in burrow systems and eating plant roots found while digging.
The 1993 New Mexico account describes the local form as compact, with a relatively large head and short legs. It has a short, nearly hairless tail, tiny ears, and long, curved claws. The coat is dark brown with a purplish cast along the middle of the back.
In the 1993 New Mexico account, individuals are rarely seen away from their burrows. They eat plants, especially roots found while digging, and carry some food in cheek pouches to store in their tunnels for later.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.