Balkan Yam vs Desmarest’s Spiny Pocket Mouse

Dioscorea balcanica compared with Heteromys desmarestianus

Key Differences

• Balkan Yam is Near Threatened while Desmarest’s Spiny Pocket Mouse is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Balkan Yam	Desmarest’s Spiny Pocket Mouse
Kingdom	Plantae (Plants)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Liliopsida (Monocots)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Dioscoreales (Dioscoreales)	Rodentia (Rodents)
Family	Dioscoreaceae	Heteromyidae
Genus	Dioscorea	Heteromys
Species	Dioscorea balcanica	Heteromys desmarestianus

Conservation Status

Balkan Yam

NT — Near Threatened

Desmarest’s Spiny Pocket Mouse

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Balkan Yam	Desmarest’s Spiny Pocket Mouse
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Balkan Yam

Habitat

Typically found in grasslands, wetlands, forests, and cultivated landscapes.

Desmarest’s Spiny Pocket Mouse

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Found in Colombia.

Balkan Yam

The Balkan Yam (Dioscorea balcanica) is a species in the genus Dioscorea. It is currently classified as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in grasslands, wetlands, forests, and cultivated landscapes.