Astrophytum Lem. (Cactaceae) Heinz Hoock

The black-tailed Desert Jack Rabbit with its eye-catching "radar ears"
Astrophytum coahuilense
page 105 and 107 (Abb. 278) of the monograph. ( Lepus californicus photo by M. K.?)

Until the 7th Annual Texas Plant Conservation Conference in Austin (19-21 september 2007), the Desert Jackrabbit was considered as a "prime suspect" for the browsing of Astrophytum asterias in Starr County, Texas. Adam W. Ferguson, Department of Biology, Angelo State University, reported at this conference about the evaluation of field photos to observe herbivores. The most frequent visitor were the Desert Cottontail Sylvilagus audubonii, a hare, with 51 images on a total of 186 photos. The Mexican ground squirrel Spermophilus mexicanus was shown on 30 pictures. The forest rat Neotoma micropus of the Southern Texas Plains is suspected of damaging Asterias

That rodents and other plant-eating mammals eat the Astrophytums and theit fruits has been already reported by Prof. Klaus (p. 16, 127 monograph)
A freshly chewed Astrophytum asterias in Starr County, Texas.
This young plant in the collection of the author has been bitten by a field mouse.
Astrophytum myriostigma in the collection of the author: the interior of the fruit has also been cleared by a mouse, while "catched redhanded".

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