A micropuncture study of Perognathus penicillatus, a small rodent native to the deserts of the southwestern United States was performed to evaluate the function of the superficial nephron. Data are reported for 12 animals of 17 g average body wt. Mean glomerular filtration rate was 475 +/- 73 microliter X min-1 X g kidney wt-1. Urine osmolality averaged 1,154 +/- 197 mosmol/kg H2O. Single nephron glomerular filtration rate averaged 43 nl X min-1 X g kidney wt-1 in the proximal tubule and 48 in the distal tubule, values that are not significantly different. In terms of the filtered load remaining unreabsorbed at the end of the accessible proximal tubule, the average percentages were 46 water, 48 total solute, 45 sodium, 56 phosphorus, 62 potassium, 71 magnesium, and 54 calcium. The concentrations of potassium and magnesium in fluid samples increased significantly along the proximal tubule. Approximately at the midpoint of the distal tubule, fractional delivery of water, 13.1%, was greater than that for total solute, 10%, or sodium, 7%, indicating that the intervening segment of nephron reabsorbed solute and sodium in excess of water. The function of the superficial nephron resembles that of species previously investigated except for potassium reabsorption in the proximal convoluted tubule.