Peromyscus schmidlyi

Last updated

Peromyscus schmidlyi
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Family: Cricetidae
Subfamily: Neotominae
Genus: Peromyscus
Species:
P. schmidlyi
Binomial name
Peromyscus schmidlyi
Bradley et al., 2004

Schmidly's deer mouse (Peromyscus schmidlyi), is a recently described species of deer mouse from the mountains of western Mexico. [2] It is part of the highly complex and well-studied Peromyscus boylii species complex. The uniqueness of Peromyscus from this area had long been suspected, but was only formalized in 2004 with the publication of its species description. The species was named in honor of David J. Schmidly, a mammalogist and former president of the University of New Mexico.

Contents

The name "Schmidly's deer mouse" is ambiguous, as it is shared by another species, Habromys schmidlyi .

Description

P. schmidlyi, or Schmidly's deermouse, [3] is a typical deer mouse, and can only be reliably distinguished from other members of its species group by DNA analysis. [3]

It is 18 to 21 cm (7.1 to 8.3 in) in length, with a tail 7 to 10 cm (2.8 to 3.9 in) long. [4] The fur is reddish umber over most of the body, becoming almost white on the under parts. The feet have a grey stripe extending past the ankle, and white toes. The tail is dark and bears only coarse, sparse hair, except for a tuft at the tip. [5] It is similar in appearance to the nimble-footed mouse, but is usually larger and darker in color. [3]

Like all deermice, P. schmidlyli has 16 total teeth (i 1/1, c 0/0, p 0/0, m 3/3), and the males have scrotal testes. [6]

Detailed parameters

The dilated body description[ clarification needed ] is shown below.

Basic data of P. schmidlyi from Sonora [6]

(mm)

Total length

179.5±14.76

Length of tail

86.0±8.57

Length of hind foot

19.4±1.06

Length of ear

19.5±0.93

Length of skull

26.2±1.22

Zygomatic branch

12.9±0.43

Breadth of brain case

12.1±0.30

Depth of cranium

9.4±0.27

Interorbital breadth

4.2±0.15

Breadth of rostrum

4.2±0.20

Length of rostrum

10.4±0.62

Length of palate

4.0±0.33

Length of molar toothrow

4.2±0.19

Length of incisive foramen

4.9±0.38

Breadth of zygomatic plate

1.9±0.32

Genetics

Its monophyly has been confirmed using parsimony, maximum likelihood, and Bayesian analysis of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene. The species also differs from other Peromyscus in having the karyotype (FN = 54-56). Its closest relative appears to be Peromyscus levipes. [5]

Distribution and habitat

The species is found in the states of Sinaloa, Sonora and Durango in the Sierra Madre Occidental of Mexico. [6] Like many other members of the P. boylii species group, it is found only at higher elevations, above 2,000 metres (6,600 ft). It is known to inhabit deep gullies and rocky hillsides in pine-oak forests. [4]

The dominant vegetation of these areas consists of pointleaf manzanita, kittle lemonhead, one-seeded jumper, Apache, Ponderosa, and Yecora pine, Arizona white oak, sipuri, and silverleaf oak. The annual vegetation is six-week threeawn, spidergrass, common oats, and needle grams. [6]

Disease

Like all deermice, P. schmidlyi can be a host for viruses and bacteria, and a vector for disease. [3]

Related Research Articles

Peromyscus is a genus of rodents. They are commonly referred to as deer mice or deermice, not to be confused with the chevrotain or "mouse deer". They are New World mice only distantly related to the common house and laboratory mouse, Mus musculus. From this relative, Peromyscus species are distinguished by relatively larger eyes, and also often two-tone coloring, with darker colors over the dorsum (back), and white abdominal and limb hair-coloring. In reference to the coloring, the word Peromyscus comes from Greek words meaning "booted mouse". They are also accomplished jumpers and runners by comparison to house mice, and their common name of "deer mouse" is in reference to this agility.

Schmidly's deer mouse may refer to:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neotominae</span> Subfamily of mammals

The Neotominae are a subfamily of the family Cricetidae. They consist of four tribes, 16 genera, and many species of New World rats and mice, predominantly found in North America. Among them are the well-known deer mice, white-footed mice, packrats, and grasshopper mice.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mexican volcano mouse</span> Species of rodent

The Mexican volcano mouse is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae endemic to high elevation areas of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brush mouse</span> Species of rodent

The brush mouse is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is found in mountainous areas of Mexico and the western United States at altitudes over 2,000 m (6,600 ft).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">California deermouse</span> Species of rodent

The California deermouse or California mouse is a species of rodent in the subfamily Neotominae in the family Cricetidae. It is the only species in the Peromyscus californicus species group. It is found in northwestern Mexico and central to southern California. It is the largest Peromyscus species in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zacatecan deer mouse</span> Species of rodent

The Zacatecan deer mouse or southern rock mouse is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is found only in Mexico, and is not considered endangered.

The blackish deer mouse is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae found only in Mexico, and is relatively poorly studied.

The Angel Island mouse, or La Guarda deermouse, is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae.

Hooper's mouse is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is the only member of the Peromyscus hooperi species group, and is found only in Mexico. The species is named for Emmett Hooper, a researcher into the taxonomy of the genus Peromyscus.

The nimble-footed mouse is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is found only in Mexico.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black-eared mouse</span> Species of rodent

The black-eared mouse, or black-eared deer mouse, is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae, native to North America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mexican deer mouse</span> Species of rodent

The Mexican deer mouse is a species of forest-dwelling rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is found in southern Mexico and throughout much of Central America.

The tawny deer mouse or marsh mouse is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is found only in Mexico.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nayarit mouse</span> Species of rodent

The Nayarit mouse or Sinaloan deer mouse is a species of cricetid rodent endemic to Mexico. It was considered a subspecies of brush mouse until 1977.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Slevin's mouse</span> Species of rodent

Slevin's mouse, also known as the Catalina deer mouse, is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is endemic to Isla Santa Catalina off the east coast of Baja California Sur, an island with an area of about 40 km2 (15 sq mi), and it is the only native mammal on the island. It is named for Joseph Slevin, a curator at the California Academy of Sciences.

Winkelmann's mouse is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae found only in Mexico, and is named for John R. Winkelmann, who collected the first specimens.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kilpatrick's deer mouse</span> Species of rodent

Kilpatrick's deer mouse is a small species of rodent in the family Cricetidae, native to mountainous regions of Michoacán, Mexico. It is found in the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt pine–oak forests in mesic forest habitats dominated by pine and oak at elevations above 1,600 meters. The species can be found in micro-habitats associated with rocky outcrops and fallen trees. The species is named after Dr. C. William Kilpatrick, curator of vertebrates at the University of Vermont Natural History Museum. The holotype of this species is part of the Natural Science Research Laboratory collections at the Museum of Texas Tech University.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gambel's deer mouse</span> Species of rodent

Gambel's deermouse or Gambel's deer mouse is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is native to the United States and Mexico.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western deer mouse</span> Species of rodent

The western deermouse or western deer mouse is a rodent native to North America. It is widespread throughout the western half of the continent, mainly in areas west of the Mississippi River.

References

  1. Álvarez-Castañeda, S.T.; Castro-Arellano, I.; Lacher, T.; Vázquez, E.; Arroyo-Cabrales, J. (2017). "Peromyscus schmidlyi". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2017: e.T136576A22362935. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-2.RLTS.T136576A22362935.en . Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  2. López-González, Celia; García-Mendoza, Diego F.; Correa-Ramírez, Miguel M. (2013-08-16). "Morphologic characterization of Peromyscus schmidlyi (Rodentia: Cricetidae), an endemic of the Sierra Madre Occidental, Mexico". Journal of Mammalogy. 94 (4): 923–937. doi: 10.1644/13-MAMM-A-004.1 . ISSN   0022-2372.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Ordpnez-Garaza and Bradley, Nicte and Robert (25 January 2011). "Peromyscus schmidlyi" (PDF). American Society of Mammalogists.
  4. 1 2 Ordóñez-Garza, N. & Bradley, R.D. (2011). "Peromyscus schmidlyi (Rodentia: Cricetidae)". Mammalian Species. 43 (1): 31–36. doi: 10.1644/872.1 .
  5. 1 2 Bradley, R.D.; et al. (2004). "A new species of Peromyscus from western Mexico". Journal of Mammalogy. 85 (6): 1184–1193. doi: 10.1644/BEL-113.1 .
  6. 1 2 3 4 Cabrera, H.; et al. (2007). "Distribution and natural history of the Schmidly's deermouse". Southwestern Naturalist. Southwestern Association of Naturalists. 52 (4): 620–623. doi:10.1894/0038-4909(2007)52[620:DANHOS]2.0.CO;2. S2CID   86018231.