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.
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.
Peromyscus maniculatus is a rodent native to eastern North America. It is most commonly called the eastern deer mouse; when formerly grouped with the western deer mouse, it was referred to as the North American deermouse and is fairly widespread across most of North America east of the Mississippi River, with the major exception being the lowland southeastern United States.
The white-footed mouse is a rodent native to North America from southern Canada to the southwestern United States and Mexico. In the Maritimes, its only location is a disjunct population in southern Nova Scotia. It is also known as the woodmouse, particularly in Texas.
Ord's kangaroo rat is a kangaroo rat native to western North America, specifically the Great Plains and the Great Basin, with its range extending from extreme southern Canada to central Mexico.
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).
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.
The Angel Island mouse, or La Guarda deermouse, is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae.
The black-eared mouse, or black-eared deer mouse, is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae, native to North America.
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.
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.
The giant island deer mouse is believed to have become extinct approximately 8,000 years BP and lived during the late Pleistocene on California’s Channel Islands. The giant island deer mice were about 35% larger than the current-day eastern deer mouse.
Cuterebra fontinella, the mouse bot fly, is a species of New World skin bot fly in the family Oestridae. C. fontinella is typically around 1 cm (0.39 in) in length with a black and yellow color pattern. C. fontinella develops by parasitizing nutrients from its host, typically the white-footed mouse. C. fontinella has even been known to parasitize humans in rare cases. Individuals parasitized by C. fontinella will develop a large bump on the skin that is indicative of parasitization.
The Yukon deermouse or Yukon deer mouse is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is endemic to Yukon Territory in Canada. It is a currently unnamed species of deermouse (Peromyscus), related to Peromyscus maniculatus and Peromyscus keeni. The name "Peromyscus arcticus" has been used for it, but it does not apply to this species.
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.
The southern deermouse or southern deer mouse is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is found in the United States and Mexico.
The western meadow vole is a species of North American vole found in western North America, the midwestern United States, western Ontario, Canada, and formerly in Mexico. It was previously considered conspecific with the eastern meadow vole, but genetic studies indicate that it is a distinct species. It is sometimes called the field mouse or meadow mouse, although these common names can also refer to other species.
