Peromyscus zarhynchus, Merriam, 1898

Don E. Wilson, Russell A. Mittermeier & Thomas E. Lacher, Jr, 2017, Cricetidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 7 Rodents II, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 204-535 : 386

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.6707142

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6726344

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03F06D13-FFC2-200B-0D8D-1C5B0B0BF322

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Carolina (2022-06-23 16:42:12, last updated 2024-11-29 05:03:06)

scientific name

Peromyscus zarhynchus
status

 

278. View Plate 17: Cricetidae

Chiapan Deermouse

Peromyscus zarhynchus View in CoL

French: Péromyscus du Chiapas / German: Chiapas-Hirschmaus / Spanish: Ratdn ciervo de Chiapas

Taxonomy. Peromyscus zarhynchus Merriam, 1898 View in CoL , “Tumbala, Chiapas, Mexico.”

Peromyscus zarhynchus is in the mexicanus species group. Populations in Guatemala, formerly recognized as P. zarhynchus , have been reassigned to P. gardneri . Monotypic.

Distribution. C Chiapas, Mexico. View Figure

Descriptive notes. Head-body 146-149 mm, tail 157-178 mm, ear 21-24 mm, hindfoot 33-38 mm; weight 45-90 g. The Chiapan Deermouse is one of the largest species of Peromyscus . Dorsum is dusky, becoming seal brown on sides and chestnut fulvous on flanks. Venter hairs are whitish but plumbeous at bases. Pectoral region is strongly washed with chestnut. Feet are whitish. Tail is bicolored (dusky above and yellowish below), as long as head-body length, and blotched underneath. Rostrum is exceptionally long and can be used to distinguish the Chiapan Deermouse from other species of Peromyscus .

Habitat. Cloud, pine-oak, and sweetgum ( Liquidambar , Altingiaceae ) forests at elevations of 1400-2900 m. The Chiapan Deermouse is strongly associated with primary and old growth forests with high structural complexity, mosses, and other cloud forest vegetation.

Food and Feeding. Chiapan Deermice likely eat fruits, seeds, mycorrhizae, and arthropods.

Breeding. Litters of Chiapan Deermice have 1-4 young.

Activity patterns. The Chiapan Deermouse is presumably nocturnal. It burrows along steep slopes and ravines and under tree roots.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Vulnerable on The IUCN Red List.

Bibliography. Hall (1981), Horvath et al. (2001), Lackey (1976), Lorenzo et al. (2016), McClellan & Rogers (1997), Musser & Carleton (2005), Romo & Horvath (2014).

Gallery Image

245. Hooper's Deermouse (Peromyscus hooper), 246. Canyon Deermouse (Peromyscus crinitus), 247. California Deermouse (Peromyscus californicus), 248. Merriam’s Deermouse (Peromyscus merriami), 249. Cactus Deermouse (Peromyscus eremicus), 250. San Lorenzo Deermouse (Peromyscus interparietalis), 251. Southern Baja Deermouse (Peromyscus eva), 252. Northern Baja Deermouse (Peromyscus fraterculus), 253. Monserrat Island Deermouse (Peromyscus caniceps), 254. Dickey’s Deermouse (Peromyscus dickeyi), 255. La Guarda Deermouse (Peromyscus guardia), 256. Coronados Deermouse (Peromyscus pseudocrinitus), 257. Cotton Deermouse (Peromyscus gossypinus), 258. White-footed Deermouse (Peromyscus leucopus), 259. Santa Cruz Deermouse (Peromyscus sejugis), 260. North-western Deermouse (Peromyscus keeni), 261. Oldfield Deermouse (Peromyscus polionotus), 262. North American Deermouse (Peromyscus maniculatus), 264. Black-tailed Deermouse (Peromyscus melanurus), 265. Broad-faced Deermouse (Peromyscus megalops), 266. Black-wristed Deermouse (Peromyscus melanocarpus), 267. Catalina Deermouse (Peromyscus slevini), 268. Tawny Deermouse (Peromyscus perfulvus), 269. Plateau Deermouse (Peromyscus melanophrys), 270. Puebla Deermouse (Peromyscus mekisturus), 271. Mayan Deermouse (Peromyscus mayensis), 272. Stirton’s Deermouse (Peromyscus stirtoni), 273. Yucatan Deermouse (Peromyscus yucatanicus), 274. Chimoxan Deermouse (Peromyscus tropicalis), 275. Talamancan Deermouse (Peromyscus nudipes), 276. Mexican Deermouse (Peromyscus mexicanus), 277. Naked-eared Deermouse (Peromyscus gymnotis), 278. Chiapan Deermouse (Peromyscus zarhynchus), 279. Gardner’s Deermouse (Peromyscus gardneri), 280. Nicaraguan Deermouse (Peromyscus nicaraguae), 281. Salvadorean Deermouse (Peromyscus salvadorensis), 282. Guatemalan Deermouse (Peromyscus guatemalensis), 283. Large Deermouse (Peromyscus grandis)

Gallery Image

Distribution. C Chiapas, Mexico.

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Chordata

Class

Mammalia

Order

Rodentia

SubOrder

Myomorpha

SuperFamily

Muroidea

Family

Cricetidae

Genus

Peromyscus