Peromyscus melanurus (Osgood, 1909)

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 : 383

264.

Black-tailed Deermouse

Peromyscus melanurus

French: Péromyscus a queue noire / German: Schwarzschwanz-Hirschmaus / Spanish: Raton ciervo de cola negra

Other common names: Black-tailed Mouse

Taxonomy. Peromyscus megalops melanurus Osgood, 1909 , “Pluma, Oaxaca, Mexico. Altitude 4600 feet [= 1402 m].”

Peromyscus melanurus is in the megalops species group. Monotypic.

Distribution. Sierra Madre del Sur, Oaxaca , Mexico.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 111-133 mm, tail 127-145 mm, ear 15-18 mm, hindfoot 26-29 mm; weight 40-60 g. The Black-tailed Deermouse is one of the larger species of Peromyscus . Dorsum is brown to ocherous, venteris light to white, and feet are white. Tail is considerably longer than head-body length and typically uniform black. It is morphologically most similar the Broad-faced Deermouse (FP. megalops ), but the Black-tailed Deermouse is smaller and has shorter and lighter pelage. The Blacktailed Deermouse has strongly beaded supraorbital ridges and no pectoral spots. Its karyotype is distinct, with submetacentric X chromosome.

Habitat. Pine-oak forests and tropical subdeciduous forests at elevations of 700-1900 m.

Food and Feeding. The Black-tailed Deermouse probably eats seeds, acorns,fruit, insects, and other small invertebrates.

Breeding. The Black-tailed Deermouse can reproduce year-round. Gestation lasts 21— 40 days; average littersize is 2-3 young.

Activity patterns. The Black-tailed Deermouse is presumably nocturnal.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

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

Bibliography. Castro-Arellano (2014c), Goodwin (1969), Hall (1981), Huckaby (1980), Musser & Carleton (2005), Nowak (1999), Osgood (1909), Robertson (1975), Smith et al. (1986).

Figures

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)

Distribution. Sierra Madre del Sur, Oaxaca , Mexico.