Peromyscus sejugis Burt 1932

Wilson, Don E. & Reeder, DeeAnn, 2005, Order Rodentia - Family Cricetidae, Mammal Species of the World: a Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3 rd Edition), Volume 2, Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, pp. 955-1189 : 1077

Peromyscus sejugis Burt 1932

Peromyscus sejugis Burt 1932 , Trans. San Diego Soc. Nat. Hist., 7: 171.

Type Locality: México, Baja California Sur, Santa Cruz Isl; 25°17'N, 110°43'W.

Vernacular Names: Santa Cruz Deermouse.

Distribution: Santa Cruz and San Diego Isls, S Gulf of California, México.

Conservation: IUCN – Lower Risk (lc).

Discussion: P. maniculatus species group. Highly differentiated morphologically and allozymically from mainland P. maniculatus (Avise et al., 1974, 1979; Burt, 1932), though considered a derivative from a maniculatus like ancestor ( Lawlor, 1983), a relationship supported by sequence data from several mitochondrial DNA genes ( Hafner et al., 2001; Hogan et al., 1997). Banded karyotype described by Smith et al. (2000), who reported a unique heterochromatin addition in sejugis as compared with P. maniculatis and recommended retention of the former as species. Hafner et al. (2001:787), on the other hand, viewed the sequence divergence between the two as minimal and predicted that additional study "will demonstrate that P. sejugis should be included as a subspecies of P. maniculatus ." Ultimate decision on its status will hinge upon a broader context of taxonomic inquiry that includes peninsular populations of P. maniculatus ( coolidgei ) and those along the northern Pacific coast ( P. keeni ), as noted by Hogan et al. (1997). See Alvarez-Castañeda (2001, Mammalian Species, 658).