Deer Mice
Peromyscus
Summary 2
The genus Peromyscus contains the animal species commonly referred to as deer mice. This genus of New World mice is only distantly related to the common house mouse and laboratory mouse, Mus musculus. Although superficially resembling Mus musculus, Peromyscus species have 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...
Known predators 3
Peromyscus is prey of:
Bubo virginianus
Buteo jamaicensis
Mustelinae
Canis latrans
Accipiter gentilis
Based on studies in:
USA: Arizona (Forest, Montane)
This list may not be complete but is based on published studies.
Known prey organisms 4
Peromyscus preys on:
Pinus
shrubs
grass
herbs
Actitis macularia
Sitta canadensis
Based on studies in:
USA: Arizona (Forest, Montane)
This list may not be complete but is based on published studies.
Taxon biology 5
Mice of the genus Peromyscus, which have a broad geographic and ecological distribution across North and Central America, have been of great interest to biologists for over a century. Fifty-six species are recognized by Wilson and Reeder (2005), but this number is likely to change with further systematic and taxonomic studies (e.g., López-González et al. 2013; Castañeda-Rico et al. 2014; Bradley et al. 2014).
Bradley et al. (2007) included 44 species of Peromyscus (sensu stricto) in a phylogenetic analysis of Peromyscus and related taxa based on mitochondrial DNA. References cited in Bradley et al. provide an excellent entry into the extensive literature on Peromyscus, including their ecology, behavior, physiology, reproductive and developmental biology, biochemistry, chromosomal evolution, allozymes, cytogenetics, speciation, and biogeography, as well as their important roles as reservoirs for rodent-borne pathogens affecting humans including Lyme Disease bacteria, hantaviruses, and arenaviruses. In recognition of how extensively some members of the genus have been studied, Dewey and Dawson (2001) referred to Peromyscus as "the Drosophila of North American mammalogy".
(Bradley et al. 2007 and references therein)
The species-level classification of the genus Peromyscus was revised by Osgood (1909), Hooper (1968), and Carleton (1980,1989). Miller and Engstrom (2008) investigated the phylogenetic relationships among Peromyscus and related genera. The biology and evolution of Peromyscus were monographed by King (1968) and Kirkland and Layne (1989). Jasarevik et al. (2013) studied the associations of maternal life history characteristics with monogamy and parental investment in offspring across five Peromyscus species.
Hantavirus 6
The deer mouse came to the attention of the public when it was discovered to be the primary reservoir species for Sin Nombre hantavirus.
Lyme disease 6
A recent study in British Columbia of 218 deer mice showed 30% (66) were seropositive for B. burgdorferi, the agent of Lyme disease.
Other diseases 6
Ehrlichiosis and babesiosis are also carried by the deer mouse.
Reservoir of human disease 6
The deer mouse came to the attention of the public when it was discovered to be the primary reservoir species for Sin Nombre hantavirus.
A recent study in British Columbia of 218 deer mice showed 30% (66) were seropositive for B. burgdorferi, the agent of Lyme disease.
Ehrlichiosis and babesiosis are also carried by the deer mouse.
Summary 6
The genus Peromyscus contains the animal species commonly referred to as deer mice. This genus of New World mice is only distantly related to the common house mouse and laboratory mouse, Mus musculus. Although superficially resembling Mus musculus, Peromyscus species have 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".
Sources and Credits
- (c) Kim Cabrera, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), uploaded by Kim Cabrera
- Adapted by Kim Cabrera from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peromyscus
- (c) SPIRE project, some rights reserved (CC BY), http://eol.org/data_objects/10540390
- (c) SPIRE project, some rights reserved (CC BY), http://eol.org/data_objects/10540389
- (c) Leo Shapiro, some rights reserved (CC BY), http://eol.org/data_objects/31501644
- (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peromyscus
More Info
Range Map
(c) Kim Cabrera, all rights reserved
