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Peromyscus labecula

From WhiskerWiki

Southern Deermouse
(Peromyscus labecula)
Range
Taxonomic classification
Order:Rodentia
Suborder:Supramyomorpha
Infraorder:Myomorphi
Superfamily:Muroidea
Family:Cricetidae
Subfamily:Neotominae
Tribe:Peromyscini
Genus:Peromyscus
Binomial details
Peromyscus labecula D. G. Elliot, 1903

Molecular studies by Bradley et al. (2019) and Greenbaum et. al (2019) indicate that Peromyscus maniculatus is a complex of multiple species. Both studies elevate some lineages within maniculatus to species status, including Peromyscus labecula. Here, we treat Peromyscus labecula as a distinct species from Peromyscus maniculatus, as recommended by Bradley et al. (2019) and Greenbaum et. al (2019) and is the current consensus of the American Society of Mammalogists' Mammal Diversity Database. The map on the right represents the distribution of Peromyscus labecula according to both Greenbaum et al. (2019) and Bradley et al. (2019). The dark green area represents the distribution according to Greenbaum et al. (2019). The light green shading covers areas that Bradley et al. (2019) included in their distribution map.

Description

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From Bradley et al. (2019): "Upperparts pale (gray in winter), whitish, vinaceous buff and lined with dusky, occasionally russet; underparts white; ears dusky; tail sharply bicolored, brown above and white below (Osgood, 1909). Size small to medium for species group; measurements obtained from Osgood (1909), for several of the subspecies now assigned to P. labecula, indicated a total length averaging 166 mm; (range 145–183 mm) and tail length averaging 70.5 mm (range 59–82 mm)."

External measurements

No results found.

Skull

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Similar species

From Bradley et al. (2019): "A member of the P. maniculatus species group. Phenotypically resembles other species in terms of size, coloration, and bicolored tail. Averaging smaller than P. sonoriensis and tail shorter (< 75 mm); color more vinaceous. P. labecula can be distinguished from P. melanotis, with which it overlaps in distribution (the two species are separated by elevation), by larger body and lighter pelage (Osgood 1909)."

Taxonomy

The taxonomy of the Peromyscus maniculatus species group was recently split by Bradley et al. (2019) and Greenbaum et. al (2019). From Bradley et al. (2019) "we tentatively assign the following three subspecies recognized in Hall (1981) to P. labecula: P. m. blandus, P. m. fulvus, and P. m. labecula. It is possible that specimens from western Chihuahua, Mexico that were depicted by Hall (1981) as P. m rufinus (herein referred to P. sonoriensis) could be assigned to P. labecula. Samples from western Chihuahua, Mexico are needed to resolve this issue."

References

Bradley R, Francis JQ, Platt II RN, Soniat TJ, Alvarez D, Lindsey L. 2019. Mitochondrial DNA sequence data indicate evidence for multiple species within Peromyscus maniculatus. Special Publications, Museum of Texas Tech University.

Elliot DG. 1903. A list of a collection of Mexican mammals with descriptions of some apparently new forms. Field Columbian Museum Zoological Series 3(8): 143.

Greenbaum IF, Honeycutt RL, Chirhart SE. 2019. Taxonomy and phylogenetics of the Peromyscus maniculatus species group. From field to laboratory: a memorial volume in honor of Robert J. BaNer, 988-1001.

Hall ER. 1981. The mammals of North America. 2nd ed. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. New York 1181 pp.

Osgood WH. 1909. Revision of the mice of the American genus Peromyscus (No. 28). US Government Printing Office.

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