Peromyscus melanotis
Black-eared Deermouse
(Peromyscus melanotis) | |
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Range | |
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Taxonomic classification | |
Order: | Rodentia |
Suborder: | Supramyomorpha |
Infraorder: | Myomorphi |
Superfamily: | Muroidea |
Family: | Cricetidae |
Subfamily: | Neotominae |
Tribe: | Peromyscini |
Genus: | Peromyscus |
Binomial details | |
Peromyscus melanotis J. A. Allen & F. M. Chapman, 1897 |
Description
From Ceballos (ed., 2014) for Mexico: "Peromyscus melanotis is a small-sized mouse. It owes its name to the distinctive tuft of dark hair at the base of the ear. The dorsal coloration is ochraceous-brown interspersed with dark gray, especially in the mid-dorsal region, with a very conspicuous lateral line (Hall, 1981). The ears are dark with white edges. The belly and extremities are white (Hall, 1981). The tail is clearly bicolored (dorsally dark; Hall, 1981). Melanic animals exist (Martínez-Coronel et al., 1991; Osgood, 1909). It can easily be confused with P. maniculatus, but is distinguished by the well-defined dorsal line, and the dark bases of the ears (Martínez-Colonel et al., 1991)."
From Álvarez-Castañeda (2005): "The black-eared mouse is small in relation to other species of Peromyscus. Tail is sharply bicolored and very short, and pelage is usually very long and lax (Osgood 1909). Pelage is tawny ochraceous to paler yellow brown, varying from darker on upper parts to lighter on sides. Dorsum between shoulders and rump is mixed with dusky tawny and is darker than more lateral regions of trunk. Lower cheeks and narrow lateral line are tawny ochraceous. Orbital ring is very narrow and dusky. Ears are dusky brownish to black, with white edges. Whiskers have small dusky spot at base. Underparts, forefeet, and hind feet are white. Tail is well haired, slightly pencillate, and bicolored, with sooty brownish above and white below. Summer pelage is similar but more intense in dusky areas than winter pelage (Allen and Chapman 1897; Osgood 1909). Winter captured specimens from Coahuila are paler that those taken at same locality in warmer months (Baker 1956). Color of P. melanotis becomes lighter with age (Martínez-Coronel et al. 1991)."
External measurements
Length measurements are in millimeters (mm) and weight measurements are in grams (g), unless stated otherwise. If available, the sample size (n=) is provided. If a range is not provided and n= is not given, then the listed measurement represents an average.
Part of range | Reference | Total length | Tail length | Hindfoot length | Ear length | Mass |
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not reported | Ceballos (editor, 2014) | 132–175 | 58–81 | 17–22 | 16–18 | 17–28 |
Skull
Similar species
From Álvarez-Castañeda (2005): "Peromyscus melanotis and P. maniculatus [sensu lato] are extremely similar morphologically, causing considerable taxonomic confusion (Avise et al. 1979). No measurement or characteristic can be used consistently to distinguish P. maniculatus [sensu lato] from P. melanotis (Ramírez-Pulido 1969). In areas where P. maniculatus labecula and P. melanotis are sympatric, black tuft on P. melanotis is slightly smaller, braincase is broader and more rounded, interorbital space is narrow, prezygomatic notch is less prominent, auditory bulla is slightly smaller, and rostrum is decidedly longer and more slender than in P. maniculatus labecula (Osgood 1909)."
References
Allen, J.A., Chapman, F.M. and Trujillo, M., 1897. On a collection of mammals from Jalapa and Las Vigas, State of Vera Cruz, Mexico. Bulletin of the AMNH; v. 9, article 13.
Álvarez-Castañeda, S.T., 2005. Peromyscus melanotis. Mammalian Species, (764), pp.1-4.
Ceballos, G. ed., 2014. Mammals of Mexico. JHU press.
Martínez-Coronel, M.M., Pulido, J.R. and Alvarez, T., 1991. Variación intrapoblacional e interpoblacional de Peromyscus melanotis (Rodentia: Muridae) en el eje Volcánico Transverso, México. Acta Zoológica Mexicana (ns), (47), pp.1-51.