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Peromyscus merriami

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Merriam's Deermouse
(Peromyscus merriami)
Range
Taxonomic classification
Order:Rodentia
Suborder:Supramyomorpha
Infraorder:Myomorphi
Superfamily:Muroidea
Family:Cricetidae
Subfamily:Neotominae
Tribe:Peromyscini
Genus:Peromyscus
Binomial details
Peromyscus merriami Mearns, 1896

Description

From Ceballos (ed., 2014): "Peromyscus merriami is small in size. It frequently has a pectoral dark brown stain and the belly is whitish. The dorsal color is variable. The species has unique cranial features such as a robust skull with a wide zygomatic arch and large interorbital channel (Caire, 1985)."

From Wilson et al. (2017): "Head—body 89-97 mm, tail 94-126 mm, ear 17-23 mm, hindfoot 20-24 mm; weight 15-20 g. Merriam’s Deermouse is one of the smaller species of Peromyscus. It is morphologically similar to the Cactus Deermouse (P. eremicus) but slightly larger. Dorsum is generally ocherous buff to cinnamon-buff, washed with dusky tones; sides and head are more gray; and venter is whitish. Pectoral dark brown spot is often present. Tail is bicolored (darker above), as long as or longer than head-body length, with small tuft at end. Ears are relatively small for body size. Skull is robust, with wide zygomatic arch and large interorbital channel. Subspecies merriami has smaller body and lighter color than does subspecies goldmandi."

Peromyscus merriami observed in Sonora, Mexico, by Lin Piest. Individual has a dark brown pectoral stain, which is frequently found on individuals of this species.

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
not reported Ceballos (editor, 2014) 183–223 94–126 20–24 17–23 15–20


Skull

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Habitat

Mesquite Bosque Sahuarita Arizona 2014

From Hoffmeister & Lee (1963): "Peromyscus merriami merriami [subspecies that ranges from Arizona to northern Sonora, Mexico] occupies an ecological niche within its geographic range characterized by heavy stands of mature or large mesquites with a minimum of rocks and slope. In one specific attempt to obtain specimens of P. m. merriami, intensive collections were made in this type of habitat. Among 93 individuals collected, 87 proved to be of this species while only 6 were P. eremicus. The ecological requirements of P. m. goldmani [subspecies in southern Sonora and northern Sinaloa, Mexico] are not well understood but they are probably similar to those of P. m. merriami.

Similar species

From Hoffmeister (1986): "P. merriami is most similar to P. eremicus and differs from it usually in these features: mastoidal breadth more than 11.55 mm rather than less, alveolar length of maxillary toothrow more than 4.18 mm rather than less, greatest length of skull more than 25.75 mm rather than less, baculum curves ventrally rather than dorsally, length of baculum more than 8.5 mm rather than less. Other features include longer hind foot, usually 21.6 mm or more rather than less, total length greater (including both length of body and tail), pectoral spot frequently present, underparts frequently cream-colored rather than whitish."

Comparison of the baculum of Peromyscus merriami and Peromyscus eremicus. Borrowed from Hoffmeister and Lee (1963).
Comparison of the skulls of Peromyscus merriami and Peromyscus eremicus as shown in Commissaris (1960). Hoffmeister and Lee (1963) found that "no single cranial character was found to be always diagnostic. Even the presence or absence of the exposed mastoid process, regarded by Commissaris as a qualitative character, was found to be unreliable in a great many cases."

References

Ceballos G, editor. 2014. Mammals of Mexico. Baltimore (MD, USA): Johns Hopkins University Press.

Commissaris LR. 1960. Morphological and ecological differentiation of Peromyscus merriami from southern Arizona. Journal of Mammalogy 41(3): 305-310.

Hoffmeister DF. 1986. Mammals of Arizona. Tucson (AZ, USA): University of Arizona Press.

Hoffmeister DF, Lee MR. 1963. The status of the sibling species Peromyscus merriami and Peromyscus eremicus. Journal of Mammalogy 44(2): 201-213.

Mearns EA. 1896. Preliminary Diagnoses of New Mammals from the Mexican Border of the United States. Proceedings of the United States National Museum, 19, 2. Preprints

Wilson DE, Mittermeier RA, Lacher Jr TE. 2017: Cricetidae. In: Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 7 Rodents II. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions: 204-535, ISBN: 978-84-16728-04-6, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6707142.

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