305.

Chihuahuan Deermouse

Peromyscus polius

French: Péromyscus du Chihuahua / German: Chihuahua-Hirschmaus / Spanish: Raton ciervo de Chihuahua

Other common names: Chihuahuan Mouse

Taxonomy. Peromyscus polius Osgood, 1904, “Colonia Garcia, Chihuahua, Mexico.”

It has been difficult to assign P. polius to a specific species group. Monotypic.

Distribution. WC Chihuahua, Mexico.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 99-114 mm, tail 111-120 mm, ear 17-19 mm, hindfoot 25-26 mm; weight 22-36 g. The Chihuahuan Deermouse is mediumto large-sized, with pinkish buff dorsum, mixed with dusky, producing overall brown appearance. Sides have pinkish lateral line. Venter is white. Tail is bicolored (brown above and whitish below) and as long as or longer than head-body length. The Chihuahuan Deermouse is morphologically similar to the Brush Deermouse (FP. boyliz) but larger in size.

Habitat. Xeric scrublands, pine-oak forests, and grasslands typically at elevations of 2110-2720 m.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. The Chihuahuan Deermouse is presumably nocturnal.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Near Threatened on The IUCN Red Lust.

Bibliography. Anderson (1972), Castro-Arellano (2014d), Hall (1981), Musser & Carleton (2005), Osgood (1904).