266.

Black-wristed Deermouse

Peromyscus melanocarpus

French: Péromyscus du Zempoaltepec / German: Schwarzhand-Hirschmaus / Spanish: Raton ciervo de muneca negra

Taxonomy. Peromyscus melanocarpus Osgood, 1904, “Mount Zempoaltepec, Oaxaca, Mexico (altitude 8000 feet [= 2438 m].”

Peromyscus melanocarpus was once in the mexicanus species group, but recent evidence treats it as “species group indeterminate.” Monotypic.

Distribution. Mt Zempoaltépec and Sierra Juarez, NC Oaxaca, Mexico.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 100-130 mm, tail 100-133 mm, ear 18-22 mm, hindfoot 28-30 mm; weight 59 g. The Blackwristed Deermouse is mediumto large-sized, with long, soft, and generally dark brown dorsal pelage. Venter is blackish slate, washed with white. Tail is covered with short and blackish hair, darker above than below. Forefeet and hindfeet are dusky brown to bases of toes.

Habitat. Cloud forest habitats normally at elevations of 900-2800 m. The Black-wristed Deermouse is typically found in areas dominated by steep slopes, lateritic soils, high rainfall, and heavy cover of mosses, where montane rainforest and evergreen cloud forests merge.

Food and Feeding. Acorns and other seeds presumably form the majority of the diet of the Black-wristed Deermouse.

Breeding. The Black-wristed Deermouse probably reproduces year-round. Gestation has been estimated at 30 days, with average litter of 2-3 young. Development of young is much slower than in other species of Peromyscus; at ten weeks old,size is still less than 90% of the adult. Males appear to participate in care of young and construction of nests, suggesting monogamy.

Activity patterns. The Black-wristed Deermouse is presumably nocturnal. It frequently burrows under exposed tree roots.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Endangered on The IUCN Red List.

Bibliography. Bradley et al. (2007), Castro-Arellano (2014b), Hall (1981), Huckaby (1980), Musser & Carleton (2005), Osgood (1904), Rickart (1977), Rickart & Robertson (1985).