306.

Pinyon Deermouse

Peromyscus truei

French: Péromyscus de True / German: Pinyon-Hirschmaus / Spanish: Raton ciervo de pinar

Other common names: Pinyon Mouse

Taxonomy. Hesperomys truei Shufeldt, 1885, Fort Wingate, McKinley County, New Mex-1co, USA.

Peromyscus truer is in the P. truer species group. It once included individuals in the southern part of its former distribution that are now recognized as P. gratus; P. true: is assigned to more northern populations. Eleven subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution.

P.t.trueiShufeldt,1885—SCOregon,NE&extremeECalifornia,mostofNevada,E&SUtah,Colorado,NArizona,NewMexico,andextremeWOklahomaPanhandle,USA.Pt.chlorusHoffmeister,1941—SCalifornia,USA.

P.t.comancheBlair,1943—restrictedtoTexasPanhandle,USA.

P.t.dyseliusElliot,1898—restrictedtothetypelocalityandsurroundingareainSSanFranciscoBayArea,California,USA.

P.t.gilberti].A.Allen,1893—fromNtoSCCaliforniathroughW&Esidesofthestate,USA.

P.t.lagunaeOsgood,1909—StipofBajaCaliforniaSur,Mexico.

P.t.martirensisJ.A.Allen,1893—extremeCSCalifornia,USA,andNBajaCalifornia,Mexico.

P.t.montipinorisElliot,1904—SCCalifornia,USA.

Pt.nevadensisHall&Hoffmeister,1940—ENevadaandWUtah,USA.

P.t.preble:Bailey,1936—NCOregon,USA.

P. t. sequoiensis Hoffmeister, 1941 — extreme SW Oregon and NW California, USA.

Descriptive notes. Head—body 94-104 mm, tail 101-127 mm, ear 21-24 mm, hindfoot 23-24 mm; weight 15-35 g. The Pinyon Deermouse is small to medium-sized, with grayish brown dorsum, mixed with light yellow. Ocherous lateral line contrasts with dorsum and venter, which is white but plumbeous or gray at bases of hairs. Ears are large and slightly larger than feet. Hindfeet large and white. Tail is bicolored (brown above and whitish below), about equal to head-body length and generally hairy and tufted. Auditory bullae are exceptionally large and are diagnostic.

Habitat. Arid and semiarid regions in chaparral grasslands, juniper woodlands, xeric pine-oak forests, desert scrub, and sagebrush grasslands at elevations of 900-2250 m. The Pinyon Deermouse generally is found on rocky slopes or other rocky habitats associated with pine, junipers, and scrub oaks.

Food and Feeding. The Pinyon Deermouse eats invertebrates and plant material. Insects can comprise up to 60% of diets in summer, but at other times of the year, pine and juniper seeds, acorns ( Quercus sp.), and green plant parts are eaten.

Breeding. Mating of the Pinyon Deermouse occurs in February-November. Litters have 3-6 young (average four).

Activity patterns. Pinyon Deermice are nocturnal and semi-arboreal. They construct nests of plant material in rocky crevices and holes in trees and stumps.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Home ranges are 10,465-14,427 m? for males and 8290-12,395 m* for females. Densities generally peak in October (62 ind/ha) and decline by the end of winter and early spring (28-29 ind/ha).

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List.

Bibliography. Bradford (1974), Carraway & Verts (2002), Chavez, J.C. (2014e), DeWalt et al. (1993), Douglas (1969), Hall (1981), Hoffmeister (1981), Janecek (1990), Modi & Lee (1984), Musser & Carleton (2005), Woloszyn & Woloszyn (1982).