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Northern White-ankled Deermouse

Peromyscus laceianus

French: Péromyscus de Lacey / German: Nordliche Weilkfessel-Hirschmaus / Spanish: Raton ciervo de tobillo blanco septentrional

Other common names: Lacey's White-ankled Mouse

Taxonomy. Peromyscus pectoralis laceianus Bailey, 1906, from ranch of Howard Lacey, on Turtle Creek, near Kerrville, Texas, USA.

Peromyscus laceianus 1s in the truer species group. It was initially described as a species but later subsumed under P. pectoralis; however, recent data indicates that it should be recognized again as a species. Monotypic.

Distribution. Extreme SC Oklahoma, extreme SE New Mexico, and Texas, USA.

Descriptive notes. Head—body 86-97 mm, tail 89-109 mm, ear 16-21 mm, hindfoot 20-23 mm; weight 16-22 g. Dorsum of the Northern White-ankled Deermouse is medium brown, sides are fulvous, and venter is whitish. Hindfeet are white, with white extending above ankles. Tail is equal to or slightly longer than head-body length, mostly uniform in color, and scantily haired.

Habitat. Brushy or wooded hillsides in chaparral and pinyon-oak habitats in rocky outcroppings, canyons, and foothills in the Edward’s Plateau, Balcones Escarpment, and mountains of the Trans-Pecos region of Texas (USA).

Food and Feeding. The Northern White-ankled Deermouse presumably eat seeds, juniper berries, acorns, and hackberries. Cactus fruits may be eaten in some areas.

Breeding. Northern White-ankled Deermice can reproduce year-round. Litters have 3-7 young.

Activity patterns. The Northern White-ankled Deermouse is presumably nocturnal.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Not assessed on The IUCN Red List. Broad distribution and frequency of occurrence suggests that the Northern White-ankled Deermouse is not threatened.

Bibliography. Bailey (1906), Bradley et al. (2015), Davis (1966), Musser & Carleton (2005), Osgood (1909), Schmidly (1972).