208.

Golden Mouse

Ochrotomys nuttalli

French: Ochrotomys / German: Goldmaus / Spanish: Raton dorado

Taxonomy. Arvicola nuttalli Harlan, 1832, Norfolk, Norfolk County, Virginia, USA.

Five subspecies are recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution.

O.n.nuttalliHarlan,1832—fromSVirginiaStoSWAlabama(SEUSA).

O.n.aureolusAudubon&Bachman,1841—fromKentuckyandWestVirginiaStoNAlabamaandNGeorgia(EUSA).

O.n.flammeusGoldman,1941—EOklahoma,SWMissouri,andArkansas(CUSA).

O.n.flondanusPackard,1969—Florida(SEUSA).

O. n. lisae Packard, 1969 — from SE Missouri and S Illinois S to NE Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi (SC USA).

Descriptive notes. Head-body 51-115 mm, tail 50-97 mm, ear 11-26 mm, hindfoot 12-29 mm; 18-27 g. The Golden Mouse is similar to many small species of Peromyscus but is easily recognizable by its golden to ocherous dorsal and lateral pelage. Underparts are whitish, and tail is distinctly bicolored.

Habitat. Deciduous oak ( Quercus, Fagaceae) and hickory ( Carya, Juglandaceae) forests and coniferous forests, preferring habitats with dense understories of especially honeysuckle ( Lonicera, Caprifoliaceae) and greenbriar ( Smilax, Smilacaceae).

Food and Feeding. Golden Mice eat a variety of seeds, fruits, and nuts.

Breeding. Depending on region, breeding occurs from early spring through autumn. Litters average 2-6 young, and females can produce severallitters each year. Gestation lasts 25-27 days.

Activity patterns. The Golden Mouse is presumably nocturnal.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. The Golden Mouse is very social, living in community like groups. Home ranges appear to be very small, perhaps less than 1 ha. Nests are constructed that can be several meters aboveground.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. The Golden Mouse is common and faces no known conservation threats.

Bibliography. Audubon & Bachman (1841), Goldman (1941), Harlan (1832), Linzey & Linzey (1967a, 1967b), Linzey & Packard (1977), Packard (1969).