245.

Hooper's Deermouse

Peromyscus hooperi

French: Péromyscus de Hooper / German: HooperHirschmaus / Spanish: Raton ciervo de Hooper

Other common names: Hooper's Mouse

Taxonomy. Peromyscus hooperi Lee & Schmidly, 1977, 2-5 mi (= 4 km) W, 21 mi (34 km) S Ocampo, 3500 feet (= 1067 m), Coahuila, Mexico .

Peromyscus hooper: initially was considered a form between subgenera Peromyscus and Haplomylomys, but recent genetic data suggest that it should be placed into its own species group. Peromyscus hooperi 1s now recognized as a member of the hooper: species group. Monotypic.

Distribution. From WC Coahuila S to NE Zacatecas and N San Luis Potosi, Mexico.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 80-86 mm, tail 92-132 mm, ear 17-22 mm, hindfoot 19-23 mm; weight 20-24 g. Hooper’s Deermouse is medium-sized, and dorsal pelage is grayish, with faint wash of brown. Sides have faint light buff or pale ocherous buff lateral line; venter is pale cream. Feet are whitish. Tail is longer than head-body length and bicolored (grayish brown above and whitish below). Two pair of inguinal and one pair of pectoral mammae are present.

Habitat. Grassland transition zone separating Chihuahuan Desert and montane chaparral vegetation zones at elevations of 1155-2100 m. Typical habitat of Hooper’s Deermouse has desert shrubs, grasses, agaves ( Agave lechuguilla and A. striata, Asparagaceae), and cacti ( Opuntia sp., Cactaceae). In this habitat, it is found more often along upper slopes and ridge tops.

Food and Feeding. Hooper's Deermouse eats seeds, nuts, insects, and other small invertebrates.

Breeding. Litters of captive Hooper's Deermouse averaged 2-9 young. Pregnant females have been captured in March—May, with an average of 3-5 embryos/female.

Activity patterns. Hooper’s Deermouse is nocturnal.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

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

Bibliography. Alvarez & Alvarez-Castafieda (1991), Alvarez-Castafieda (2002), Bradley et al. (2007), Castro-Arellano (2014a), Lee & Schmidly (1977), Musser & Carleton (2005), Schmidly et al. (1985).