284.

Blackish Deermouse

Peromyscus furvus

French: Péromyscus noir / German: Schwarzliche Hirschmaus / Spanish: Raton ciervo negruzco

Taxonomy. Peromyscus furvus J. A. Allen & F. M. Chapman, 1897, “Jalapa,” Veracruz, Mexico.

Peromyscus furvus is in the P. furvus species group. Monotypic.

Distribution. E slopes of Sierra Madre Oriental from Hidalgo S to N Oaxaca, Mexico.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 115-138 mm, tail 114-162 mm, ear 20-23 mm, hindfoot 26-33 mm; weight 40-60 g. The Blackish Deermouse one of the largest species of Peromyscus . Dorsal pelage is woolly and dark brown to blackish, and some individuals with solid black pelage have been caught. Sides are slightly reddish, and venteris grayish. Tail varies from completely black to bicolored and can be blotched or spotted. Feet are white, with black on tarsal region. Skull is narrow, especially between orbits, and is heavy for a Peromyscus . Supraorbital edge is not rounded. Anterior part of nasals is heavy and wide.

Habitat. Cloud forests, pine forests and pine-oak forests, scrublands, and areas with dense broadleaf vegetation and mosses at elevations of 660-2950 m. The Blackish Deermouse occurs in areas with temperate and wet climates.

Food and Feeding. The Blackish Deermouse reportedly eats fruits of blackberries and pokeweed ( Phytolacca, Phytolaccaceae).

Breeding. The Blackish Deermouse can reproduce year-round. Scrotal males and pregnant or lactating females have been captured in October, and juveniles and subadults have been captured in March-April, July, and September. Pregnant females with 1-2 embryos have been reported.

Activity patterns. The Blackish Deermouse is nocturnal. It lives in burrows along rocky canyon walls and under hollow logs and tree roots.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCN Red Lust.

Bibliography. Allen & Chapman (1897a), Castro-Campillo, Gonzalez et al. (2014), Dalquest (1950, 1953), Davis, W.B. (1944), Hall (1968, 1981), Hall & Dalquest (1963), Hooper (1957), Huckaby (1980), Musser & Carleton (2005), Rogers & Skoy (2011).