282.

Guatemalan Deermouse

Peromyscus guatemalensis

French: Péromyscus du Guatemala / German: Guatemala-Hirschmaus / Spanish: Raton ciervo de Guatemala

Taxonomy. Peromyscus guatemalensis Merriam, 1898, Todos Santos, 10,000 ft (= 3048), Huehuetenango Department, Guatemala.

Peromyscus guatemalensis is in the mexicanus species group. Until recently, two subspecies of P. guatemalensis were recognized, but elevation of P. g. tropicalis to species status left P. guatemalensis as a monotypic species.

Distribution. SE Chiapas (Sierra Madre),

Mexico, and SW Guatemala.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 130-137 mm, tail 122-153 mm, ear 22-25 mm, hindfoot 28-34 mm; weight 40-68 g. The Guatemalan Deermouse is one of the larger species of Peromyscus . Dorsal pelage is woolly and ferruginous to dark grayish brown. Venter is whitish, with slaty basal color, and pectoral region is washed with cinnamon rufous. Hindfeet are white, and tarsal region is dark. Tail is generally longer than head-body length, bicolored (darker above than below), and blotched underneath.

Habitat. Cloud and pine-oak forests at elevations of 1300-3000 m. Guatemalan Deermice have been caught in primary forests typified by epiphytes and other mesic vegetation; they prefer relatively dense undergrowth and areas of fallen trees and logs.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. Pregnant Guatemalan Deermice were caught in beginning of rainy season (June-July).

Activity patterns. The Guatemalan Deermouse is terrestrial and nocturnal.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

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

Bibliography. Hall (1981), Horvath (2014a), Huckaby (1980), Musser & Carleton (2005), Pérez-Consuegra & Véazquez-Dominguez (2015), Reid (1997).