300.

Aztec Deermouse

Peromyscus aztecus

French: Péromyscus azteque / German: Azteken-Hirschmaus / Spanish: Raton ciervo de los Aztecas

Other common names: Aztec Mouse

Taxonomy. Hesperomys aztecus Saussure, 1860, “Habite le Mexique.” Restricted by W. H. Osgood in 1909 to “probably the vicinity of Mirador, Veracruz,” Mexico.

Peromyscus aztecus is in the aztecus species group. It was originally described as Hesperomys aztecus, later subsumed to a subspecies of P. boyler, and then again recognized at the species level in 1961. Formerly, P azlecus included the subspecies cordillerae, evides, hondurensis, hylocetes, and oaxacensis, most are now recognized as distinct species or possibly as subspecies of P. oaxacensis (cordillerae and hondurensis). Monotypic.

Distribution. Sierra Madre Oriental in E Hidalgo, E Puebla, and WC Veracruz, Mexico.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 101-117 mm, tail 102-121 mm, ear 15-18 mm, hindfoot 24-27 mm; weight 32-45 g. The Aztec Deermouse is mediumto large-sized, with cinnamon brown to pale ocherous dorsum, mixed with black to reddish hairs. Sides are reddish to dark ocherous. Venter is creamy. Feet are white. Tail is bicolored and as long as head-body length.

Habitat. Tropical subdeciduous forest, cloud forests, pine-oak forest, oak-pine-fir forest, Liqguidambar ( Altingiaceae) forest, and wet forest of pine-oak normally at elevations of 500-3200m. The Aztec Deermouse has been caught in disturbed forests, coffee plantations, sugar cane fields, mango groves, and other areas with relatively dense understories.

Food and Feeding. The Aztec Deermouse is thought to be mostly herbivorous, butit supplements its diet with insects.

Breeding. Reproduction of the Aztec Deermouse seems to occur in September—October.

Activity patterns. The Aztec Deermouse is presumably nocturnal.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

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

Bibliography. Alvarez (1961), Baker & Phillips (1965), Baker et al. (1971), Bradley et al. (1990), Carleton (1973, 1979), Ceballos & Galindo (1984), Espinosa & Chavez (2014), Goodwin (1969), Hall (1981), Hooper (1947 1957), Hooper & Musser (1964b), Merriam (1898), Musser (1964), Musser & Carleton (2005), Osgood (1909), Ponce-Ulloa & Llorente (1993), Ramirez-Pulido & Aguilar (2014), Ramirez-Pulido et al. (1977), de Saussure (1860), Schaldach (1966), Tiemann-Boege et al. (2000), Vazquez et al. (2001), Webb & Baker (1969), Winkelmann (1962).