219.

Slender Harvest Mouse

Reithrodontomys gracilis

French: Souris-moissonneuse gracile / German: Zierliche Erntemaus / Spanish: Raton espiguero esbelto

Taxonomy. Reithrodontomys mexicanus gracilis J. A. Allen & F. M. Chapman, 1897, Chichén-Itza, Yucatan, Mexico.

Reithrodontomys gracilis is in subgenus Aporodon. Four subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution.

R. g. gracilis J. A. Allen & F. M. Chapman, 1897 — Yucatan Peninsula (SE Mexico, Belize, and N Guatemala).

R.g.anthony:Goodwin,1932—CGuatemala,SWHonduras,andmostofElSalvador.

R.g.harrisiGoodwin,1945—fromextremeSHondurasStoNWCostaRica.

R.g.insularisJ.K.Jones,1964—knownonlyfromIsladelCarmen,CampecheState,SEMexico.

R. g. pacificus Goodwin, 1932 — Pacific coastal area of SE Mexico (Chiapas State), S Guatemala, and SW El Salvador.

Descriptive notes. Head—body ¢.76-78 mm, tail 87-107 mm, ear 13-16 mm, hindfoot 17-20 mm; weight 10-11 g. The Slender Harvest Mouse is small, with slender, scantily haired, bicolored tail, 97-155% of head-body length. Dorsal pelage is short, cinnamon-pink to shinny ocherous brown, and grizzled in appearance. Venter is white to bright orange-cinnamon. Soles and backs of feet are generally white but can be dusky. Ears are darker than body and sparsely haired.

Habitat. Tropical deciduous and pine ( Pinus, Pinaceae) forests, perennial forests, thorn forests, xeric forests, and coconut and coffee plantations from sea level to elevations of 1370 m.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. Breeding season can extend from the beginning of winter through midautumn. Pregnant females have been captured in the Yucatan and del Carmen Islands in July-August and scrotal males in April, June, and July. In Central America, females with embryos have been collected in March, June, and July.

Activity patterns. The Slender Harvest Mouse is presumably nocturnal.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

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

Bibliography. Allen & Chapman (1897b), Anderson & Jones (1960), Burt & Stirton (1961), Goodwin (1932b, 1945, 1946), Hall (1981), Hooper (1952a), Jones (1964), Jones & Genoways (1970), Sanchez (1993), Téllez & Sanchez (2014a), Young & Jones (1984).