310.

Perote Deermouse

Peromyscus bullatus

French: Péromyscus de Perote / German: Perote-Hirschmaus / Spanish: Raton ciervo de Perote

Other common names: Perote Mouse

Taxonomy. Peromyscus bullatus Osgood, 1904, Perote, Veracruz, Mexico.

Peromyscus bullatus is in the true: species group. Monotypic.

Distribution. Known only from a few localities in extreme E Puebla and WC Veracruz, Mexico.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 88- 104 mm, tail 87-119 mm, ear 23-27 mm, hindfoot 19-25 mm; weight 20-36 g. The Perote Deermouse 1s medium-sized, with large ears. It morphologically most closely resembles the Pinyon Deermouse (P. truei) and the Southern Rock Deermouse ( P. difficilis), but the Perote Deermouse has much larger auditory bullae (largest in the genus by some authorities). Dorsum is rich ocherous brown, washed with dusky color along mid-dorsal line. Venter is creamy white. Feet are white fading to darker color at ankles. Tail is bicolored (brownish above and lighter below).

Habitat. Sandysoils of xeric scrublands with scarce weeds and grasses (but apparently ample cover), captured only at an elevation of 2377 m.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. Reproduction is thought to take place in spring and early summer.

Activity patterns. The Perote Deermouse is presumably nocturnal.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Critically Endangered on The IUCN Red List. The Perote Deermouse has a very restricted distribution.

Bibliography. Hall (1981), Hall & Dalquest (1963), Hoffmeister (1951), Musser & Carleton (2005), Osgood (1904), Rojas (2014c), Valdéz & Ceballos (1997).