251.

Southern Baja Deermouse

Peromyscus eva

French: Péromyscus eva / German: Sudliche Baja-Hirschmaus / Spanish: Raton ciervo de Baja California meridional

Other common names: Eva's Desert Mouse

Taxonomy. Peromyscus eva Thomas, 1898, San Jose del Cabo, Baja California Sur, Mexico.

Peromyscus eva 1s in the eremicus species group. Two subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution.

P.e.evaThomas,1898—extremeSBajaCaliforniaandBajaCaliforniaSur,Mexico.

P. e. carmeni Townsend, 1912 — known only from the type locality on Carmen I, Baja California Sur, Mexico.

Descriptive notes. Head—body 84-90 mm, tail 100-128 mm, ear 15-17 mm, hindfoot 20-21 mm; weight 13-20 g. The Southern Baja Deermouse is small to mediumsized, with russet-sandy dorsal pelage in southern parts of the distribution to ocherous brown in the north; it is largest at northern and smallest at southern limits of their distribution. Venter is creamy white. Tail is long and uniform in color. Feet are whitish. The Southern Baja Deermouse differs from the Northern Baja Deermouse ( P. fraterculus) in having proportionally longer tail, differences in pelage color, and smaller baculum.

Habitat. Rocky areas and slopes of desert scrubland, palm groves, and occasionally edges between wet grassland and pine-oak forests from sea level to elevations of ¢.1650 m.

Food and Feeding. The Southern Baja Deermouse is almost completely herbivorous, eating mainly green vegetation, seeds, and fruits.

Breeding. The Southern Baja Deermouse might reproduce year-round, peaking in rainy season in late summer and autumn. Pregnant and lactating females have been captured in February—June. Litters have 1-4 young.

Activity patterns. The Southern Baja Deermouse is nocturnal. It reportedly excavates burrows at bases of rocks and trees.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. Nevertheless, subspecies carmen: on Isla del Carmen is considered endangered in Mexico.

Bibliography. Alvarez-Castafieda & Cortés-Calva (2003), Burt (1960), Lawlor (1971a), Mellink & Luévano (2014d), Musser & Carleton (2005), Woloszyn & Woloszyn (1982).