295.

Orizaba Deermouse

Peromyscus beatae

French: Péromyscus d'Orizaba / German: Orizaba-Hirschmaus / Spanish: Ratén ciervo de Orizaba

Taxonomy. Peromyscus beatae Thomas, 1903, “Xometla camp, Mt. Orizaba, 8500 feet [= 2591 m],” Veracruz, Mexico.

Peromyscus beatae 1s in the boylii species group. After being described as a species, it was subsumed as a subspecies of P. boyli. More recent studies indicate that P. beatae is genetically distinct from P. boylii and most likely represents a cryptic species with subspecies beatae and sacarensis. Two subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution.

P.b.beataeThomas,1903—SEHidalgo,NPuebla,CVeracruz,Guerrero,Oaxaca,andChiapas,Mexico,andGuatemala.

P. b. sacarensis Dickey, 1928 — S Guatemala, W Honduras, and El Salvador.

Descriptive notes. Head—body 88-118 mm, tail 90-132 mm, ear 14-21 mm, hindfoot 17-26 mm; weight 26 g. The Orizaba Deermouse is medium-sized, with dark brown dorsum and blackish line along mid-dorsal region. Sides are tobacco-brown, with yellowish orange lateral line extending to cheeks and hindquarters. Venter is bicolored, with hairs white at tips and black-slate at bases. Tail is bicolored (grayish black above and grayish below), is as long as head-body length, and has prominent tuft at tip. Hindfeet are white but darker above ankles. Ears are blackish brown.

Habitat. Mexic and humid regions with coniferous, mixed pine-oak, and tropical evergreen forests at elevations of 1370-3810 m (mostly above 1800 m). Typical habitat of the Orizaba Deermouse includes rocky outcroppings, volcanic spills, and fallen logs; thickets also are used.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. Reproductively active Orizaba Deermice were caught in October—November.

Activity patterns. The Orizaba Deermouse is nocturnal.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

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

Bibliography. Alvarez (1961), Bradley et al. (2000), Hall & Dalquest (1963), Houseal et al. (1987), Musser & Car leton (2005), Osgood (1909), Rennert & Kilpatrick (1987), Rojas (2014b), Schmidly et al. (1988), Thomas (1903a).