Species of rodent
This article is about the North American species. For the South American genus also known as "Oldfield mice", see
Thomasomys .
Oldfield mouse
Oldfield mouse at the beach,
Alabama
Scientific classification
Domain:
Eukaryota
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Class:
Mammalia
Order:
Rodentia
Family:
Cricetidae
Subfamily:
Neotominae
Genus:
Peromyscus
Species:
P. polionotus
Binomial name
Peromyscus polionotus
Synonyms
[2]
Peromyscus polionotus subsp. polionotus (Wagner, 1843)
Peromyscus polionotus subsp. ammobates Bowen, 1968
Peromyscus polionotus subsp. phasma Bangs, 1898
Peromyscus polionotus subsp. allophrys Bowen, 1968
Peromyscus polionotus subsp. trissyllepsis Bowen, 1968
Peromyscus polionotus subsp. niveiventris (Chapman, 1889)
Mus polionotus Wagner, 1843
Peromyscus subgriseus subsp. baliolus Bangs, 1898
Peromyscus phasma Bangs, 1898
Hesperomys niveiventris Chapman, 1889
Peromyscus polionotus subsp. albifrons Osgood, 1909
Peromyscus polionotus subsp. colemani Schwartz, 1954
Peromyscus polionotus subsp. decoloratus A.H. Howell, 1939
Peromyscus polionotus subsp. leucocephalus A.H. Howell, 1920
Peromyscus leucocephalus A.H. Howell, 1920
Peromyscus polionotus subsp. lucubrans Schwartz, 1954
Peromyscus polionotus subsp. peninsularis A.H. Howell, 1939
Peromyscus polionotus subsp. rhoadsi Bangs, 1898
Peromyscus subgriseus subsp. rhoadsi Bangs, 1898
Peromyscus polionotus subsp. subgriseus (Chapman, 1893)
Sitomys viveiventris subsp. subgriseus Chapman, 1893
Peromyscus polionotus subsp. griseobracatus Bowen, 1968
Sitomys niveiventris subsp. subgriseus Chapman, 1893
Peromyscus polionotus subsp. sumneri Bowen, 1968
The oldfield mouse , oldfield deermouse
[2] or beach mouse (Peromyscus polionotus ) is a nocturnal species of
rodent in the family
Cricetidae that primarily eats seeds. It lives in holes throughout the
Southeastern United States in beaches and sandy fields. Predators to these mice include birds and mammals. In 2016, these mice were in the least concern category on the
IUCN Red List with certain subspecies classified as
extinct ,
critically endangered ,
endangered or
near threatened .
Distribution and habitat
The oldfield mouse occurs only in the
southeastern United States , ranging from
Florida to
Tennessee .
[1] They primarily live in beaches and sandy fields.
[3]
Description
The mouse has fawn-colored upperparts and grey to white underparts through most of its range, but on white sandy beaches, the mouse is light or even white. Inland populations are darker and smaller with shorter tails that are dusky above and white below. General body and tail color may vary slightly depending upon geographical location.
[3]
Measurements (20 adults from Alabama, Florida, and Georgia)
[3]
Length
127 mm (5.0 in) 122–138 mm (4.8–5.4 in)
Tail
47 mm (1.9 in) 40–51 mm (1.6–2.0 in)
Hind foot
16.5 mm (0.65 in) 15–18 mm (0.59–0.71 in)
Weight
8–19 g (0.28–0.67 oz)
Diploid number
48
Tooth formula
1.0.0.3 1.0.0.3 = 16
Behavior
The mouse is primarily nocturnal.
[1]
Diet
P. polionotus is omnivorous and the principal diet is seasonal seeds of wild grasses and forbs, but blackberries, acorns, and wild peas may be consumed.
[1]
[4]
[5]
Shelter
These mice dig holes in earth to create homes. Spiders, snakes, and other animals may move into a burrow.
[6]
Reproduction
Reproduction
[7]
Sexual maturity (female)
30 days
Gestation
23–24 days
Litter size
3–4 (viviparous)
Weight at birth
1.1–2.2 g (0.039–0.078 oz)
Weaning
20–25 days
Adult weight
8–10 g (0.28–0.35 oz)
Survival
Birds and mammals prey upon the oldfield mouse. Various types of parasites can effect oldfield mice, with
nematodes being the main ones.
[8] One mouse survived in captivity for 5.5 years.
[9]
Conservation
In 2010, the beach mouse was in the least concern category on the
IUCN Red List . For the beach mouse's subspecies, out of sixteen known, one is
extinct , one was listed
critically endangered , four
endangered and two
near threatened .
[1]
Under the
Endangered Species Act of 1973 , the following beach mice are protected as endangered or threatened subspecies:
The
pallid beach mouse (Peromyscus polionotus decoloratus ) is presumed extinct.
[19]
[20] The
Santa Rosa beach mouse (Peromyscus polionotus leucocephalus )
[21] is listed as critically imperiled by
NatureServe .
[22]
References
Footnotes
^
a
b
c
d
e Cassola, F. (2017) [errata version of 2016 assessment].
"Peromyscus polionotus " .
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2016 : e.T42654A115199876.
doi :
10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T42654A22359556.en . Retrieved 24 April 2023 .
^
a
b
"Peromyscus polionotus (Wagner, 1843)" .
Integrated Taxonomic Information System . Retrieved 24 April 2023 .
^
a
b
c Whitaker 1998, p. 308
^ Whitaker 1998, p. 309
^ Wooten
^ Whitaker 1998, p. 308–9
^ Whitaker 1998, p. 309–10
^ Whitaker 1998, p. 310
^ Peromyscus polionotus
^
"Southeastern beach mouse (Peromyscus polionotus niveiventris )" . Environmental Conservation Online System . U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Retrieved 24 April 2023 .
^
a
b 54
FR
20598
^
"Anastasia Island beach mouse (Peromyscus polionotus phasma )" . Environmental Conservation Online System . U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Retrieved 24 April 2023 .
^
"Alabama beach mouse (Peromyscus polionotus ammobates )" . Environmental Conservation Online System . U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Retrieved 24 April 2023 .
^
a
b
c 50
FR
23872
^
"Perdido Key beach mouse (Peromyscus polionotus trissyllepsis )" . Environmental Conservation Online System . U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Retrieved 24 April 2023 .
^
"Choctawhatchee beach mouse (Peromyscus polionotus allophrys )" . Environmental Conservation Online System . U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Retrieved 24 April 2023 .
^
"St. Andrew beach mouse (Peromyscus polionotus peninsularis )" . Environmental Conservation Online System . U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Retrieved 24 April 2023 .
^ 63
FR
70053
^ Foust, Desirae (2002). Demastes, Jim (ed.).
"Peromyscus polionotus " . Animal Diversity Web . Retrieved 24 April 2023 .
^ NatureServe (7 April 2023).
"Peromyscus polionotus decoloratus " . NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data accessed through NatureServe Explorer . Arlington, Virginia: NatureServe. Retrieved 24 April 2023 .
^
"Santa Rosa beach mouse (Peromyscus polionotus leucocephalus )" . Environmental Conservation Online System . U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Retrieved 24 April 2023 .
^ NatureServe (7 April 2023).
"Peromyscus polionotus leucocephalus " . NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data accessed through NatureServe Explorer . Arlington, Virginia: NatureServe. Retrieved 24 April 2023 .
Works cited
Peromyscus polionotus , Human Ageing Genomic Resources, retrieved February 10, 2010
Whitaker, John O. Jr.; Hamilton, William J. Jr. (1998),
Mammals of the Eastern United States (3 ed.),
Ithaca, NY :
Cornell University Press ,
ISBN
0-8014-3475-0
Wooten, Michael C.,
Peromyscus polionotus: Oldfield mouse , Auburn University, SC, archived from
the original on June 13, 2010, retrieved February 11, 2010