Peromyscus stirtoni, Dickey, 1928

Don E. Wilson, Russell A. Mittermeier & Thomas E. Lacher, Jr, 2017, Cricetidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 7 Rodents II, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 204-535 : 385

272.

Stirton’s Deermouse

Peromyscus stirtoni

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

Other common names: Stirton's Mouse

Taxonomy. Peromyscus stirtoni Dickey, 1928 , Rio Goascoran, 100 ft (= 31 m), 13°30’N, [La Union Department, El Salvador.

Peromyscus stirtoni is in the mexicanus species group. Monotypic.

Distribution. SE Guatemala, El Salvador, S Honduras, and NW Nicaragua.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 93-110 mm, tail 86-108 mm, ear 18-21 mm, hindfoot 22-24 mm; weight 28-31 g. Stirton’s Deermouse is one of the smallest members of the mexicanus species group, with ocherous buff to ocherous tawny dorsum, mixed with dusky hairs. Sides are buffy, and venter is whitish. Pectoral spotis often present. Hindfeet are white, and soles are nearly naked. Tail is distinctly bicolored (blackish or brownish above and yellowish white below), unblotched, and equal to head-body length. Tail is nearly naked, with c.15 annulations/cm.

Habitat. Arid and semiarid lowlands and probably low-elevation tropical deciduous forest.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. Scrotal Stirton’s Deermice and a pregnant female were captured in April.

Activity patterns. Stirton’s Deermouse is presumably nocturnal.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

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

Bibliography. Dickey (1928a), Hall (1981), Huckaby (1980), Jones (1990), Musser & Carleton (2005).

Figures

245. Hooper's Deermouse (Peromyscus hooper), 246. Canyon Deermouse (Peromyscus crinitus), 247. California Deermouse (Peromyscus californicus), 248. Merriam’s Deermouse (Peromyscus merriami), 249. Cactus Deermouse (Peromyscus eremicus), 250. San Lorenzo Deermouse (Peromyscus interparietalis), 251. Southern Baja Deermouse (Peromyscus eva), 252. Northern Baja Deermouse (Peromyscus fraterculus), 253. Monserrat Island Deermouse (Peromyscus caniceps), 254. Dickey’s Deermouse (Peromyscus dickeyi), 255. La Guarda Deermouse (Peromyscus guardia), 256. Coronados Deermouse (Peromyscus pseudocrinitus), 257. Cotton Deermouse (Peromyscus gossypinus), 258. White-footed Deermouse (Peromyscus leucopus), 259. Santa Cruz Deermouse (Peromyscus sejugis), 260. North-western Deermouse (Peromyscus keeni), 261. Oldfield Deermouse (Peromyscus polionotus), 262. North American Deermouse (Peromyscus maniculatus), 264. Black-tailed Deermouse (Peromyscus melanurus), 265. Broad-faced Deermouse (Peromyscus megalops), 266. Black-wristed Deermouse (Peromyscus melanocarpus), 267. Catalina Deermouse (Peromyscus slevini), 268. Tawny Deermouse (Peromyscus perfulvus), 269. Plateau Deermouse (Peromyscus melanophrys), 270. Puebla Deermouse (Peromyscus mekisturus), 271. Mayan Deermouse (Peromyscus mayensis), 272. Stirton’s Deermouse (Peromyscus stirtoni), 273. Yucatan Deermouse (Peromyscus yucatanicus), 274. Chimoxan Deermouse (Peromyscus tropicalis), 275. Talamancan Deermouse (Peromyscus nudipes), 276. Mexican Deermouse (Peromyscus mexicanus), 277. Naked-eared Deermouse (Peromyscus gymnotis), 278. Chiapan Deermouse (Peromyscus zarhynchus), 279. Gardner’s Deermouse (Peromyscus gardneri), 280. Nicaraguan Deermouse (Peromyscus nicaraguae), 281. Salvadorean Deermouse (Peromyscus salvadorensis), 282. Guatemalan Deermouse (Peromyscus guatemalensis), 283. Large Deermouse (Peromyscus grandis)

Distribution. SE Guatemala, El Salvador, S Honduras, and NW Nicaragua.