Reithrodontomys cherrii (J. A. Allen, 1891)

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 : 369-370

227.

Costa Rican Harvest Mouse

Reithrodontomys cherrii

French: Souris-moissonneuse de Cherrie / German: Costa-Rica-Erntemaus / Spanish: Ratén espiguero de Costa Rica

Taxonomy. Heperomys (Vesperimus) cherrii J. A. Allen, 1891 , San José, Costa Rica.

Reithrodontomys cherrii was considered a subspecies of R. mexicanus and elevated to species status in 2005. Reithrodontomys cherrii is in subgenus Aporodon. Monotypic.

Distribution. C Costa Rica.

Descriptive notes. Head—body 67-85 mm, tail 101-117 mm, ear 14-18 mm, hindfoot 17-20 mm. No specific data are available for body weight. The Costa Rican Harvest Mouse is one of the largest and most brilliantly colored species of Reithrodontomys . Dorsum and sides are bright orange (zinc orange or ocherous orange). Braincase is deep and strongly convex, and toothrow is long. Compared with the Short-nosed Harvest Mouse ( R. brevirostris ), the Costa Rican Harvest Mouse has a relatively short tail.

Habitat. Montane regions of central Costa Rica, including Cordillera Central and Cordillera de Talamanca , at elevations of 913-2134 m.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. No information.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Not assessed on The [UCN Red List. Given relatively restricted distribution and lack of biological knowledge, the Costa Rican Harvest Mouse should be carefully monitored.

Bibliography. Allen (1891a), Arellano et al. (2005), Gardner & Carleton (2009), Hooper (1952a).

Figures

208. Golden Mouse (Ochrotomys nuttalli), 209. Southern Pygmy Mouse (Baiomys musculus), 210. Northern Pygmy Mouse (Baiomys taylori), 211. Short-tailed Singing Mouse (Scotinomys teguina), 212. Long-tailed Singing Mouse (Scotinomys xerampelinus), 213. Yellow Deermouse (Isthmomys flavidus), 214. Mount Pirr 1 Deermouse (Isthmomys pirrensis), 215. Florida Deermouse (Podomys floridanus), 216. Volcano Deermouse (Neotomodon alstoni), 217. Short-nosed Harvest Mouse (Reithrodontomys brevirostris), 218. Darien Harvest Mouse (Reithrodontomys darienensis), 219. Slender Harvest Mouse (Reithrodontomys gracilis), 220. Mexican Harvest Mouse (Reithrodontomys mexicanus), 221. Nicaraguan Harvest Mouse (Reithrodontomys paradoxus), 222. Cozumel Harvest Mouse (Reithrodontomys spectabilis), 223. Talamancan Harvest Mouse (Reithrodontomys creper), 224. Rodriguez's Harvest Mouse (Reithrodontomys rodriguez), 225. Narrow-nosed Harvest Mouse (Reithrodontomys tenuirostris), 226. Small-toothed Harvest Mouse (Reithrodontomys microdon), 227. Costa Rican Harvest Mouse (Reithrodontomys cherrii), 228. Chiriquian Harvest Mouse (Reithrodontomys garichensis), 229. Musser’s Harvest Mouse (Reithrodontomys musser), 230. Baker’s Harvest Mouse (Reithrodontomys baker), 231. Fulvous Harvest Mouse (Reithrodontomys fulvescens), 232. Hairy Harvest Mouse (Reithrodontomys hirsutus), 233. Sonoran Harvest Mouse (Reithrodontomys burt), 234. Volcano Harvest Mouse (Reithrodontomys chrysopsis), 235. Eastern Harvest Mouse (Reithrodontomys humulis), 236. Western Harvest Mouse (Reithrodontomys megalotis), 237. Plains Harvest Mouse (Reithrodontomys montanus), 238. Salt-marsh Harvest Mouse (Reithrodontomys raviventris), 239. Sumichrast’s Harvest Mouse (Reithrodontomys sumichrasti), 240. Zacatecan Harvest Mouse (Reithrodontomys zacatecae), 242. Northern Grasshopper Mouse (Onychomys leucogaster), 243. Southern Grasshopper Mouse (Onychomys torridus), 244. Osgood’s Deermouse (Osgoodomys banderanus)

Distribution. C Costa Rica.