Species: Peromyscus maniculatus

North American Deermouse

Species

Mammals

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Terrestrial vertebrates: mammals

Encyclopedia of Puget Sound

Classification

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Craniata

Class

Mammalia

Order

Rodentia

Family

Cricetidae

Genus

Peromyscus

NatureServe

Source:
ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.101416

Classification

Other Global Common Names

Deer Mouse - Ratón - souris sylvestre

Informal Taxonomy

Animals, Vertebrates - Mammals - Rodents

Formal Taxonomy

Animalia - Craniata - Mammalia - Rodentia - Cricetidae - Peromyscus - 100 years) cannot be assumed (Pergams and Ashley 1999).

Ecology and Life History

Migration

true - false - false - were captured at trap sites up to 1.32 km apart (Rehmeier et al. 2004).

Non-migrant

true

Locally Migrant

false

Food Comments

Eats arthropods, other invertebrates, fruit, nuts/seeds, green plant material, and fungi (Wolfe et al. 1985). Insects, worms, and snails most important in summer. May store food.

Reproduction Comments

Breeding season shorter in north and at high elevations than elsewhere. In the northeastern U.S., reproduction is curtailed in fall and winter. See Kirkland and Layne (1989) for information on breeding seasons in different areas. Gestation 23 days. Litter size averages 5-6 in north, 4.5 in south, multiple litters/year (1-2 in north, more in south). Young independent in about 16-25 days (varies geographically). Young of year may attain sexual maturity by 2 months, or may not breed in some areas. Some litters fathered by more than 1 male; mating system ranges from promiscuity to facultative monogamy (Kirkland and Layne 1989).

Ecology Comments

Territorial behavior is most prevalent at high population densities. <br><br>Population density generally is lowest in spring, highest in fall (sometimes up to about 30/ha; densities as high as 109 and 163 per ha have been reported, Kirkland and Layne 1989). <br><br>In Kansas, populations increased initially following grassland fire, decreased in subsequent years (Kaufman et al. 1988, Clark and Kaufman 1990). In Virginia, populations were highest in the year following a large mast crop (Wolff 1996, J. Mamm. 77:850-856).

Length

Weight

Conservation Status

NatureServe Global Status Rank

Global Status Last Reviewed

1996-11-08

Global Status Last Changed

1996-11-08

Other Status

LC - Least concern

Distribution

Conservation Status Map

Global Range

Occurs in most of North America except most of Alaska, northern Canada, western and southeastern Mexico (occurs south to southern Baja California and through central Mexico to Colima and Oaxaca), southeastern U.S., and Atlantic coastal plain (see map in Carleton 1989).

ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.101416