Reithrodontomys spectabilis
| Kingdom |
Phylum |
Class |
Order |
Family |
| ANIMALIA |
CHORDATA |
MAMMALIA |
RODENTIA |
CRICETIDAE |
| Scientific Name: |
Reithrodontomys spectabilis |
| Species Authority: |
Jones & Lawlor, 1965 |
Common Name/s:
| English |
– |
Cozumel Harvest Mouse |
|
Assessment Information
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| Red List Category & Criteria: |
Critically Endangered
A2bce
ver 3.1
|
| Year Assessed: |
2008 |
| Assessor/s: |
Cuarón, A., Vázquez, E. & de Grammont, P.C. |
| Reviewer/s: |
McKnight, M. (Global Mammal Assessment Team) & Amori, G. (Small Nonvolant Mammal Red List Authority) |
Justification:
Listed as Critically Endangered because it has experienced a loss of more than 80% of the population in the past 10 years. This species continues to decline because of predation from introduced cats, dogs, and Boa constrictor, and competition from introduced rodents. It has also declined from two major hurricanes (2005) and flooding (2004) in the past four years.
|
| History: |
|
Geographic Range
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Population
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| Population: |
It is very rare and patchily distributed. The population of this species fluctuates significantly (A. Cuaron pers. comm.).
|
| Population Trend: |
Decreasing
|
Habitat and Ecology
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| Habitat and Ecology: |
This mouse occurs in dense, viney second growth and forest edge. It is nocturnal and semiarboreal (Reid 1997).
|
| Systems: |
Terrestrial |
| Major Threat(s): |
This species is threatened by predation from introduced species: feral dogs, cats, and Boa constrictor. It is also threatened by competition from introduced house rats and mice.
The species is also vulnerable to the effects of frequent hurricanes and flooding, particularly in combination with its extremely small, fluctuating population and interactions with invasive species.
|
Conservation Actions
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| Conservation Actions: |
There is a program to control the populations of invasive dogs and cats. A program is still needed to control the invasive snakes and rodents.
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