Peromyscus melanotis

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	MAMMALIA	RODENTIA	CRICETIDAE

Scientific Name:

Peromyscus melanotis

Species Authority:

J.A. Allen & Chapman, 1897

Common Name/s:

English

–

Black-eared Mouse

Taxonomic Notes:

Taxonomic placement of Arizona populations uncertain. Hoffmeister (1986) assigned them to P. maniculatus, but they appear as P. melanotis in Musser and Carleton (1993, 2005).

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Least Concern ver 3.1

Year Assessed:

2008

Assessor/s

Álvarez-Castañeda, S.T., Castro-Arellano, I., Lacher, T. & Vázquez, E.

Evaluator/s:

McKnight, M. (Global Mammal Assessment Team) & Amori, G. (Small Nonvolant Mammal Red List Authority)

Justification:
This species is listed as Least Concern in view of its wide distribution, presumed large population, and because it does not appear to be under threat and is unlikely to be declining at nearly the rate required to qualify for listing in a threatened category.

History:

1996

–

Lower Risk/least concern (Baillie and Groombridge 1996)

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	This species' range is mostly within Mexico, but there is a disjunct population in the mountains of southeast Arizona (Chiricahua, Graham, and Santa Catalina Mountains). In Mexico, this species occurs in the central Cordillera Transvolcanica (east Jalisco to central Veracruz), northwards along Sierra Madre Oriental to south Nuevo León and along Sierra Madre Occidental to west Chihuahua (Musser and Carleton 2005).
Countries:	Native: Mexico; United States
Range Map:	(click map to view full version)

Population [top]

Population:	This mouse is not common to uncommon (Alvarez-Castañeda 2005).
Population Trend:	Unknown

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	This species is found mainly in rocky habitats within mesic deciduous and coniferous forests. It iis found throughout the pine-fir zone and intermixed grasslands in high mountains. This species is noctural and omnivorous (Alvarez-Castañeda 2005). The home range for the species was aproximately 410 m². Mean litter size is 3.7 to 3.8 embryos (Baker 1956; Davis 1944), with a maximum of 5 embryos. Pregnant females have been recorded in January, April, May, July, August, and November; lactating females have been reported only in November; and juveniles in June and July. One fertile cross between Peromyscus melanotis and P. maniculatus produced a litter of males, which were fertile when backcrossed to females of P. maniculatus (Clark 1966), but another similar mating failed to produce offspring. Of 137 interspecific crosses between P. melanotis and P. maniculatus, none produced offspring (Bowers 1974).
Systems:	Terrestrial

Habitat and Ecology:

This species is found mainly in rocky habitats within mesic deciduous and coniferous forests. It iis found throughout the pine-fir zone and intermixed grasslands in high mountains.

This species is noctural and omnivorous (Alvarez-Castañeda 2005). The home range for the species was aproximately 410 m². Mean litter size is 3.7 to 3.8 embryos (Baker 1956; Davis 1944), with a maximum of 5 embryos. Pregnant females have been recorded in January, April, May, July, August, and November; lactating females have been reported only in November; and juveniles in June and July. One fertile cross between Peromyscus melanotis and P. maniculatus produced a litter of males, which were fertile when backcrossed to females of P. maniculatus (Clark 1966), but another similar mating failed to produce offspring. Of 137 interspecific crosses between P. melanotis and P. maniculatus, none produced offspring (Bowers 1974).

Systems:

Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	There are no major threats known to this species.

Major Threat(s):

There are no major threats known to this species.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	There are no known conservation measures specific to this species. However, there are several protected areas within its range.

Conservation Actions:

There are no known conservation measures specific to this species. However, there are several protected areas within its range.

Citation:	Álvarez-Castañeda, S.T., Castro-Arellano, I., Lacher, T. & Vázquez, E. 2008. Peromyscus melanotis. In: IUCN 2008. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 07 January 2009.
Disclaimer:	To make use of this information, please check the Copyright and Data Disclaimer.
Feedback:	If you see any errors or have any questions or suggestions on what is shown on this page, please fill in the feedback form so that we can correct or extend the information provided