Southern deer mouse
The southern deermouse or southern deer mouse (Peromyscus labecula) is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is found in the United States and Mexico.
| Southern deer mouse | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Rodentia |
| Family: | Cricetidae |
| Subfamily: | Neotominae |
| Genus: | Peromyscus |
| Species: | P. labecula |
| Binomial name | |
| Peromyscus labecula Elliot, 1903 | |
Taxonomy
The species was originally thought to be conspecific with the North American deermouse (now eastern deermouse), P. maniculatus, as P. m. labecula, P. m. blandus, and P. m. fulvus. However, later studies found these subspecies to together comprise a distinct species from P. maniculatus, and they were split from maniculatus in a study published in 2019 as P. labecula, which was followed by the American Society of Mammalogists.[1][2]
Distribution
This species is distributed from the Southwestern United States (southern New Mexico and western Texas) south to southern Mexico, in the state of Oaxaca. In the southern portion of its range, it is sympatric with the similar black-eared mouse (P. melanotis).[1][2]
References
- Greenbaum, I. F.; et al. (October 2019). "Taxonomy and phylogenetics of the Peromyscus maniculatus species group". Special Publications, Texas Tech University. 71: 559–575.
- "Explore the Database". www.mammaldiversity.org. Retrieved 2021-06-19.