Deer mouse
| Deer mouse | ||||||||||||
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Deer vole ( Peromyscus maniculatus ) |
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Peromyscus maniculatus | ||||||||||||
| ( Wagner , 1845) |
The (actual) deer mouse ( Peromyscus maniculatus ) is a species of New World mice that lives in North and Central America . The term deer mice is also applied to other species of the genus of the white-footed mice ( Peromyscus ).
features
Deer mice are rather small New World mice, they reach a head body length of 7 to 11 centimeters, the tail length is variable according to population and habitat and can be 5 to 11 centimeters. The weight of the animals is 10 to 25 grams. Animals that live in woodlands are slightly larger and have longer feet and tails than animals that live in grasslands. The muzzle is pointed, the eyes are large and dark, the ears are also large and only sparsely hairy. Their fur is gray to red-brown on the upper side, the belly and the feet are white. The tail is also two-colored - darker on the top than on the underside - and the colors are sharply separated.
distribution and habitat
Deer mice are distributed from Alaska and northern Canada over large parts of the USA to southern Mexico ( Oaxaca ). They are extremely variable in terms of their habitat and inhabit various forests as well as areas covered with bushes, grasslands, mountainous regions and deserts. They are most common in prairies, scrublands, and sparse forests.
Way of life
Deer mice mainly stay on the ground, but can also climb well. They are nocturnal and spend the day in self-made nests. In grasslands, these nests are often in burrows under the ground, in forests in tree hollows, abandoned bird nests or in branches. They live together in groups that usually consist of a male, a few females and their pups. In winter they form groups of ten or more animals, they huddle together in the nests to warm each other.
They are opportunistic omnivores that consume various plants and animals. Their menu includes seeds, fruits, flowers, nuts, insects and other invertebrates. In the cooler months, they collect food in storage stores, they do not hibernate .
Reproduction
Deer mice are very fertile, in the laboratory a female can have 14 litters a year. In warmer weather, they reproduce about every three to four weeks, the gestation period is 22 to 30 days. The litter size depends among other things on the habitat and can be one to eleven, usually four to six young animals. These open the eyes at 2 weeks and are weaned at 25 to 35 days. Sexual maturity occurs between 35 and 49 days.
Deer mice and humans
Deer mice are widespread and are among the most common mammals in some regions. In some places they are feared as carriers of hantaviruses , especially the Sin Nombre virus .
literature
- Ronald M. Nowak: Walker's Mammals of the World. 2 volumes. 6th edition. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD et al. 1999, ISBN 0-8018-5789-9 .
Web links
- Information on Animal Diversity Web
- Peromyscus maniculatus in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2006 Posted by: J. Baillie, 1996. Retrieved on 11 August, 2008.