Aztec mouse
Aztec mouse | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Rodentia |
Family: | Cricetidae |
Subfamily: | Neotominae |
Genus: | Peromyscus |
Species: | P. aztecus
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Binomial name | |
Peromyscus aztecus (
Saussure , 1860) | |
The Aztec mouse (Peromyscus aztecus) is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae, native to southern Mexico and parts of Central America.
Description
The Aztec mouse is a typically sized member of its genus, with a total length of 20 to 26 cm (7.9 to 10.2 in), about half of which is made up by the tail. The fur is ochre mixed with black over the upper surface of the body, a brighter reddish color at the sides, and pale buff beneath. The tail is also paler on the underside, and often ends with a white tip. The feet are white, with hairs on the soles of the hindfeet, one of the features that allows it to be distinguished from the otherwise similar looking, and more widespread, brush mouse.[2]
Distribution and habitat
Aztec mice are found in three disjunct regions of southern Mexico, in southern Guatemala and Honduras, and in much of El Salvador.[1] Four subspecies have been identified:[2]
- P. aztecus aztecus - the centers of Veracruz and Guerrero
- P. aztecus cordillerae - El Salvador
- P. aztecus evides - Oaxaca
- P. aztecus oaxacensis - extreme eastern Oaxaca, Chiapas, Guatemala, and Honduras
The mice live in mountainous regions, between 1,000 and 2,700 m (3,300 and 8,900 ft) altitude.
Biology
Aztec mice primarily eat grasses and seeds,
Conservation status
The Aztec mouse is not a threatened species. Its
References
- ^ . Retrieved 11 November 2021.
- ^ S2CID 198968643. Archived from the original(PDF) on 2015-06-21.