BC Conservation Data Centre: Species Summary
Peromyscus keeni
Northwestern Deermouse
| Scientific Name: | Peromyscus keeni (Rhoades, 1894) | ||||||||||
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| English Name: | Northwestern Deermouse | ||||||||||
| English Name Synonyms: |
Keen's Mouse
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| Classification / Taxonomy | |||||||||||
| Scientific Name - Concept Reference: | Bradley, R. D., J. Q. Francis, R. N. Platt II, T. J. Soniat, D. Alvarez, and Laramie L. L. Lindsey. 2019. Mitochondrial DNA sequence data indicate evidence for multiple species within Peromyscus maniculatus. Special Publications, Museum of Texas Tech University Number 70. 59 pp. | ||||||||||
| Classification Level: | Species | ||||||||||
| Taxonomy Comments: | The two taxa P. SITKENSIS and P. OREAS were 'lumped' by TNC in November, 1996. For reference, see: Hogan, K. M., et al 1993. Systematic and taxonomic implications of karyotypic, electrophoretic, and mitochondrial - DNA variation in PEROMYSCUS from the Pacific Northwest. Journal of Mammalogy. 74(4):819-831. GTAXCOM from P. SITKENSIS: The taxonomic and geographic relationships among P. MANICULATUS, P. OREAS, and P. SITKENSIS on islands and the adjacent mainland in the Pacific Northwest have been poorly understood (Carleton 1989; Musser and Carleton, in Wilson and Reeder 1993). Hogan et al. (1993) analyzed chromosomes, allozymes, and mtDNA of Pacific Northwest PEROMYSCUS and concluded that P. OREAS, P. SITKENSIS, P. MANICULATUS ALGIDUS, P. M. HYLAEUS, P. M. KEENI, P. M. MACRORHINUS, and P. M. PREVOSTENSIS should be recognized as members of the newly constituted species PEROMYSCUS KEENI; further, they suspected that P. M. CARLI, P. M. DOYLEI, and P. M. TRIANGULARIS also are members of P. KEENI. GTAXCOM from P. OREAS: Formerly included in P. MANICULATUS, then elevated to full species status as P. OREAS. Morphological and karyotypic data supported full species status of OREAS (Gunn and Greenbaum 1986, Allard et al. 1987), which was accepted by Jones et al. (1992) and Musser and Carleton (in Wilson and Reeder 1993). Carleton (1989) and Carleton and Musser (in Wilson and Reeder 1993) noted that more information was needed on the range of OREAS and on its relationship to adjacent populations of long-tailed PEROMYSCUS, particularly to subspecies MACRORHINUS that occurs farther north along the British Columbia coast; they further noted that the numerous insular races also were possible relatives of OREAS, and that the taxonomic relationships among P. MANICULATUS, P. OREAS, and P. SITKENSIS on islands near Vancouver Island were poorly understood. Morphological evidence summarized by Allard and Greenbaum (1988) and Sullivan et al. (1990) supported the recognition of three subspecies of P. OREAS: OREAS, INTERDICTUS, and ISOLATUS. Hogan et al. (1993) analyzed chromosomes, allozymes, and mtDNA of Pacific Northwest PEROMYSCUS and concluded that P. OREAS, P. SITKENSIS, P. MANICULATUS ALGIDUS, P. M. HYLAEUS, P. M. KEENI, P. M. MACRORHINUS, and P. M. PREVOSTENSIS should be recognized as members of the newly constituted species PEROMYSCUS KEENI; further, they suspected that P. M. CARLI, P. M. DOYLEI, and P. M. TRIANGULARIS also are members of P. KEENI. | ||||||||||
| Species Group: | Vertebrate Animal | ||||||||||
| Species Code: | M-PEKE | ||||||||||
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| Conservation Status / Legal Designation | |||||||||||
| Global Status: | G5 (Apr 2016) | ||||||||||
| Provincial Status: | S5 (Mar 2024) | ||||||||||
| BC List: | Yellow | ||||||||||
| Provincial FRPA list: | |||||||||||
| Provincial Wildlife Act: | |||||||||||
| COSEWIC Status: | |||||||||||
| SARA Schedule: | |||||||||||
| General Status Canada: | 4 - Secure (2005) | ||||||||||
| Ecology & Life History | |||||||||||
| General Description: | |||||||||||
| Global Reproduction Comments: | Multiple litters of about 3-5 young probably are produced each year. Gestation lasts about 23 days (nonlactating) or 25 days (lactating) (Kirkland and Layne 1989). Probably capable of breeding at about 5-6 weeks. In southern British Columbia, "OREAS" was reported as breeding from March through July; 21 litters averaged 6.1 young (see Kirkland and Layne 1989). | ||||||||||
| Global Ecology Comments: | Distribution of "SITKENSIS" on smaller outer islands indicates it is probably less competitive than MANICULATUS, which occupies larger islands (Banfield 1974). "SITKENSIS" probably originally reached many islands on natural rafts. | ||||||||||
| Migration Characteristics: (Global / Provincial) | |||||||||||
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Nonmigrant: Local Migrant: Distant Migrant: Within Borders Migrant: |
Y / N / N / na / |
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| Habitats: (Type / Subtype / Dependence) |
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| Global Habitat Comments: | "SITKENSIS" inhabits the edge of dense Sitka spruce-western cedar forests of outer coastal islands; found at forest edge and on beaches in cover of logs, stumps and rock crevices (Banfield 1974). | ||||||||||
| Food Habits: |
Frugivore: Adult, Immature
Granivore: Adult, Immature Invertivore: Adult, Immature |
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| Global Food Habits Comments: | Diet includes various seeds, fruits, and small invertebrates. | ||||||||||
| Global Phenology: |
Nocturnal: Adult, Immature
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| Global Phenology Comments: | Active throughout the year. | ||||||||||
| Provincial Phenology: (1st half of month/ 2nd half of month) |
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| Colonial Breeder: | N | ||||||||||
| Length(cm)/width(cm)/Weight(g): | 23/ / 45 | ||||||||||
| Elevation (m) (min / max): |
Global:
Provincial: |
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| Distribution | |||||||||||
| Endemic: | N | ||||||||||
| Global Range Comment: | This species occurs in the coastal regions (west of the Coastal and Cascade mountain ranges) in southern Alaska southward to central Washington, USA. It also occurs on most of the islands in the Queen Charlotte Sound (coastal region of British Columbia, Canada) and the Alexander Archipelago (southwestern coast Alaska) (Bradley et al. 2019). | ||||||||||
| Authors / Contributors | |||||||||||
| Global Information Author: | Hammerson, G. | ||||||||||
| Last Updated: | Feb 13, 1996 | ||||||||||
| Provincial Information Author: | |||||||||||
| Last Updated: | |||||||||||
| References and Related Literature | |||||||||||
Allard, M. W., and I. F. Greenbaum. 1988. Morphological variation and taxonomy of chromosomally differentiated Peromyscus from the Pacific Northwest. Can. J. Zool. 66:2734-2739. |
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Allard, M. W., S. J. Gunn, and I. F. Greenbaum. 1987. Mensural discrimination of chromosomally characterized Peromyscus oreas and P. maniculatus. J. Mamm. 68:402-406. |
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Banfield, A. W. F. 1974. The mammals of Canada. University of Toronto Press, Toronto, Canada. 438 pp. |
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Calhoun, S. W., and I. F. Greenbaum. 1991. Evolutionary implications of genic variation among insular populations of Peromyscus maniculatus and Peromyscus oreas. J. Mamm. 72:248-262. |
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Carleton, M. D. 1989. Systematic and evolution. Pp. 7-142 in Kirkland, G. L. and Layne, J. N., eds. Advances in the Study of Peromyscus (Rodentia). Lubbock, Texas Tech University Press. |
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Conner, P. F. 1971. The mammals of Long Island, New York. New York State Mus. Science Serv., Bull. No. 416. 78 pp. |
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Gunn, S. J. and I. F. Greenbaum. 1986. Systematic implications of karyotypic and morphologic variation in mainland Peromyscus from the Pacific Northwest. J. Mamm. 67:294-304. |
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Hall, E. R. 1981a. The Mammals of North America, second edition. Vols. I & II. John Wiley & Sons, New York, New York. 1181 pp. |
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Hogan, K. M., et al. 1993. Systematic and taxonomic implications of karyotypic, electrophoretic, and mitochondrial-DNA variation in Peromyscus from the Pacific Northwest. J. Mamm. 74:819-831. |
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Hogan, K. M., S. K. Davis, and I. F. Greenbaum. 1997. Mitochondrial-DNA analysis of the systematic relationships within the Peromyscus maniculatus species group. Journal of Mammalogy 78:733-743. |
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Jones, J. K., Jr., R. S. Hoffman, D. W. Rice, C. Jones, R. J. Baker, and M. D. Engstrom. 1992a. Revised checklist of North American mammals north of Mexico, 1991. Occasional Papers, The Museum, Texas Tech University, 146:1-23. |
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King, J. A. (ed.). 1968. Biology of Peromyscus (Rodentia). Am. Soc. Mamm. Spec. Publ. No. 2. 593 pp. |
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Kirkland, G. L., Jr., and J. N. Layne. 1989. Advances in the study of Peromyscus (Rodentia). Texas Tech Univ. Press, Lubbock. |
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Nagorsen, D. W. 2005b. The rodents and lagomorphs of British Columbia. Royal B.C. Mus. Handb., Victoria, BC. 410pp. |
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Sullivan, R. M., S. W. Calhoun, and I. F. Greenbaum. 1990. Geographic variation in genital morphology among insular and mainland populations of Peromyscus maniculatus and Peromyscus oreas. J. Mamm. 71:48-58. |
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Thomas, B. 1973. Evolutionary implications of karyotypic variation in some insular Peromyscus from British Columbia, Canada. Cytologia 38:485-495. |
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Wilson, D. E., and D. M. Reeder (editors). 1993. Mammal species of the world: a taxonomic and geographic reference. Second edition. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC. xviii + 1206 pp. Available online at: http://www.nmnh.si.edu/msw/. |
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Please visit the website Conservation Status Ranks for definitions of the data fields used in this summary report.
Suggested Citation:
B.C. Conservation Data Centre. 1996. Species Summary: Peromyscus keeni. B.C. Minist. of Environment. Available: https://a100.gov.bc.ca/pub/eswp/ (accessed Jun 11, 2026).