CDC Logo

BC Conservation Data Centre: Species Summary


Peromyscus sonoriensis
North American Deermouse


 
Scientific Name: Peromyscus sonoriensis (LeConte, 1853)
Scientific Name Synonyms: Peromyscus maniculatus
English Name: North American Deermouse
 
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
Species Group: Vertebrate Animal
Species Code: M-PEMA
Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family
Animalia Craniata Mammalia Rodentia Cricetidae
   
Conservation Status / Legal Designation
Global Status: GNR
Provincial Status: S5 (Jan 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: Breeding season shorter in north and at high elevations than elsewhere. In the northeastern U.S., reproduction is curtailed in fall and winter. See Kirkland and Layne (1989) for information on breeding seasons in different areas. Gestation 23 days. Litter size averages 5-6 in north, 4.5 in south, multiple litters/year (1-2 in north, more in south). Young independent in about 16-25 days (varies geographically). Young of year may attain sexual maturity by 2 months, or may not breed in some areas. Some litters fathered by more than 1 male; mating system ranges from promiscuity to facultative monogamy (Kirkland and Layne 1989).
Global Ecology Comments: Territorial behavior is most prevalent at high population densities.

Population density generally is lowest in spring, highest in fall (sometimes up to about 30/ha; densities as high as 109 and 163 per ha have been reported, Kirkland and Layne 1989).

In Kansas, populations increased initially following grassland fire, decreased in subsequent years (Kaufman et al. 1988, Clark and Kaufman 1990). In Virginia, populations were highest in the year following a large mast crop (Wolff 1996, J. Mamm. 77:850-856).
Migration Characteristics:
(Global / Provincial)		 
    Nonmigrant:
    Local Migrant:
    Distant Migrant:
    Within Borders Migrant: 		Y /
N /
N /
na /
Global Migration Comments: Home range reportedly averages 1 ha or less, may range from a few hundred to a few thousand sq m, depending on circumstances. In New Brunswick, a tagged subadult male was captured at locations 1.77 km apart after a period of 2 weeks in September, suggesting that dispersal may extend at least this far (Bowman et al. 1999). In Kansas, individuals were captured at trap sites up to 1.32 km apart (Rehmeier et al. 2004).
Habitats:
(Type / Subtype / Dependence)
Global Habitat Comments: Uses a wide variety of upland and riparian habitats from open areas and brushlands to coniferous and deciduous forests. Nest sites as varied as habitat. May be placed in buildings, burrows, under logs, in thick vegetation, or in tree cavities.
Food Habits: Frugivore: Adult, Immature
Granivore: Adult, Immature
Herbivore: Adult, Immature
Invertivore: Adult, Immature
Global Food Habits Comments: Eats arthropods, other invertebrates, fruit, nuts/seeds, green plant material, and fungi (Wolfe et al. 1985). Insects, worms, and snails most important in summer. May store food.
Global Phenology: Crepuscular: Adult, Immature
Nocturnal: Adult, Immature
Global Phenology Comments: Primarily nocturnal. Active throughout the year.
Provincial Phenology:
(1st half of month/
2nd half of month)
Colonial Breeder: N
Length(cm)/width(cm)/Weight(g): 22/ / 33
Elevation (m) (min / max): Global: 
Provincial: 
   
 
Distribution
Endemic: N
Global Range Comment: This species occurs primarily west of the Mississippi River from the Yukon and Northwest Territory southward to northern California and the United States/Mexico border (along Arizona and New Mexico) then eastward across northern Texas to Arkansas Bradley et al. (2019).

The distribution does not include: 1) the coastal islands and mainlands from Alaska southward to Oregon; in this area P. keeni may exclude P. sonoriensis or the two species may be sympatric; 2) southcentral California and Baja California and the southwest corner of Arizona where P. gambelii occurs; and 3) southern New Mexico, and southwestern of Texas where P. labecula occurs. Populations of mice that are assignable to P. sonoriensis appear to occur on Isle Royale, Michigan (Dragoo et al. 2006, Bradley et al. 2019) and in southern Michigan (Lansman et al. 1983); whereas samples from northcentral Michigan are assignable to P. maniculatus (Lansman et al. 1983). Additional samples are needed from much of the Great Lakes region (Bradley et al. 2019).
 
Authors / Contributors
Global Information Author: Hammerson, G.
Last Updated: Mar 08, 2005
Provincial Information Author:
Last Updated:
   
References and Related Literature
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.
Baker, R. H. 1983. Michigan mammals. Michigan State University Press. 642 pp.
Banfield, A. W. F. 1974. The mammals of Canada. University of Toronto Press, Toronto, Canada. 438 pp.
Blair, W.F. 1942. Size of home range and notes on life history of the woodland deer mouse and eastern chipmunk in northern Michigan. Journal Mamm. 23(1):27-36.
Bowman, J. C., M. Edwards, L. S. Sheppard, and G. J. Forbes. 1999. Record distance for a non-homing movement by a deer mouse, Peromyscus maniculatus. Canadian Field-Naturalist 113:292-293.
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.
Childs, J. E., J. N. Mills, and G. E. Glass. 1995. Rodent-borne hemorrhagic fever viruses: a special risk for mammalogists? Journal of Mammalogy 76:664-680.
Clark, B. K., and D. W. Kaufman. 1990. Short-term responses of small mammals to experimental fire in tallgrass prairie. Can. J. Zool. 68:2450-2454.
Cramer, K. L., and J. A. Chapman. 1992. Life history characteristics of insular Peromyscus maniculatus in the Bonneville Basin, Utah. Am. Midl. Nat. 128:345-359.
Godin, A. J. 1977. Wild mammals of New England. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore. 304 pp.
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.
Hall, E. R. 1981a. The Mammals of North America, second edition. Vols. I & II. John Wiley & Sons, New York, New York. 1181 pp.
Hamilton, W. J., Jr., and J. O. Whitaker, Jr. 1979. Mammals of the eastern United States. Cornell Univ. Press, Ithaca, New York. 346 pp.
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.
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.
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.
Kaufman, G. A., D. W. Kaufman, and E. J. Finck. 1988. Influence of fire and topography on habitat selection by PEROMYSCUS MANICULATUS and REITHRODONTOMYS MEGALOTIS in ungrazed tallgrass prairie. J. Mamm. 69:342-352.
King, J. A. (ed.). 1968. Biology of PEROMYSCUS (Rodentia). Am. Soc. Mamm. Spec. Publ. No. 2. 593 pp.
Kirkland, G. L., Jr., and J. N. Layne. 1989. Advances in the study of PEROMYSCUS (Rodentia). Texas Tech Univ. Press, Lubbock.
Millar, J. S., and D. G. L. Innes. 1985. Breeding by PEROMYSCUS MANICULATUS over an elevational gradient. Can. J. Zool. 63:124-129.
Schwartz, C. W., and E. R. Schwartz. 1981. The wild mammals of Missouri. University of Missouri Press, Columbia. 356 pp.
Sullivan, T. P. 1990. Demographic responses of small mammal populations to a herbicide application in coastal coniferous forest: population density and resiliency. Can. J. Zool. 68:874-883.
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/.
Wolfe, J. O., R. D. Dueser, and K. S. Berry. 1985. Food habits of sympatric Peromyscus leucopus and Peromyscus maniculatus. J. Mamm. 66:795-798.
 

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. 2005. Species Summary: Peromyscus sonoriensis. B.C. Minist. of Environment. Available: https://a100.gov.bc.ca/pub/eswp/ (accessed Oct 19, 2024).