244.

Osgood’s Deermouse

Osgoodomys banderanus

French: Péromyscus d'Osgood / German: Michoacan-Hirschmaus / Spanish: Raton ciervo de Osgood

Other common names: Michoacan Deermouse

Taxonomy. Peromyscus banderanus J. A. Allen, 1897, Valle de Banderas, Nayarit, Mexico.

Osgoodomys initially was named as subgenus of Peromyscus. Recent evidence suggests that Osgoodomys is phylogenetically situated within Peromyscus, thus questioning its status as a valid genus as used here. Two subspecies recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution.

O.b.banderanus|.A.Allen,1897—SWMexico,fromNayarittoGuerrero.

O. b. vicinior Osgood, 1904 — WC Mexico, in E Michoacan and W Guerrero.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 104-149 mm,tail 96-125 mm, ear 16-23 mm, hindfoot 22-25 mm; weight 39-58 g. Osgood’s Deermouse is medium-sized and resembles many species of Peromyscus. Dorsum is ocherous buff, with mix of cinnamon-brown to dark brown, and venter is creamy white. Tail is longer than head-body length, dark above and white below (sometimes blotched), nearly hairless, and therefore scaly in appearance. Feet are white and dark in tarsal regions, and soles are naked. Skull has strongly beaded supraorbital ridge.

Habitat. Various habitats including tropical deciduous forest, xeric scrubland, grasslands, pine (Pinus, Pinaceae) and oak (Quercus, Fagaceae) forests, and riparian areas from sea level to elevations of ¢.1400 m.

Food and Feeding. Osgood’s Deermouse is thought to eat seeds, insects, and fruits.

Breeding. Osgood’s Deermouse seems to reproduce in February—October.

Activity patterns. Osgood’s Deermouse is nocturnal. It is suspected to be semi-arboreal, so it is somewhat dependent on wooded or brushy habitats.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Distances traveled between successive captures of two Osgood’s Deermice averaged 68-3 m in Chamela-Cuixmala Biosphere Reserve,Jalisco.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List.

Bibliography. Alvarez & Hernandez-Chéavez (1990), Alvarez et al. (1987), Arroyo-Cabrales (2014b), Bradley et al. (2007), Carleton (1980, 1989), Ceballos (1990), Ceballos & Miranda (1986, 2000), Collett et al. (1975), Hall (1981), Hooper & Musser (1964b), Lechuga & Nunez (1992), Nunez & Pastrana (1990), Nunez et al. (1981), Platt et al. (2015).