Slevins's mouse

Slevins's mouse
Conservation status

Critically Endangered  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Family: Cricetidae
Genus: Peromyscus
Species group: P. maniculatus
Species: P. slevini
Binomial name
Peromyscus slevini
Mailliard, 1924

Slevins's mouse (Peromyscus slevini) is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae.[2] It is endemic to Isla Santa Catalina off the east coast of Baja California Sur, an island with an area of about 40 km2 (15 sq mi). It is named for Joseph Slevin, a curator at the California Academy of Sciences.[3]

Slevin's mouse is a large-bodied mouse, measuring about 21 cm (8.3 in) in total length, of which 10 centimetres (3.9 in) are the tail. They have pale cinnamon fur, mixed with dusky hairs, over the body, head, and flanks, with near-white underparts. They appear very similar to the related California mouse, but are paler in color and slightly larger. However, it may be most closely related to the North American deer mouse.[3]

The species is threatened by competition with the introduced Northern Baja deer mouse,[1] which was probably introduced by local fishermen.[3]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Álvarez-Castañeda, S.T. & Castro-Arellano, I. (2008). "Peromyscus slevini". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2010.4. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 20 April 2011.
  2. ↑ Musser, G. G.; Carleton, M. D. (2005). "Superfamily Muroidea". In Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M. Mammal Species of the World (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 1077. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Álvarez-Castañeda, S.T. & Cortés-Calva , P. (2002). "Peromyscus slevini". Mammalian Species: Number 705: pp. 1–2. doi:10.1644/1545-1410(2002)705<0001:PS>2.0.CO;2.