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Peromyscus

{{Short description|Genus of mammals}}

{{Distinguish|mouse-deer}}

{{Redirect|Deer mouse|a broader category of rodents which includes other deer mouse species|Neotominae|the species often called deer mouse|Peromyscus maniculatus}}

{{Automatic taxobox

| fossil_range = Late Miocene – Recent

| image = Deer Mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus) (9310532204).jpg

| image_caption = Peromyscus maniculatus

| taxon = Peromyscus

| authority = Gloger, 1841

| type_species = Peromyscus arboreus{{MSW3|id=13000436}}

| subdivision_ranks = Species

| subdivision = See text

}}

Peromyscus is a genus of rodents. They are commonly referred to as deer mice or deermice, not to be confused with the chevrotain or "mouse deer". They are New World mice only distantly related to the common house and laboratory mouse, Mus musculus. From this distant relative, Peromyscus species are distinguished by relatively larger eyes, and also often two-tone coloring, with darker colors over the dorsum (back), and white abdominal and limb hair-coloring. In reference to the coloring, the word Peromyscus comes from Greek words meaning "booted mouse". They are also accomplished jumpers and runners by comparison to house mice, and their common name of "deer mouse" (coined in 1833) is in reference to both this agility as well as their two-toned coloring.[https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deer%20mouse Deer mouse etymology from Merriam-Webster. Accessed April 6, 2025]. https://www.merriam-webster.com/ (2025-04-06). Retrieved on 2025-04-06.

The most common species of deer mice in the continental United States are two closely related species, P. maniculatus and P. leucopus. In the United States, Peromyscus is the most populous mammalian genus overall, and has become notorious in the western United States as a carrier of hantaviruses.[https://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/hanta/hps/noframes/phys/virology.htm CDC – Hantavirus]. Cdc.gov (2012-11-01). Retrieved on 2014-01-05.[http://www.sc.edu/research/pdf/Bioengineering.pdf What if ...] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120929210037/http://www.sc.edu/research/pdf/Bioengineering.pdf |date=2012-09-29 }}. University of South Carolina

Reservoir of human disease

= Hantavirus =

The deer mouse came to the attention of the public when it was discovered to be the primary reservoir species for Sin Nombre hantavirus.{{cite journal|title=It's Official—The Deer Mouse Is Deadly|journal=Newsmagazine |date=18 July 1994|volume= 21 |issue =31|page=43}}{{cite journal|pmid=9847363|year=1999|last1=Netski|first1=D|last2=Thran|first2=BH|last3=St. Jeor|first3=SC|title=Sin Nombre virus pathogenesis in Peromyscus maniculatus|volume=73|issue=1|pages=585–91|pmc=103864|journal=Journal of Virology|doi=10.1128/JVI.73.1.585-591.1999}}

= Lyme disease =

A recent study in British Columbia of 218 deer mice showed 30% (66) were seropositive for Borrelia burgdorferi,[http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/publicat/ccdr-rmtc/08vol34/dr-rm3401a-eng.php Canada Communicable Disease Report (CCDR) – Vol.34 CCDR-01 – Public Health Agency of Canada]. Phac-aspc.gc.ca (2008-01-30). Retrieved on 2014-01-05. the agent of Lyme disease.

= Other diseases =

Ehrlichiosis and babesiosis are also carried by the deer mouse.Crossland, J. and Lewandowski, A. (2006). [http://stkctr.biol.sc.edu/Pages%20from%20aalas_tech_talk_2.pdf Peromyscus – A fascinating laboratory animal model] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081120052440/http://stkctr.biol.sc.edu/Pages%20from%20aalas_tech_talk_2.pdf |date=2008-11-20 }}. Techtalk 11:1–2.

SARS-CoV-2 transmits efficiently in deer mice.{{cite journal |last1=Griffin |first1=B. |date=14 June 2021 |title=SARS-CoV-2 infection and transmission in the North American deer mouse |journal=Nature|volume=12 |issue=1 |page=3612 |doi=10.1038/s41467-021-23848-9 |pmid=34127676 |pmc=8203675 |bibcode=2021NatCo..12.3612G }}

Use as a laboratory animal

While wild populations are sometimes studied,{{Cite journal|last1=Tietje|first1=William D.|last2=Lee|first2=Derek E.|last3=Vreeland|first3=Justin K.|date=2008|title=Survival and Abundance Of Three Species Of Mice In Relation to Density Of Shrubs and Prescribed Fire In Understory Of An Oak Woodland In California|journal=The Southwestern Naturalist|volume=53|issue=3|pages=357–369|doi=10.1894/PS-35.1|bibcode=2008SWNat..53..357T |s2cid=54586518}} Peromyscus species are also easy to breed and keep in captivity, although they are more energetic and difficult to handle than the relatively more tame M. musculus. For certain studies, they are also favored over the laboratory mouse (M. musculus) and the laboratory rat (Rattus norvegicus). Apart from their importance in studying infectious diseases, Peromyscus species are useful for studying phylogeography, speciation, chromosomes, genetics, ecology, population genetics, conservation{{Cite journal|last1=Cobo-Simón|first1=Irene|last2=Méndez-Cea|first2=Belén|last3=Portillo|first3=Héctor|last4=Elvir|first4=Fausto|last5=Vega|first5=Hermes|last6=Gallego|first6=Francisco Javier|last7=Fontecha|first7=Gustavo|date=2019|title=Testing the effectiveness of conservation management within biosphere reserves: the case of the Mexican deer mouse (Peromyscus mexicanus) as a bioindicator|journal=Integrative Zoology|volume=14|issue=5|pages=422–434|doi=10.1111/1749-4877.12371|pmid=30585414|s2cid=58592507 }} and evolution in general. They are also useful for researching repetitive-movement disorders.{{cite journal|vauthors=Joyner CP, Myrick LC, Crossland JP, Dawson WD |pmid=11406688|year=1998|title=Deer Mice As Laboratory Animals|volume=39|issue=4|pages=322–330|journal=ILAR Journal |doi=10.1093/ilar.39.4.322|doi-access=free}}{{cite journal|author1=Dewey, M.J. |author2=Dawson, W.D. |name-list-style=amp |doi=10.1002/gene.1011|title=Deer mice: "The Drosophila of North American mammalogy"|year=2001|journal=Genesis|volume=29|issue=3|pages=105–9|pmid=11252049|s2cid=40389176 }}{{cite book|author1=Institute of Laboratory Animal Resources (U.S.). Committee on Animal Models for Research on Aging|author2=National Research Council (U.S.). Committee on Animal Models for Research on Aging|title=Mammalian Models for Research on Aging|url=https://archive.org/details/mammalianmodelsf0000inst|url-access=registration|date=1981|publisher=National Academies|isbn=978-0-309-03094-6}}{{cite journal|pmid=19713521|year=2009|last1=Linnen|first1=CR|last2=Kingsley|first2=EP|last3=Jensen|first3=JD|last4=Hoekstra|first4=HE|title=On the origin and spread of an adaptive allele in deer mice|volume=325|issue=5944|pages=1095–8|doi=10.1126/science.1175826|pmc=2736094|bibcode=2009Sci...325.1095L|journal=Science}} Their use in aging research is because Peromyscus spp., despite being of similar size to the standard laboratory mouse, have maximum lifespans of 5–7 years, compared to the 3-year maximum lifespan of ad libitum-fed laboratory strains or wild-caught M. musculus.

[https://sc.edu/study/colleges_schools/pharmacy/centers/peromyscus_genetic_stock_center/ The Peromyscus Genetic Stock Center] at the University of South Carolina was established by Professor Wallace Dawson in 1985 to raise animals of the peromyscine species for research and educational use. This institute maintains populations of several different species (including Peromyscus californicus, Peromyscus maniculatus, Peromyscus melanophrys, Peromyscus eremicus, and Peromyscus aztecus). A variety of mutations affecting their behavior, biochemistry, and the color of their coats is exhibited in these genetic lines.

An American scientist once asked, "How do you go out there and vaccinate a bunch of deer mice against Hantavirus by hand?"{{cite web |url=https://www.popsci.com/contagious-vaccine-virus/ |title=Vaccines of the future could be as contagious as viruses |date=5 June 2017 |publisher=popsci.com |accessdate=5 June 2017}} In 2017, Rocky Mountain Laboratories started a deer mouse (Peromyscus) colony.{{cite journal |last1=Williamson |first1=B. |date=17 May 2021 |title=Continuing Orthohantavirus Circulation in Deer Mice in Western Montana |journal= Viruses|volume=13 |issue=6 |page=1006 |doi=10.3390/v13061006 |doi-access=free |pmid=34072112 |pmc=8226622 }} The BSL-4 laboratory had used deer mice as a model for research on self-spreading vaccines.{{cite journal |last1=Nuismer |first1=S. |date=21 September 2020 |title=Bayesian estimation of Lassa virus epidemiological parameters: Implications for spillover prevention using wildlife vaccination |journal= PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases|volume=14 |issue=9 |pages=e0007920 |doi=10.1371/journal.pntd.0007920 |doi-access=free |pmid=32956349 |pmc=7529244 }}{{cite web |last1=Scudellari |first1=Megan |title=Journal Club: Can transmissible vaccines have a major role in eradicating disease? |url=https://www.pnas.org/post/journal-club/journal-club-can-transmissible-vaccines-have-a-major-role-in-eradicating-disease |language=en |doi=10.1073/journal-club.2387 |date=14 November 2016|doi-broken-date=22 May 2025 }} SARS-CoV-2 transmits efficiently in deer mice.{{cite journal |last1=Fagre |first1=A. |date=21 May 2021 |title=SARS-CoV-2 infection, neuropathogenesis and transmission among deer mice: Implications for spillback to New World rodents |journal= PLOS Pathogens|volume=17 |issue=5 |pages=e1009585 |doi=10.1371/journal.ppat.1009585 |doi-access=free |pmid=34010360 |pmc=7418741 }}

Species

==References==

{{Reflist}}

External links

  • [http://www.johnsankey.ca/peromyscus.html The song of the deer mouse]
  • [http://stkctr.biol.sc.edu/ Peromyscus Genetic Stock Center (University of South Carolina)]
  • [http://www.pestworld.org/pest-guide/rodents/deer-mice/ Deer Mice Fact Sheet] from the National Pest Management Association—with information on habits, habitat and health threats
  • [https://doh.wa.gov/you-and-your-family/illness-and-disease-z/hantavirus Hantavirus] at the Washington State Department of Health
  • [https://www.flickr.com/photos/peromhc/sets/72157604973585866/ Peromyscus photos]

{{Neotominae}}

{{Myomorpha|E.|state=collapsed}}

{{Taxonbar|from=Q1232962}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Rodents of Mexico

Category:Rodents of the United States

Category:Rodent genera

Category:Taxa named by C. L. Gloger

nv:Naʼastsʼǫǫsí