oldfield mouse
{{Short description|Species of rodent}}
{{About| the North American species|the South American genus also known as "Oldfield mice"|Thomasomys}}
{{Speciesbox
| status = LC
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status2 = G5
| status2_system = TNC
| status2_ref = {{cite NatureServe |id=2.106418 |title=Peromyscus polionotus |access-date=15 May 2025}}
| image = Peromyscus polionotus ammobates.jpg
| image_caption = Oldfield mouse at the beach, Alabama
| genus = Peromyscus
| species = polionotus
| authority = (Wagner, 1843)
| synonyms = {{Collapsible list|bullets=yes|Peromyscus polionotus subsp. polionotus (Wagner, 1843)
|Peromyscus polionotus subsp. ammobates Bowen, 1968
|Peromyscus polionotus subsp. phasma Bangs, 1898
|Peromyscus polionotus subsp. allophrys Bowen, 1968
|Peromyscus polionotus subsp. trissyllepsis Bowen, 1968
|Peromyscus polionotus subsp. niveiventris (Chapman, 1889)
|Mus polionotus Wagner, 1843
|Peromyscus subgriseus subsp. baliolus Bangs, 1898
|Peromyscus phasma Bangs, 1898
|Hesperomys niveiventris Chapman, 1889
|Peromyscus polionotus subsp. albifrons Osgood, 1909
|Peromyscus polionotus subsp. colemani Schwartz, 1954
|Peromyscus polionotus subsp. decoloratus A.H. Howell, 1939
|Peromyscus polionotus subsp. leucocephalus A.H. Howell, 1920
|Peromyscus leucocephalus A.H. Howell, 1920
|Peromyscus polionotus subsp. lucubrans Schwartz, 1954
|Peromyscus polionotus subsp. peninsularis A.H. Howell, 1939
|Peromyscus polionotus subsp. rhoadsi Bangs, 1898
|Peromyscus subgriseus subsp. rhoadsi Bangs, 1898
|Peromyscus polionotus subsp. subgriseus (Chapman, 1893)
|Sitomys viveiventris subsp. subgriseus Chapman, 1893
|Peromyscus polionotus subsp. griseobracatus Bowen, 1968
|Sitomys niveiventris subsp. subgriseus Chapman, 1893
|Peromyscus polionotus subsp. sumneri Bowen, 1968
}}
|synonyms_ref={{ITIS|taxon=Peromyscus polionotus (Wagner, 1843)|id=180290|access-date=24 April 2023}}
| range_map = Elife06813f002.jpg
| range_map_caption = {{legend0|#004c1f| native range}}
}}
The oldfield mouse, oldfield deermouse or beach mouse (Peromyscus polionotus) is a nocturnal species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is a species of the genus Peromyscus, a closely related group of New World mice often called "deermice", that primarily eats seeds. It lives in holes throughout the Southeastern United States in beaches and sandy fields. Predators to these mice include birds and mammals. In 2016, these mice were in the least concern category on the IUCN Red List with certain subspecies classified as extinct, critically endangered, endangered or near threatened.
Distribution and habitat
The oldfield mouse occurs only in the southeastern United States, ranging from Florida to Tennessee. They primarily live in beaches and sandy fields.Whitaker 1998, p. 308
Description
The mouse has fawn-colored upperparts and grey to white underparts through most of its range, but on white sandy beaches, the mouse is light or even white. Inland populations are darker and smaller with shorter tails that are dusky above and white below. General body and tail color may vary slightly depending upon geographical location.
| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto;"
!colspan="2"|Measurements (20 adults from Alabama, Florida, and Georgia) |
| Length
|{{convert|127|mm|abbr=on}} {{convert|122 |
| 138|mm|abbr=on}} |
| Tail
|{{convert|47|mm|abbr=on}} {{convert|40 |
| 51|mm|abbr=on}} |
| Hind foot
|{{convert|16.5|mm|abbr=on}} {{convert|15 |
| 18|mm|abbr=on}} |
| Weight
|{{convert|8 |
| 19|g|abbr=on}} |
| Diploid number
|48 |
| Tooth formula
|{{DentalFormula|upper=1.0.0.3|lower=1.0.0.3}} = 16 |
Behavior
=Diet=
P. polionotus is omnivorous and the principal diet is seasonal seeds of wild grasses and forbs, but blackberries, acorns, and wild peas may be consumed.Whitaker 1998, p. 309Wooten
=Shelter=
These mice dig holes in earth to create homes. Spiders, snakes, and other animals may move into a burrow.Whitaker 1998, p. 308–9
=Reproduction=
| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto;"
!colspan="2"|ReproductionWhitaker 1998, p. 309–10 |
| Sexual maturity (female)
|30 days |
| Gestation
|23–24 days |
| Litter size
|3–4 (viviparous) |
| Weight at birth
|{{convert|1.1 |
| 2.2|g|abbr=on}} |
| Weaning
|20–25 days |
| Adult weight
|{{convert|8 |
| 10|g|abbr=on}} |
=Survival=
Birds and mammals prey upon the oldfield mouse. Various types of parasites can effect oldfield mice, with nematodes being the main ones.Whitaker 1998, p. 310 One mouse survived in captivity for 5.5 years.Peromyscus polionotus
Conservation
In 2010, the beach mouse was in the least concern category on the IUCN Red List. For the beach mouse's subspecies, out of sixteen known, one is extinct, one was listed critically endangered, four endangered and two near threatened.
Under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, the following beach mice are protected as endangered or threatened subspecies:
- Southeastern beach mouse (Peromyscus polionotus niveiventris) – Threatened{{cite web|url=https://ecos.fws.gov/ecp/species/3951|title=Southeastern beach mouse (Peromyscus polionotus niveiventris)|access-date=24 April 2023|website=Environmental Conservation Online System|publisher=U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service}}{{Federal Register|54|20598}}
- Anastasia Island beach mouse (Peromyscus polionotus phasma) – Endangered{{cite web|url=https://ecos.fws.gov/ecp/species/5522|title=Anastasia Island beach mouse (Peromyscus polionotus phasma)|website=Environmental Conservation Online System|publisher=U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service|access-date=24 April 2023}}
- Alabama beach mouse (Peromyscus polionotus ammobates) – Endangered{{cite web|url=https://ecos.fws.gov/ecp/species/6956|title=Alabama beach mouse (Peromyscus polionotus ammobates)|website=Environmental Conservation Online System|publisher=U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service|access-date=24 April 2023}}{{Federal Register|50|23872}}
- Perdido Key beach mouse (Peromyscus polionotus trissyllepsis) – Endangered{{cite web|url=https://ecos.fws.gov/ecp/species/7394|title=Perdido Key beach mouse (Peromyscus polionotus trissyllepsis)|website=Environmental Conservation Online System|publisher=U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service|access-date=24 April 2023}}
- Choctawhatchee beach mouse (Peromyscus polionotus allophrys) – Endangered{{cite web|url=https://ecos.fws.gov/ecp/species/3520|title=Choctawhatchee beach mouse (Peromyscus polionotus allophrys)|website=Environmental Conservation Online System|publisher=U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service|access-date=24 April 2023}}
- St. Andrew beach mouse (Peromyscus polionotus peninsularis) – Endangered{{cite web|url=https://ecos.fws.gov/ecp/species/4111|title=St. Andrew beach mouse (Peromyscus polionotus peninsularis)|website=Environmental Conservation Online System|publisher=U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service|access-date=24 April 2023}}{{Federal Register|63|70053}}
The pallid beach mouse (Peromyscus polionotus decoloratus) is presumed extinct.{{cite web|url=https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Peromyscus_polionotus/|title=Peromyscus polionotus|last=Foust|first=Desirae|editor-last=Demastes|editor-first=Jim|year=2002|website=Animal Diversity Web|access-date=24 April 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://explorer.natureserve.org/Taxon/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.100123/Peromyscus_polionotus_decoloratus|title=Peromyscus polionotus decoloratus|website=NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data accessed through NatureServe Explorer|author=NatureServe|publisher=NatureServe|location=Arlington, Virginia|date=7 April 2023|access-date=24 April 2023}} The Santa Rosa beach mouse (Peromyscus polionotus leucocephalus){{cite web|url=https://ecos.fws.gov/ecp/species/2419|title=Santa Rosa beach mouse (Peromyscus polionotus leucocephalus)|website=Environmental Conservation Online System|publisher=U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service|access-date=24 April 2023}} is listed as critically imperiled by NatureServe.{{cite web|url=https://explorer.natureserve.org/Taxon/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.101599/Peromyscus_polionotus_leucocephalus|title=Peromyscus polionotus leucocephalus|website=NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data accessed through NatureServe Explorer|author=NatureServe|publisher=NatureServe|location=Arlington, Virginia|date=7 April 2023|access-date=24 April 2023}}
References
{{Commons category|Peromyscus polionotus}}
;Footnotes
{{Reflist}}
;Works cited
{{Refbegin}}
- {{citation |title=Peromyscus polionotus |publisher=Human Ageing Genomic Resources |url=http://genomics.senescence.info/species/entry.php?species=Peromyscus_polionotus |access-date=February 10, 2010}}
- {{citation |author=Whitaker, John O. Jr. |author2=Hamilton, William J. Jr. |year=1998 |title=Mammals of the Eastern United States |edition=3 |location=Ithaca, NY |publisher=Cornell University Press |isbn=0-8014-3475-0|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5fVymWAez-YC}}
- {{citation |author=Wooten, Michael C. |title=Peromyscus polionotus: Oldfield mouse |publisher=Auburn University, SC |url=http://wotan.cse.sc.edu/perobase/systematics/p_polion.htm |access-date=February 11, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100613060003/http://wotan.cse.sc.edu/perobase/systematics/p_polion.htm |archive-date=June 13, 2010 |url-status=dead }}
{{Refend}}
{{Neotominae}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q575053}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Mammals described in 1843