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Peromyscus maniculatus

(Wagner, 1845)

North American Deermouse

G5Secure Found in 9 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.101416
Element CodeAMAFF03040
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassMammalia
OrderRodentia
FamilyCricetidae
GenusPeromyscus
Other Common Names
Deer Mouse (EN) North American deermouse (EN) Ratón (ES) Souris sylvestre (FR)
Concept Reference
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/.
Taxonomic Comments
This is the broad concept of Peromyscus maniculatus following Wilson and Reeder (1993, 2005). Although P. gambelii, P. labecula, and P. sonoriensis are recognized as separate from maniculatus by the American Society of Mammalogists (ASM 2025) following Bradley et al. (2019), they state that this is tentative and further research is needed to confirm their status, as well as the undescribed form in the Yukon to which the name arcticus has been applied by Lucid and Cook (2007). Therefore, P. gambelii, P. labecula, and P. sonoriensis are provisionally recognized in this database. See also Greenbaum et al. (2019).
Conservation Status
Rank MethodExpertise without calculation
Review Date2016-04-04
Change Date1996-11-08
Range Extent Comments
Occurs in most of North America except most of Alaska, northern Canada, western and southeastern Mexico (occurs south to southern Baja California and through central Mexico to Colima and Oaxaca), southeastern U.S., and Atlantic coastal plain (see map in Carleton 1989).
Threat Impact Comments
In coastal British Columbia, a population apparently was unaffected by herbicide treatment of a Douglas-fir plantation (Sullivan 1990).
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

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.

Ecology

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).

Reproduction

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).
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest - HardwoodForest - ConiferForest - MixedWoodland - HardwoodWoodland - ConiferWoodland - MixedShrubland/chaparralSavannaGrassland/herbaceousDesertAlpineCropland/hedgerowSuburban/orchard
Palustrine Habitats
Riparian
Other Nations (2)
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
TennesseeS5Yes
UtahS5Yes
MichiganS4Yes
VirginiaS5Yes
MissouriS5Yes
MarylandS5Yes
CaliforniaSNRYes
ColoradoS5Yes
OhioSNRYes
Navajo NationS5Yes
MinnesotaSNRYes
IndianaS5Yes
South CarolinaS5Yes
ConnecticutS3Yes
MaineS5Yes
New YorkS5Yes
North DakotaSNRYes
OregonS5Yes
IowaS5Yes
ArkansasS5Yes
West VirginiaS5Yes
VermontS5Yes
NevadaS5Yes
New MexicoS5Yes
MontanaS5Yes
South DakotaS5Yes
North CarolinaS5Yes
GeorgiaS5Yes
New HampshireS5Yes
TexasS5Yes
AlaskaS4Yes
KansasS5Yes
KentuckyS4Yes
IllinoisS5Yes
WisconsinS4Yes
OklahomaSNRYes
PennsylvaniaS5Yes
WashingtonS5Yes
New JerseySNRYes
IdahoS5Yes
MassachusettsS5Yes
NebraskaS5Yes
MississippiSNRYes
ArizonaS5Yes
CanadaN5
ProvinceRankNative
New BrunswickS5Yes
AlbertaS5Yes
Northwest TerritoriesS5Yes
Prince Edward IslandS5Yes
Island of NewfoundlandSNANo
SaskatchewanS5Yes
LabradorS5Yes
QuebecS4Yes
OntarioS5Yes
Nova ScotiaS5Yes
Yukon TerritoryS5Yes
ManitobaS5Yes
Roadless Areas (9)
New Hampshire (6)
AreaForestAcres
Carr MountainWhite Mountain National Forest17,110
Great Gulf Ext.White Mountain National Forest15,110
Kinsman MountainWhite Mountain National Forest8,999
Mt. Wolf - Gordon PondWhite Mountain National Forest11,846
PemigewassetWhite Mountain National Forest32,255
Pemigewasset ExtWhite Mountain National Forest15,840
Virginia (2)
AreaForestAcres
Laurel ForkGeorge Washington National Forest9,967
Three RidgesGeorge Washington National Forest4,745
West Virginia (1)
AreaForestAcres
Mcgowan MountainMonongahela National Forest10,504
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