The oldfield mouse or beach mouse (''Peromyscus polionotus''), is a nocturnal species of
rodent
Rodents (from Latin , 'to gnaw') are mammals of the order Rodentia (), which are characterized by a single pair of continuously growing incisors in each of the upper and lower jaws. About 40% of all mammal species are rodents. They are na ...
in the family
Cricetidae
The Cricetidae are a family of rodents in the large and complex superfamily Muroidea. It includes true hamsters, voles, lemmings, muskrats, and New World rats and mice. At almost 608 species, it is the second-largest family of mammals, and has m ...
and primarily eats seeds. It lives in holes throughout the
Southeastern United States
The Southeastern United States, also referred to as the American Southeast or simply the Southeast, is a geographical region of the United States. It is located broadly on the eastern portion of the southern United States and the southern por ...
in beaches and sandy fields. Predators to these mice include birds and mammals. In 2010, these mice were in the least concern category on the
IUCN Red List
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, also known as the IUCN Red List or Red Data Book, founded in 1964, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biol ...
with certain subspecies classified as
extinct
Extinction is the termination of a kind of organism or of a group of kinds (taxon), usually a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and ...
or
near threatened
A near-threatened species is a species which has been categorized as "Near Threatened" (NT) by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as that may be vulnerable to endangerment in the near future, but it does not currently qualify fo ...
.
Distribution and habitat
The oldfield mouse occurs only in the
southeastern United States
The Southeastern United States, also referred to as the American Southeast or simply the Southeast, is a geographical region of the United States. It is located broadly on the eastern portion of the southern United States and the southern por ...
, ranging from
Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
to
Tennessee
Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...
.
[ 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.
Behavior
The mouse is primarily nocturnal.[
]
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.[Wooten]
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
Survival
Birds and mammals prey upon the oldfield mouse. Various types of parasites can effect oldfield mice, with nematodes
The nematodes ( or grc-gre, Νηματώδη; la, Nematoda) or roundworms constitute the phylum Nematoda (also called Nemathelminthes), with plant-parasitic nematodes also known as eelworms. They are a diverse animal phylum inhabiting a broa ...
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
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, also known as the IUCN Red List or Red Data Book, founded in 1964, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biol ...
. For the beach mouse's subspecies, one is extinct
Extinction is the termination of a kind of organism or of a group of kinds (taxon), usually a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and ...
, one was listed critically endangered, four endangered
An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and inva ...
and two near threatened
A near-threatened species is a species which has been categorized as "Near Threatened" (NT) by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as that may be vulnerable to endangerment in the near future, but it does not currently qualify fo ...
.[
]
References
;Footnotes
;Works cited
*
*
*
*
{{Taxonbar, from=Q575053
Peromyscus
Mammals described in 1843
Taxonomy articles created by Polbot