Peromyscus schmidlyi
Encyclopedia
Schmidly's deermouse, Peromyscus schmidlyi, is a recently described species of deer mouse
from the mountains of western Mexico
. It is part of the highly complex and well-studied Peromyscus boylii species complex
. The uniqueness of Peromyscus
from this area had long been suspected, but was only formalized in 2004 with the publication of its species description. The species was named in honor of Dr. David J. Schmidly
, renowned mammalogist and current president of the University of New Mexico
.
by DNA analysis. It is 18 to 21 cm (7.1 to 8.3 ) in length, with a 7 to 10 cm (2.8 to 3.9 ) tail. The fur is reddish umber over most of the body, becoming almost white on the underparts. The feet have a grey stripe extending past the ankle, and white toes. The tail is dark and bears only coarse, sparse hair, except for a tuft at the tip.
Its monophyly
has been confirmed using parsimony, maximum likelihood
, and Bayesian analysis of the mitochondrial cytochrome b
gene. No nuclear genes have been used in the analysis. The species is also unique from other Peromyscus in having karyotype
(FN = 54-56). Its closest relative appears to be Peromyscus levipes.
, Sonora
and Durango in the Sierra Madre Occidental
of Mexico. Like many other members of the P. boylii species group, it is found only at higher elevations, above 2000 metres (6,561.7 ft). It is known to inhabit deep gullies and rocky hillsides in pine
-oak
forests.
Peromyscus
The genus Peromyscus contains the animal species commonly referred to as deer mice. This is a genus of New World mouse only distantly related to the common house mouse and laboratory mouse, Mus musculus...
from the mountains of western Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. It is part of the highly complex and well-studied Peromyscus boylii species complex
Species complex
A species complex is a group of closely related species, where the exact demarcation between species is often unclear or cryptic owing to their recent and usually still incomplete reproductive isolation. Ring species, superspecies and cryptic species complex are example of species complex...
. The uniqueness of Peromyscus
Peromyscus
The genus Peromyscus contains the animal species commonly referred to as deer mice. This is a genus of New World mouse only distantly related to the common house mouse and laboratory mouse, Mus musculus...
from this area had long been suspected, but was only formalized in 2004 with the publication of its species description. The species was named in honor of Dr. David J. Schmidly
David J. Schmidly
David James Schmidly was installed as 20th president of the University of New Mexico on October 7, 2007.On April 22, 2011, Schmidly announced his decision to retire as UNM's President at the end of his five year contract in 2012....
, renowned mammalogist and current president of the University of New Mexico
University of New Mexico
The University of New Mexico at Albuquerque is a public research university located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in the United States. It is the state's flagship research institution...
.
Description
P. schmidlyi is a typical deermouse, and can only be reliably distinguished from other members of its species groupSpecies group
A species group is an informal taxonomic rank into which an assemblage of closely related species within a genus are grouped because of their morphological similarities and their identity as a biological unit with a single monophyletic origin.-Use:...
by DNA analysis. It is 18 to 21 cm (7.1 to 8.3 ) in length, with a 7 to 10 cm (2.8 to 3.9 ) tail. The fur is reddish umber over most of the body, becoming almost white on the underparts. The feet have a grey stripe extending past the ankle, and white toes. The tail is dark and bears only coarse, sparse hair, except for a tuft at the tip.
Its monophyly
Monophyly
In common cladistic usage, a monophyletic group is a taxon which forms a clade, meaning that it contains all the descendants of the possibly hypothetical closest common ancestor of the members of the group. The term is synonymous with the uncommon term holophyly...
has been confirmed using parsimony, maximum likelihood
Maximum likelihood
In statistics, maximum-likelihood estimation is a method of estimating the parameters of a statistical model. When applied to a data set and given a statistical model, maximum-likelihood estimation provides estimates for the model's parameters....
, and Bayesian analysis of the mitochondrial cytochrome b
Cytochrome b
Cytochrome b/b6 is the main subunit of transmembrane cytochrome bc1 and b6f complexes. In addition, it commonly refers to a region of mtDNA used for population genetics and phylogenetics.- Function :...
gene. No nuclear genes have been used in the analysis. The species is also unique from other Peromyscus in having karyotype
Karyotype
A karyotype is the number and appearance of chromosomes in the nucleus of an eukaryotic cell. The term is also used for the complete set of chromosomes in a species, or an individual organism.p28...
(FN = 54-56). Its closest relative appears to be Peromyscus levipes.
Distribution and habitat
The species is found in the states of SinaloaSinaloa
Sinaloa officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sinaloa is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 18 municipalities and its capital city is Culiacán Rosales....
, Sonora
Sonora
Sonora officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sonora is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 72 municipalities; the capital city is Hermosillo....
and Durango in the Sierra Madre Occidental
Sierra Madre Occidental
The Sierra Madre Occidental is a mountain range in western Mexico.-Setting:The range runs north to south, from just south of the Sonora–Arizona border southeast through eastern Sonora, western Chihuahua, Sinaloa, Durango, Zacatecas, Nayarit, Jalisco, Aguascalientes to Guanajuato, where it joins...
of Mexico. Like many other members of the P. boylii species group, it is found only at higher elevations, above 2000 metres (6,561.7 ft). It is known to inhabit deep gullies and rocky hillsides in pine
Pine
Pines are trees in the genus Pinus ,in the family Pinaceae. They make up the monotypic subfamily Pinoideae. There are about 115 species of pine, although different authorities accept between 105 and 125 species.-Etymology:...
-oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
forests.