Cricetidae Author Don E. Wilson Author Russell A. Mittermeier Author Thomas E. Lacher, Jr text 2017 2017-11-30 Lynx Edicions Barcelona Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 7 Rodents II 204 535 book chapter 80832 10.5281/zenodo.6707142 ab66b2b7-9544-4411-bf61-5bc3651d7bca 978-84-16728-04-6 6707142 264. Black-tailed Deermouse Peromyscus melanurus French: Péromyscus a queue noire / German: Schwarzschwanz-Hirschmaus / Spanish: Raton ciervo de cola negra Other common names: Black-tailed Mouse Taxonomy. Peromyscus megalops melanurus Osgood, 1909 , “Pluma, Oaxaca , Mexico . Altitude 4600 feet [= 1402 m ].” Peromyscus melanurus is in the megalops species group. Monotypic. Distribution. Sierra Madre del Sur, Oaxaca , Mexico. Descriptive notes. Head-body 111-133 mm, tail 127-145 mm, ear 15-18 mm, hindfoot 26-29 mm; weight 40-60 g. The Black-tailed Deermouse is one of the larger species of Peromyscus . Dorsum is brown to ocherous, venteris light to white, and feet are white. Tail is considerably longer than head-body length and typically uniform black. It is morphologically most similar the Broad-faced Deermouse (FP. megalops ), but the Black-tailed Deermouse is smaller and has shorter and lighter pelage. The Blacktailed Deermouse has strongly beaded supraorbital ridges and no pectoral spots. Its karyotype is distinct, with submetacentric X chromosome. Habitat. Pine-oak forests and tropical subdeciduous forests at elevations of 700-1900 m. Food and Feeding. The Black-tailed Deermouse probably eats seeds, acorns,fruit, insects, and other small invertebrates. Breeding. The Black-tailed Deermouse can reproduce year-round. Gestation lasts 21— 40 days; average littersize is 2-3 young. Activity patterns. The Black-tailed Deermouse is presumably nocturnal. Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information. Status and Conservation. Classified as Endangered on The IUCN Red List. Bibliography. Castro-Arellano (2014c), Goodwin (1969), Hall (1981), Huckaby (1980), Musser & Carleton (2005), Nowak (1999), Osgood (1909), Robertson (1975), Smith et al. (1986).