Tag Archives: Peromyscus slevini

Peromyscus slevini Mailliard

Slevin’s Deermouse (Peromyscus slevini)

Slevin’s Deermouse was described in 1924, the species is, or most likely was, endemic to Isla Santa Catalina, southern Baja California, Mexico.

The species reached a size of about 21 cm (including the tail), it was formerly very abundant and, in contrast to mainland species of its genus, was even found out in the daytime.

Slevin’s Deermouse was not found in recent surveys, when several deermouse individuals were caught, which again were later identified as belonging to another species, Cactus Deermouse (Peromyscus eremicus (Baird)) which apparently had been accidentally introduced to the island by fishermen sometimes prior. [1]

The endemic deermice of Isla Santa Catalina are now almost certainly extinct.

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References:

[1] Sergio Ticul Alvarez-Castañeda; Patricia Cortés-Calva: Mammalian Species 705: 1-2. 2002

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edited: 23.01.2020