Peromyscus

While wild populations are sometimes studied,[8] Peromyscus species are also easy to breed and keep in captivity, although they are more energetic and difficult to handle than the relatively more tame M. musculus. For certain studies, They are also favored over the laboratory mouse (M. musculus domestica) and the laboratory rat (Rattus norvegicus domestica). Apart from their importance in studying infectious diseases, Peromyscus species are useful for studying phylogeography, speciation, chromosomes, genetics, ecology, population genetics, conservation[9] and evolution in general. They are also useful for researching repetitive-movement disorders.[10][11][12][13] Their use in aging research is because Peromyscus spp., despite being of similar size to the standard laboratory mouse, have maximum lifespans of 5–7 years, compared to the 3-year maximum lifespan of ad libitum-fed laboratory strains or wild-caught M. musculus.[1]

The Peromyscus Genetic Stock Center at the University of South Carolina was established by Professor Wallace Dawson in 1985 to raise animals of the peromyscine species for research and educational use. This institute maintains populations of several different species (including Peromyscus californicus, Peromyscus maniculatus, Peromyscus melanophrys, Peromyscus eremicus, and Peromyscus aztecus). A variety of mutations affecting their behavior, biochemistry, and the color of their coats is exhibited in these genetic lines.

• Peromyscus
  • californicus group
    • California mouse – P. californicus
  • eremicus group
    • Cactus mouse – P. eremicus
    • Angel Island mouse – P. guardia – possibly extinct
      • P. g. guardia – last seen 1991
      • P. g. mejiae – extinct (1973)
      • P. g. harbisoni – extinct (1963)
      • P. guardia subsp. indet. from Estanque Island – extinct (1998)
    • San Lorenzo mouse – P. interparietalis
    • Northern Baja deer mouse– P. fraterculus
    • Dickey's deer mouse – P. dickeyi
    • False canyon mouse – P. pseudocrinitus
    • Eva's desert mouse – P. eva
    • Burt's deer mouse– P. caniceps
    • Mesquite mouse – P. merriami
    • Pemberton's deer mouse – P. pembertoni – extinct (1931)
  • hooperi group
    • Hooper's mouse – P. hooperi
  • crinitus group
    • Canyon mouse – P. crinitus
  • maniculatus group
    • North American deer mouse − P. maniculatus
    • Oldfield mouse or beach mouse – P. polionotus
      • P. p. allophrys
      • P. p. ammobates
      • Pallid beach mouse P. p. decoloratus – extinct (1959)
      • P. p. leucocephalus
      • P. p. niveiventris
      • P. p. peninsularis
      • Anastasia Island beach mouse P. p. phasma
      • P. p. trissyllepsis
    • Santa Cruz mouse – P. sejugis
    • Slevin's mouse – P. slevini
    • Northwestern deer mouse – P. keeni
    • Black-eared mouse – P. melanotis
    • Arctic deer mouse – P. arcticus[14]
    • Baja deer mouse – p. gambelli[15]
    • Sonoran deer mouse – P. sonorensis[15]
    • P. labecula[15]
    • †Giant island deer mouse – P. nesodytes – extinct
  • leucopus group
    • White-footed mouse– P. leucopus
    • Cotton mouse– P. gossypinus
      • Key Largo cotton mouse P. g. allapaticola
      • †Chadwick Beach cotton mouse P. g. restrictus – extinct (1938)
  • aztecus group
    • Aztec mouse – P. aztecus
    • Gleaning mouse – P. spicilegus
    • Winkelmann's mouse – P. winkelmanni
    • Oaxacan deer mouse – P. oaxacensis
    • Transvolcanic deer mouse – P. hylocetes
  • boylii group
    • Brush mouse – P. boylii
    • Nimble-footed mouse – P. levipes
    • Schmidly's deer mouse – P. schmidlyi
    • San Esteban Island mouse – P. stephani
    • La Palma deer mouse – P. sagax
    • Nayarit mouse – P. simulus
    • Tres Marías Island mouse – P. madrensis
    • Orizaba deer mouse – P. beatae
    • Carleton's deer mouse – P. carletoni[16]
    • Kilpatrick's deer mouse – P. kilpatricki[17]
    • Chihuahuan mouse – P. polius
  • truei group
    • Perote mouse - P. bullatus
    • Zacatecan deer mouse or southern rock mouse – P. difficilis
    • Osgood's mouse – P. gratus
    • Northern rock mouse – P. nasutus
    • Pinyon mouse – P. truei
    • Texas mouse – P. attwateri
    • Southern white-ankled mouse – P. pectoralis
    • Northern white-ankled mouse – P. laceianus[18]
    • El Carrizo deer mouse – P. ochraventer
  • melanophrys group
    • Plateau mouse – P. melanophrys
    • Puebla deer mouse – P. mekisturus – possibly extinct
    • Tawny deer mouse – P. perfulvus
  • furvus group
    • Blackish deer mouse – P. furvus
    • Wide-rostrum deer mouse – P. latirostris[19]
  • megalops group
    • Brown deer mouse – P. megalops
    • Zempoaltepec – P. melanocarpus - assignment to the species group tentative
    • Black-tailed mouse – P. melanurus
  • mexicanus group
    • Gardner's deer mouse – P. gardneri[20]
    • Big deer mouse – P. grandis
    • Guatemalan deer mouse – P. guatemalensis
    • Naked-eared deer mouse – P. gymnotis
    • Maya mouse – P. mayensis
    • Chimoxan deer mouse – P. tropicalis[21]
    • Talamancan deer mouse – P. nudipes[21]
    • Nicaraguan deer mouse – P. nicaraguae[21]
    • Salvadoran deer mouse – P. salvadorensis[21]
    • Mexican deer mouse – P. mexicanus
    • Stirton's deer mouse – P. stirtoni
    • Yucatán deer mouse – P. yucatanicus
    • Carol Patton's deer mouse – P. carolpattonae[22]
    • Baker's deer mouse – P. bakeri[22]
    • Chiapan deer mouse – P. zarhynchus

• The song of the deer mouse
• Peromyscus Genetic Stock Center (University of South Carolina)
• Deer Mice Fact Sheet from the National Pest Management Association — with information on habits, habitat and health threats.
• Hantavirus Fact Sheet
• Peromyscus photos