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 common laboratory mouse (M. musculus) and the laboratory rat (Rattus norvegicus). 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 deermouse – P. californicus
  • eremicus group
    • Cactus deermouse – P. eremicus
    • Angel Island deermouse – 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 deermouse – P. interparietalis
    • Northern Baja deermouse– P. fraterculus
    • Dickey's deermouse – P. dickeyi
    • False canyon deermouse – P. pseudocrinitus
    • Eva's desert deermouse – P. eva
    • Burt's deermouse– P. caniceps
    • Mesquite deermouse – P. merriami
    • Pemberton's deermouse – P. pembertoni – extinct (1931)
  • hooperi group
    • Hooper's deermouse – P. hooperi
  • crinitus group
    • Canyon deermouse – P. crinitus
  • maniculatus group
    • North American deermouse − P. maniculatus
    • Oldfield deermouse or beach deermouse – 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 deermouse P. p. phasma
      • P. p. trissyllepsis
    • Santa Cruz deermouse – P. sejugis
    • Slevins's or Catalina deermouse – P. slevini
    • Northwestern or Keen's deermouse – P. keeni
    • Black-eared mouse– P. melanotis
    • Arctic deermouse- P. arcticus[14]
    • Baja deermouse - p. gambelli[15]
    • Sonorian deermouse - P. sonorensis[15]
    • P. labecula[15]
    • †Giant island deermouse – P. nesodytes – extinct
  • leucopus group
    • White-footed deermouse– P. leucopus
    • Cotton deermouse– P. gossypinus
      • Key Largo cotton deermouse P. g. allapaticola
      • †Chadwick Beach cotton deermouse P. g. restrictus – extinct (1938)
  • aztecus group
    • Aztec deermouse – P. aztecus
    • Gleaning deermouse – P. spicilegus
    • Coelconan deermouse – P. winkelmanni
    • Oaxacan deermouse - P. oaxacensis
    • Transvolcanic deermouse – P. hylocetes
  • boylii group
    • Brush deermouse – P. boylii
    • Nimble-footed deermouse – P. levipes
    • Schmidly's deermouse – P. schmidlyi
    • San Esteban Island deermouse – P. stephani
    • Michoacan deermouse - P. sagax
    • Nayarit mouse – P. simulus
    • Tres Marias island mouse – P. madrensis
    • Orizaba deermouse - P. beatae
    • Carleton's deermouse - P. carletoni[16]
    • Kilpatrick's deermouse - P. kilpatricki[17]
    • Chihuahuan deermouse – P. polius
  • truei group
    • Perote deermouse – P. bullatus
    • Southern rock deermouse – P. difficilis
    • Saxicoline deermouse – P. gratus
    • Northern rock mouse – P. nasutus
    • Pinyon deermouse – P. truei
    • Texas deermouse – P. attwateri
    • Southern white-ankled deermouse – P. pectoralis
    • Northern white-ankled deermouse - P. laceianus[18]
    • Brown-bellied deermouse – P. ochraventer
  • melanophrys group
    • Plateau deermouse – P. melanophrys
    • Pueblo deermouse – P. mekisturus - possibly extinct
    • Tawny deermouse – P. perfulvus
  • furvus group
    • Blackish deermouse – P. furvus
    • Wide-rostrum deermouse - P. latirostris[19]
  • megalops group
    • Black-faced deermouse – P. megalops
    • Black-wristed deermouse – P. melanocarpus - assignment to the species group tentative
    • Black-tailed mouse – P. melanurus
  • mexicanus group
    • Gardner's deermouse - P. gardneri[20]
    • Large deermouse – P. grandis
    • Guatemalan deermouse – P. guatemalensis
    • Naked-eared deermouse – P. gymnotis
    • Mayan deermouse – P. mayensis
    • Chimoxan deermouse - P. tropicalis[21]
    • Talamancan deermouse - P. nudipes[21]
    • Nicaraguan deermouse - P. nicaraguae[21]
    • Salvadoren deermouse - P. salvadorensis[21]
    • Mexican deermouse – P. mexicanus
    • Stirton's deermouse – P. stirtoni
    • Yucatán deermouse – P. yucatanicus
    • Carol Patton's deermouse - P. carolpattonae[22]
    • Baker's deermouse - P. bakeri[22]
    • Chiapan deermouse – 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