Reithrodontomys mexicanus (Rodentia: Cricetidae)

• Published in: Mammalian species Vol. 52; no. 996; pp. 114 - 124
• Main Authors: Martínez-Borrego, Daily, Arellano, Elizabeth, González-Cózatl, Francisco X., Rogers, Duke S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: US American Society of Mammalogists 15.12.2020; Oxford University Press
• Subjects: Cinnamon; Cloud forests; Coniferous forests; cricetid rodent; Deciduous forests; Forests; fur; head; Incisors; Mexican harvest mouse; Mexico; mice; Natural resources; Nature conservation; Neotominae; Nicaragua; Pelage; Population number; population size; Reithrodontomys; Reithrodontomys mexicanus; Resource conservation; South America; SPECIES ACCOUNT; species complex; tail; South America; Mexico; Nicaragua; cricetid rodent; Neotominae; species complex; Mexican harvest mouse
• ISSN: 0076-3519; 1545-1410; 1545-1410
• DOI: 10.1093/mspecies/seaa009

Reithrodontomys mexicanus (Saussure, 1860) is a cricetid rodent commonly called the Mexican harvest mouse and is one of 24 recognized species in the genus. It has grooved upper incisors distinctive of Reithrodontomys, and a medium to relatively large size, with tail longer than head and body; dorsal pelage varies from brown to cinnamon orange. It is distributed from Mexico to Nicaragua and in the northwestern region of South America. It occupies different habitats including humid pine-oak forests, cloud forests, and deciduous forests at elevations from about 1,000 to 3,800 m. R. mexicanus is listed as “Least Concern” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, although information about population size throughout its distribution range is unknown.