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UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS PUBLICATIONS MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

Volume 9, No. 19, pp. 519-529 January 14, 1960

Records of Harvest Mice, Reithrodontomys, from Central America, with Description of a New Subspecies from Nicaragua

SYDNEY ANDERSON AND J. KNOX JONES, JR.

UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS LAWRENCE 1960

UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS PUBLICATIONS, MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

Editors: E. Raymond Hall, Chairman, Henry S. Fitch, Robert W. Wilson

Volume 9, No. 19, pp. 519-529 Published January 14, 1960

UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS Lawrence, Kansas

PRINTED IN THE STATE PRINTING PLANT TOPEKA, KANSAS 1960

28-1279

Records of Harvest Mice, Reithrodontomys, from Central America, with Description of a New Subspecies from Nicaragua

SYDNEY ANDERSON AND J. KNOX JONES, JR.

Since 1952 when Hooper's review of Latin American harvest mice was published, collectors from the Museum of Natural History of the University of Kansas have visited several countries in Central America, and have obtained many additional specimens. Among these we find a new subspecies of Reithrodontomys fulvescens from Nicaragua, significant extensions of known geographic range for several other species, and additional information on variation in some little known kinds. Specimens in the Museum of Natural History of Reithrodontomys mexicanus cherriei, Reithrodontomys tenuirostris, and Reithrodontomys creper that are from within the geographic and altitudinal ranges listed by Hooper (1952) are not included in this report.

All place names are on the map of Hispanic America published by the American Geographical Society and can be located by consulting the "Index to map of Hispanic America" (Vol. 1, Geographical names in Central America, U. S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D. C., 1943.) All measurements cited are in millimeters.

Support for field work was provided by the Kansas University Endowment Association. Support for the laboratory phases of the work came in part from a grant from the National Science Foundation. Most of the specimens herein reported were collected by James W. Bee in late 1954 and early 1955, and by J. R. Alcorn and A. A. Alcorn in 1955 and 1956. A few that were collected earlier by other persons are mentioned. We are indebted to the following individuals for the loan of specimens in their care: R. G. Van Gelder, American Museum of Natural History; Philip Hershkovitz, Chicago Natural History Museum; W. H. Burt and E. T. Hooper, Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan; and D. H. Johnson and C. O. Handley, Jr., U. S. National Museum.

~Reithrodontomys sumichrasti australis~ J. A. Allen.--Seven specimens from the vicinity of Volcan Irazú, Cartago, Costa Rica, are from within the geographic and altitudinal range recorded for the subspecies by Hooper (1952:82).

One female, KU 26967, trapped on March 2, 1947, on the SW slope of Volcan Irazú, 8500 ft., contained five embryos that were 17 mm. in crown-rump length.

~Reithrodontomys sumichrasti dorsalis~ Merriam.--A total of 93 females are among 195 specimens from 24 localities in Guatemala that lie within the geographic and altitudinal range recorded by Hooper (1952:78) for dorsalis.

Two females were pregnant; KU 71363, taken on January 28, 1956, 7 mi. E, 2 mi. S La Unión, Quetzaltenango, Guatemala, contained three embryos that were 7 mm. in crown-rump length, and KU 65245, taken on December 15, 1954, 1 mi. NE Nebaj, 6000 ft., El Quiche, Guatemala, contained four embryos that were 15 mm. in crown-rump length. These two females were the only pregnant ones among 36 taken in December, 23 in January, 1 in February, 19 in March, 5 in April, and 9 in August.

~Reithrodontomys fulvescens chiapensis~ Howell.--GUATEMALA.--Baja Verapaz: 1/2 mi. N, 1 mi. E Salamá, 3200 ft., 1 (KU 65378--January 28, 1955); 1 mi. S Rabinal, 3450 ft., 4 (KU 65379-82--January 29, 1955); 5 mi. N, 1 mi. W [Santa Cruz] El Chol, 6000 ft., 1 (KU 65375--January 30, 1955). Guatemala: 5 mi. S Guatemala City, 4950 ft., 2 (KU 65371-72--March 13, 1955); 7 mi. S, 6 mi. E Guatemala City, 5800 ft., 1 (KU 65370--March 14, 1955). Santa Rosa: 2 mi. N, 2 mi. W Cuilapa [= Cuajiniquilapa], 2980 ft, 2 (KU 65376-77--March 5, 1955).

The specimens from the departments of Guatemala and Santa Rosa are from localities that lie on the Pacific slope and are southwest of the previously known range of the species (see Hooper, 1952:93). The specimens from 1/2 mi. N and 1 mi. E Salamá and from 1 mi. S Rabinal are paler dorsally than other Guatemalan specimens available to us, including the specimen from the nearby locality, 5 mi. N and 1 mi. W El Chol.

Specimens from Nicaragua that are recognizable by the E-shaped pattern of the worn occlusal surface of the third upper molars and by the S-shaped occlusal pattern of the third lower molars as of the species Reithrodontomys fulvescens, extend the known range of the species approximately 200 kilometers southeast from the vicinity of Tegucigalpa, Honduras (Hooper, 1952:93). The Nicaraguan specimens are described below as a new subspecies.

~Reithrodontomys fulvescens meridionalis~, new subspecies

Type specimen.--Skin and skull of adult male, no. 71388 Museum of Natural History, University of Kansas, from 9 mi. NNW Estelí, Estelí, Nicaragua; obtained by J. R. Alcorn on July 15, 1956; original number 21,464.

Diagnostic characters.--A short-tailed Reithrodontomys fulvescens having a distinctly streaked or "peppered," and short pelage composed of relatively dark hairs as well as relatively brightly colored hairs on dorsum and white-tipped hairs on venter; and having shallow skull, elongate and posteriorly attenuate incisive foramina, small postpalatal foramina, broad interorbital region, and mid-dorsal depression at junction of nasal and frontal bones.

Comparisons.--Each of three adults of meridionalis (trapped in February and March) can be distinguished from seven adults of the geographically adjacent R. f. chiapensis from Guatemala (trapped in late January and in March) by shorter tail, more streaked or "peppered" dorsal pelage, yellower hue of non-blackish parts of hairs on dorsum, less distinct mid-dorsal darkening, and more whitish (less buffy) venter.