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Class Mammalia
Order Rodentia
Family Cricetidae
Subfamily Neotominae

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Reithrodontomys fulvescens—Fulvous Harvest Mouse // Reithrodontomys megalotis—Western Harvest Mouse // Reithrodontomys montanus—Plains Harvest Mouse

Reithrodontomys—Harvest Mice

Reithrodontomys consists of small mice superficially similar to house mice and deer mice. An easily apparent difference is that the upper incisors are longitudinally grooved. Isolated teeth and dentaries are confusable with those of Peromyscus. Three species currently occur in the region.

Dalquest and Stangl (1984b) give several measurements useful in separating lower jaws of the three species likely to occur in our region. They found that R. montanus was separable from R. megalotis and R. fulvescens by an alveolar tooth row length of less than 3.0 mm, whereas that length is greater than 3.0 mm in the other two. They found some overlap between the other two species in breadth of the incisor, length of the tooth row, and length of m1. In the case of the former two measurements, however, the maxima observed for R. megalotis were 0.56 mm and 3.25 mm respectively. In addition, if m3 is present, then the pattern differs between R. megalotis and R. fulvescens.

Literature. Dalquest and Stangl 1984b.

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Reithrodontomys sp.—Harvest MiceRegional Pleistocene distribution of Reithrodontomys sp.

Most fossil material is unsuitable for specific identification.

Sites.

Late Blancan: Jack Rabbit Trail, San Timoteo Badlands (Albright 2000).

Late Blancan/Early Irvingtonian: Elsinore: Mimomys (Pajak et al. 1996).

Irvingtonian: Anza-Borrego (Murray 2008).

Early Irvingtonian: Gypsum Ridge (Wagner and Prothero 2001).

Rancholabrean: Bedford Properties (Jefferson 1991b); Desert Sunlight Project (Jefferson 2014); Detention Basin, Upper Las Vegas Wash (Jefferson et al. 2015: ?); National City West (Jefferson 2014).

Early/Early-Mid Wisconsin: Rm Vanishing Floor (Harris 1993c).

Mid Wisconsin: McKittrick (Schultz 1937: ?); Papago Springs Cave (Czaplewski and Mead et al. 1999); Pendejo Cave (Harris 2003).

Mid/Late Wisconsin: Animal Fair (Harris 1993c); Dark Canyon Cave (Harris 1993c); Diamond Valley (Springer et al. 2009).

Mid/Late Wisconsin/Holocene: Sierra Diablo Cave (UTEP).

Late Wisconsin: Artillery Mountains A (Mead et al. 2005); Algerita Blossom Cave (Harris 1993c); Arroyo de las Tinajas 7B (UTEP); Bison Chamber (Harris 1970a); Dust Cave (Harris and Hearst 2012); Human Corridor (Harris 1993c); Murray Springs (Lindsay and Tessman 1974); Nankoweap Canyon (Cole and Mead 1981: cf. gen.); New Water Mountains (Mead et al. 1983); Pendejo Cave (Harris 2003); Potosi Mountain (Mead and Murray 1991); U-Bar Cave 14-15 ka (Harris 1989).

Late Wisconsin/Holocene: Balcony Room (Harris 1993c); Howell's Ridge Cave (Harris 1993c); Isleta Cave No. 1 (Harris 1993c); Isleta Cave No. 2 (Harris 1993c); Pendejo Cave (Harris 2003).

Literature. Albright 2000; Cole and Mead 1981; Czaplewski and Mead et al. 1999; Harris 1970a, 1989, 1993c, 2003; Harris and Hearst 2012; Lindsay and Tessman 1974; Mead and Murray 1991; Mead et al. 1983, 2005; Murray 2008; Pajak et al. 1996; Schultz 1937; Springer et al. 2009; Wagner and Prothero 2001.

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Reithrodontomys fulvescens J. A. Allen 1894—Fulvous Harvest MouseRegional Pleistocene distribution of Reithrodontomys fulvescens.

The modern distribution of Reithrodontomys fulvescens includes the extreme southwestern corner of New Mexico and Trans-Pecos Texas north to about the Davis Mountains. The species can be separated from other likely species in region by the worn m3 forming an "S" shape (as seen on the left m3) rather than the "C" shape seen in the other two species (Findley et al. 1975). It also is slightly larger than the other two species.

Sites.

Late Pleistocene: Wanis View (Jefferson 2014).

Late Wisconsin: Fowlkes Cave (Dalquest and Stangl 1984b: cf.); Muskox Cave (Logan 1981: cf. gen. et sp.).

Literature. Dalquest and Stangl 1984b; Findley et al. 1975; Jefferson 2014; Logan 1981.

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Reithrodontomys galushai Tomida 1987—Galusha's Harvest MouseRegional Pleistocene distribution of Reithrodontomys galushai

Sites.

Late Blancan: 111 Ranch (Morgan and White 2005).

Literature. Morgan and White 2005.

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Reithrodontomys humulis (Audubon & Bachman 1841)—Eastern Harvest MouseRegional Pleistocene distribution of Reithrodontomys humulis.

Jefferson (1991b) listed Reithrodontomys cf. humulus [sic!]; however, this species seems very unlikely, being limited today to the eastern portions of North America.

Sites.

Wisconsin: Costeau Pit (Jefferson 1991b).

Literature. Jefferson 1991b.

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Reithrodontomys megalotis/montanus—Western or Plains Harvest MouseRegional Pleistocene distribution of Reithrodontomys megalotis/montanus.

Sites.

Mid/Late Wisconsin/Holocene: Jimenez Cave (Messing 1986).

Literature. Messing 1986.

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Reithrodontomys megalotis (Baird 1857)—Western Harvest MouseRegional Pleistocene distribution of Reithrodontomys megalotis.

The Western Harvest Mouse currently is by far the more common harvest mouse of the region, occurring from low desert into high-elevation coniferous forest. It generally is associated with grasses or weedy situations.

Sites.

Medial Irvingtonian: SAM Cave (Rogers et al. 2000).

Irvingtonian/Rancholabrean: Archer (Jefferson 2014); SAM Cave (Rogers et al. 2000).

Sangamon: Newport Bay Mesa (Jefferson 1991b).

Wisconsin: Glen Abbey (Majors 1993).

Mid Wisconsin: Pacific City (Wake and Roeder 2009); Screaming Neotoma Cave (Glennon 1994: cf.); U-Bar Cave (Harris 1987: cf.).

Mid/Late Wisconsin: Rancho La Brea (Stock and Harris 1992).

Late Wisconsin: Blackwater Loc. No. 1 (Morgan and Lucas 2005: ?); TT II (Harris 1993c: cf.); Maricopa (Jefferson 1991b).

Late Wisconsin/Holocene: Fowlkes Cave (Dalquest and Stangl 1984b); Kokoweef Cave (Reynolds, Reynolds, et al. 1991); SAM Cave (Rogers et al. 2000); Sheep Camp Shelter (Harris 1993c: cf.).

Literature. Dalquest and Stangl 1984b; Glennon 1994; Harris 1987, 1993c; Jefferson 1991b, 2014; Majors 1993; Morgan and Lucas 2005; Reynolds, Reynolds, et al. 1991; Rogers et al. 2000; Stock and Harris 1992; Wake and Roeder 2009.

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Reithrodontomys montanus (Baird 1855)—Plains Harvest MousePleistocene distribution of Reithrodontomys montanus.

The current distribution of the Plains Harvest Mouse centers in the Great Plains, but sweeps across eastern and southern New Mexico and into southeastern Arizona.

Sites.

Late Wisconsin/Holocene: Deadman Cave (Mead et al. 1984); Fowlkes Cave (Dalquest and Stangl 1984b).

Literature. Dalquest and Stangl 1984b; Mead et al. 1984.

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Reithrodontomys rexroadensis Hibbard 1952—Rexroad Harvest MouseRegional Pleistocene distribution of Reithrodontomys rexroadensis.

Sites.

Late Blancan: 111 Ranch (Morgan and White 2005).

Literature. Morgan and White 2005.

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Last Update: 7 Jan 2016