Distribution of Some Nebraskan MammalsJones, J. Knox
Science
Distribution of Some Nebraskan Mammals
Jones, J. Knox
Mammals -- Nebraska
Glass (1947:179) referred a specimen from 9 mi. NW of Lincoln,
Lancaster County, to _P. h. paradoxus_. In discussing the zone of
intergradation between _spilotus_ and _paradoxus_, geographically
adjacent to the west, he wrote (_op. cit._:178), "It is evident that it
proceeds northeastwards, toward the Missouri River since 2 specimens
from eastern Nebraska, a juvenile from Webster County and an adult from
Lancaster County, are both typical _paradoxus_." I have examined the
specimen from Webster County referred to by Glass and agree that it is
_paradoxus_. I have not seen the specimen from 9 mi. NW of Lincoln;
however, another specimen from there, two others from Lancaster County,
and one from Seward County (see above), are here referred to _P. h.
spilotus_, rather than _P. h. paradoxus_, on the basis of notably
darker dorsal coloration and smaller external and cranial measurements.
The range of _P. h. spilotus_ in Nebraska, as presently known,
therefore, is limited to the eastern, more humid part of the State,
south of the Platte River.
=Peromyscus maniculatus osgoodi= Mearns. DEER MOUSE.--Swenk (1908:95)
reported this subspecies, under the name _Peromyscus nebrascensis_,
from Glen, and Dice (1941:17) reported the subspecies from Agate, both
localities being in Sioux County in the northwestern part of the State.
Osgood (1909), however, did not mention Nebraskan specimens of this
subspecies and excluded it from the State on his (_op. cit._)
distribution map of the subspecies of _P. maniculatus_. In addition,
Quay (1948:181) reports, as _P. m. nebrascensis_, deer mice obtained by
him in the badlands of northern Sioux County and adjacent Niobrara
County, Wyoming. Four deer mice referable to _P. m. osgoodi_ have been
obtained from several localities on the Pine Ridge in Dawes County as
follows: 3 mi. E of Chadron, 2; Chadron State Park, 1; 3 mi. SW of
Crawford, 1. When compared with specimens of _P. m. nebrascensis_,
geographically adjacent to the east, these mice are seen to be notably
darker and less buffy than _nebrascensis_ and to average significantly
larger in both external and cranial measurements. All deer mice from
the Pine Ridge and adjacent badlands of extreme northwestern Nebraska
probably are best referred to _P. m. osgoodi_. External measurements of
two adult females are respectively: Total length, 180, 175; length of
tail-vertebrae, 78, 74; length of hind foot, 19, 20; length of ear, 17,
16.
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