Speciation and Evolution of the Pygmy Mice, Genus Baiomys — John Shaqi
Speciation and Evolution of the Pygmy Mice, Genus BaiomysPackard, Robert L. (Robert Lewis)
Science
Speciation and Evolution of the Pygmy Mice, Genus Baiomys
Packard, Robert L. (Robert Lewis)
Mice
The posterior margin of the bony palate varies from semicircular to
nearly V-shaped. The suture between the nasals and frontals varies from
V-shaped to truncate to W-shaped. The maxillary part of the zygoma
varies from broad to slender in dorsoventral width in both species.
PELAGE AND MOLTS
There are three distinct pelages, juvenal, postjuvenal, and adult. The
sequences of molt and change of pelage from the juvenal, to the
postjuvenal, and from it to adult, are essentially as reported for
_Peromyscus_ by Collins (1918:78-81; 1924:58-60) and Hoffmeister
(1951:5). The juvenal pelage is uniformly dusky gray throughout except
for the paler gray on the venter. In most juvenal mice, the yellow to
ochraceous pigments of the subterminal bands are reduced or absent.
Unlike _Peromyscus_, _Baiomys_ has bright brownish hairs on the head as
the first evidence of the postjuvenal molt (see Figure 4, part a). Blair
(1941:381) reports adult pelage in pygmy mice being evident first at an
age of 46 days. Two of my juveniles born in captivity began the
postjuvenal molt on the 38th and 40th days. The area of new hairs on the
head spreads most rapidly posteriorly. New hair appears ventrally and
laterally at the end of 46 days (see Figure 4, part b). Hair replacement
proceeds more slowly after the "saddle back" stage (described in
_Peromyscus_ by Collins, 1918:80) has been reached. That stage was
reached in two pygmy mice at 52 days (see Figure 4, part c). Areas
immediately posterior to the ears, in the scapular region, molt last.
The postjuvenal pelage was seemingly complete in one captive pygmy mouse
at the end of 60 days. Another captive failed to complete its growth of
new pelage until two additional weeks had elapsed. Length of time
required to molt in pygmy mice is about the same as that reported by
Layne (1959:72) in _Reithrodontomys_.
[Illustration: FIG. 4. Diagrams showing progress of the postjuvenal
molt in pygmy mice. For explanation of a, b, and c, see text.
All approximately 2/3 natural size.]
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