Orizaba deer mouse [SEP] parent taxon
Orizaba deer mouse
The Orizaba deer mouse ("Peromyscus beatae") is a small species of rodent in the family Cricetidae, native to El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico. It is found in thorn scrub and favors rocky areas with brush and scattered trees. They are nocturnal, and have been discovered to feed on arthropods, seeds, and green plant material. Breeding takes place year-round, and the mean litter size is two to three young in Oaxaca, Mexico. It is known to be
luring them. In addition, the fruit is highly appetising to diverse animals, including squirrels, mouse deer, pigs, sun bear, orangutan, elephants, and even carnivorous tigers. While some of these animals eat the fruit and dispose of the seed under the parent plant, others swallow the seed with the fruit, and then transport it some distance before excreting, with the seed being dispersed as a result. The thorny, armoured covering of the fruit discourages smaller animals; larger animals are more likely to transport the seeds