TN10035 WOODLAND JUMPING MOUSE NAPAEOZAPUS INSIGNIS
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: IN THIS SPECIES, THE FEMALES ARE A BIT LARGER THAN MALES. THIS IS A MEDIUM SIZED MOUSE, WITH A TOTAL LENGTH OF 204-256 MM, TAIL LENGTH OF 115-160 MM, BODY LENGTH OF 80-100 MM, HIND FOOT OF 28-34 MM, AND EAR LENGTH OF 15-18 MM. ITS WEIGHT IS 17-26 G. THE PELAGE IS COARSE, WITH STIFF GUARD HAIRS. THE DORSAL STRIPE IS BROWN TO BLACK, SIDES ARE ORANGE WITH YELLOW OR RED TINT, THE UNDERPARTS ARE WHITE, THE TAIL IS BICOLORED, GRAYISH BROWN ABOVE, WHITE BELOW, AND WHITE TIPPED. THE INCISORS ARE ORANGE OR YELLOW, THE UPPER INCISORS ARE GROOVED. DENTITION 1/1, 0/0, 0/0, 3/3 *312,141*. THE ANIMAL HAS LONG HIND LEGS, AND SHORT FORE LEGS. THE EARS ARE LONGER THAN ZAPUS. THE SEXES ARE COLORED ALIKE *16*. THERE ARE NO EXTERNAL CHEEK POUCHES. THE WEIGHT IS 7/10 TO 1 1/10 OZ. *46*. IT IS LARGER AND BRIGHTER ORANGE THAN ZAPUS. THE AVERAGE OF 5 ADULTS FROM GILES CO. (Va): TOTAL LENGTH IS 222.8 MM (219-227), TAIL VERTEBRAE IS 135.8 MM (132-139), HIND FOOT 30 MM (30-30) *152*. REPRODUCTION: THE BREEDING SEASON IS MAY-SEPT. *312*. GESTATION LASTS FOR 23-29 DAYS *312,320*. THE AVERAGE NUMBER OFFSPRING IS 4-5. THERE ARE TWO REPRODUCTIVE PERIODS. NEWBORN ARE HAIRLESS. THE TOTAL LENGTH IS 35 MM, TAIL LENGTH IS 11 MM, THE HIND FOOT IS 5 MM, AND THE WEIGHT IS 0.87 G. THE YOUNG HAVE THE APPEARANCE OF ADULTS BY DAY 34. THEY MOLT TO ADULT PELAGE BY DAY 68-80 *312,16,46,141,320*. THE NESTS ARE USUALLY APPROXIMATELY 4 INCHES (10CM) BELOW GROUND SURFACE *84*. THIS SPECIES IS POSSIBLY SEXUALLY MATURE AT 38 DAYS *84*. BEHAVIOR: THE HOME RANGE OF FEMALES IS 1.0-6.5 ACRES, MALES IS 1.0-9.0 ACRES *312,320*. THESE MICE ARE NOCTURNAL, AND MAY BE ACTIVE IN LATE EVENING-EARLY MORNING. THEY ENTER INTO HIBERNATION FROM LATE SEPT.-NOV., AND EMERGE IN EARLY MAY. THERE IS NO FOOD STORED IN THE HIBERNACULA. THE SPECIES RELIES ON STORED FAT RESERVES *312,46,141,320*. IT NESTS IN A TUNNEL OR IN A BURROW SYSTEM BELOW THE GROUND SURFACE. POPULATIONS OF 3 MICE/ACRE IS NORMAL. THE YOUNG ARE NOT WEANED UNTIL 1 MONTH *16,46,141,320*. THEIR DISTRIBUTION IS NOTABLY LOCAL, AND IT OFTEN INHABITS RELATIVELY SMALL AREAS IN THE VICINITY OF WATERCOURSES OR OTHER DESIRABLE FEATURES. SUCH 'COLONIES' PROBABLY ARE A RESULT OF ISOLATION OF SUITABLE HABITATS *320*. THIS SPECIES FORAGES IN LOOSE AGGREGATIONS WITH LARGELY-OVERLAPPING RANGES. IT FORAGES BOTH ON THE SURFACE AND IN SHALLOW SUBSURFACE BURROWS. IT FEEDS PRIMARILY ON SEEDS, FUNGI, AND INSECT LARVAE. THE BREEDING SEASON BEGINS SOON AFTER EMERGENCE FROM HIBERNATION IN EARLY SPRING. FEMALES ARE SEASONALLY POLYESTROUS WITH POST-PARTUM ESTROUS. THE FEMALES APPEAR TO BE THE AGGRESSORS IN MATING *PA4740*. LIMITING FACTORS: THE MAJOR LIMITING FACTOR SEEMS TO BE THAT OF SUITABLE HABITAT, PARTICULARLY HEAVILY FORESTED AREAS NEAR PERMANENT WATER *PA4740*. POPULATION PARAMETERS: THE SEX RATIO AMONG 2351 MUSEUM SPECIMENS WAS 57% MALES, 43% FEMALES. DATA BEFORE MAY 15 SHOULD NOT BE USED SINCE MALES EMERGE FROM HIBERNATION SEVERAL WEEKS EARLIER THAN FEMALES. THUS THE SPRING SEX RATIO IS 87% MALES, 13% FEMALES *320*. |AQUATIC/TERRESTRIAL ASSOCIATIONS: PREDATORS OF THIS SPECIES INCLUDE MEPHITIS MEPHITIS, MUSTELA SP., MUSTELA VISON, LYNX RUFUS, OTUS ASIO, CROTALUS HORRIDUS, AGKISTRODON CONTORTRIX, FELIS CATUS, AND CARNIVOROUS BIRDS. IT IS FAIRLY WELL SEGREGATED ECOLOGICALLY FROM ZAPUS (ZAPUS IS FOUND IN MEADOWS, NAPAEOZAPUS IS FOUND IN WOODS). THEY MAY BE FOUND TOGETHER IN INTERMEDIATE STAGES. PEROMUSCUS MANICULATUS IS MOST LIKELY TO COMPETE WITH THIS SPECIES, THOUGH THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF ADVERSE AFFECTS ON EACH OTHER. OFTEN THE WOODLAND JUMPING MOUSE OCCURS IN ASSOCIATION WITH SOREX CINEREUS, S. FUMEUS, BLARINA BREVICAUDA, CONDYLURA CRISTATA, PARASCALOPS BREWERI, TAMIAS STRIATUS, PEROMUSCUS MANICULATUS, P. LEUCOPUS, MICROTUS PINETORUM, SYNAPTOMYS COOPERI, HETHRIONOMYS ZAPPERI, ZAPUS HUNDSONIUS *312,16,141,320*. THEY MAY USE THE BURROWS OF MOLES AND LARGER SHREWS, AND ARE SELDOM FOUND IN HAUNTS OF MAN *141*. Physical description: The females are a bit larger than the males. It is a medium sized mouse, with a total length from 204-256 mm, and a tail length 115-160 mm. The body length is 80-100 mm and the hind foot 28-34 mm. The ear length is 15-18 mm and it has a weight from 17-26 grams. The pelage is coarse, with stiff guard hairs. The dorsal stripe is brown to black, and the sides are orange with a yellow or red tint. The underparts are white, and the tail bicolored, grayish brown above, white below, and white tipped. The incisors are orange or yellow, with the upper incisors grooved. Dentition is 1/1, 0/0, 0/0, 3/3 *312,141*. They have long hind legs, short fore legs and the ears are longer than Zapus. The sexes are colored alike *16*. There are no external cheek pouches. The weight is 7/10 to 1 1/10 ounces *46*. They are larger and brighter orange than Zapus. An average of 5 adults from Giles County had a total length of 222.8 mm (219-227), tail vertebrae 135.8 mm (132-139) and hind foot 30 mm (30-30) *152*. Reproduction: The breeding season is from May-September *312*. Gestation is from 23-29 days *312,320*. The average number of offspring is 4-5. The number of reproductive periods is 2. The newborn are hairless with a total length of 35 mm. The tail length is 11 mm, the hind foot 5 mm, and the weight 0.87 grams. The young have the appearance of adults by day 34. They molt to adult pelage by day 68-80 *312,16,46,141,320*. Behavior: The home range for females is 1.0-6.5 acres, and for males 1.0-9.0 acres *312,320*. This species is nocturnal, and may be active in the late evening-early morning. They enter hibernation in late September-November. They emerge in early May, and no food is stored in hibernacula. It relies on stored fat reserves *312,46,141,320*. It nests in a tunnel or burrow system below the ground surface. Populations of 3 per acre are normal. The young are not weaned until the 1st month *16,46,141,320*. Their distribution is notably local, and it often inhabits relatively small areas in the vicinity of watercourses. Other desirable features such as 'colonies' are probably the result of the isolation of suitable habitats *320*. Origin: This species is native *312,16*. Population parameters: The sex ratio among 2351 museum specimens was 57% males, 43% females. Data before May 15 should not be used since males emerge from hibernation several weeks earlier, thus the spring sex ratio is 87% males, 13% females *320*. Aquatic/terrestrial associations: Predators include Mephitis mephitis, M. sp., M. vison, Lynx rufus, Otus asio, Crotalus horridus, Agkistrodon contortrix, Felis catus and carnivorous birds. It is fairly well segregated ecologically from Zapus (Zapus found in meadows, Napaeozapus found in woods), and may be found together in intermediate stages, and Peromyscus maniculatus is most likely to compete with, although there is no evidence of adverse affects on each other. It often occurs in associations with Sorex cinereus, S. fumeus, Blarina brevicauda, Condylura cristata, Parascalops breweri, Tamias striatus, Peromyscus maniculatus, P. leucopus, Microtus pinetorum, Synaptomys cooperi, Hethrionomys zapperi and Zapus hundsonius *312,16,141,320*. They may use the burrows of moles and larger shrews. They are seldom found in the haunts of man *141*.
References for Life History Codes
16, 46, 141, 152, 312, 320, 4920, PA4834, PA4845, 9164, 8905
Comments on Life History Codes
This species makes no discernable runways *141*.