Editing Peromyscus (section)

{{Short description|Genus of mammals}}
{{Distinguish|mouse-deer}}
{{Redirect|Deer mouse|a broader category of rodents which includes other deer mouse species|Neotominae|the species often called deer mouse|Peromyscus maniculatus}}
{{Automatic taxobox
| fossil_range = Late [[Miocene]] – Recent
| image = Deer Mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus) (9310532204).jpg
| image_caption = ''Peromyscus maniculatus''
| taxon = Peromyscus
| authority = [[Constantin Wilhelm Lambert Gloger|Gloger]], 1841
| type_species = ''[[White-footed mouse|Peromyscus arboreus]]''<ref>{{MSW3|id=13000436}}</ref>
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision = See [[#Species|text]]
}}

'''''Peromyscus''''' is a [[genus]] of [[rodent]]s. They are commonly referred to as '''deer mice''' or '''deermice''', not to be confused with the [[chevrotain]] or "mouse deer". They are [[New World mouse|New World mice]] only distantly related to the common house and laboratory mouse, ''[[Mus musculus]]''. From this distant relative, ''Peromyscus'' species are distinguished by relatively larger eyes, and also often [[countershading|two-tone coloring]], with darker colors over the dorsum (back), and white abdominal and limb hair-coloring. In reference to the coloring, the word ''Peromyscus'' comes from Greek words meaning "booted mouse".<ref name="Crossland"/> They are also accomplished jumpers and runners by comparison to house mice, and their common name of "deer mouse" (coined in 1833) is in reference to both this agility as well as their two-toned coloring.<ref>[https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deer%20mouse Deer mouse etymology from Merriam-Webster. Accessed April 6, 2025]. https://www.merriam-webster.com/ (2025-04-06). Retrieved on 2025-04-06.</ref>

The most common species of deer mice in the continental [[United States]] are two closely related species, ''[[Peromyscus maniculatus|P. maniculatus]]'' and ''[[Peromyscus leucopus|P. leucopus]]''. In the United States, ''Peromyscus'' is the most populous [[mammal]]ian [[genus]] overall, and has become notorious in the western [[United States]] as a carrier of [[hantaviruses]].<ref name="cdc.gov">[https://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/hanta/hps/noframes/phys/virology.htm CDC – Hantavirus]. Cdc.gov (2012-11-01). Retrieved on 2014-01-05.</ref><ref>[http://www.sc.edu/research/pdf/Bioengineering.pdf What if ...] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120929210037/http://www.sc.edu/research/pdf/Bioengineering.pdf |date=2012-09-29 }}. University of South Carolina</ref>