Alston's Brown Mouse

About the Alston's Brown Mouse

Alston's brown mouse, also called Alston's singing mouse, short-tailed singing mouse, or singing mouse (Scotinomys teguina), is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is found in Central America, from Chiapas, Mexico, to western Panama.

This species produces vocalizations in both the sonic and ultrasonic range that are thought to be an important component of its communication behavior. The mouse is named after Scottish zoologist Edward Richard Alston, who first described it in 1876.

S. teguina is exclusively found in the highland forests of southern North America and throughout Central America, from Chiapas, Mexico to western Panama, at elevations between 1100 and 2950 meters. Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Panama. This rodent prefers wet habitats with subtropical climates, and is commonly observed in grassy clearings and rocky areas at the forest edge. S. teguina is diurnal in the wild. In laboratory settings, it is predominantly active in the morning, with decreasing activity in the afternoon to evening hours.

S. teguina is small (10–13 grams), with a dark coat, and a short tail. Its... Wikipedia →