Cactus Mouse
Peromyscus eremicus
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassMammalia (Mammals)
- OrderRodentia (Rodents)
- FamilyCricetidae (Hamsters, Voles, Lemmings, and Allies)
- GenusPeromyscus (North American Deer Mice)
- SpeciesPeromyscus eremicus (Cactus Mouse)
About the Cactus Mouse
The cactus mouse or cactus deermouse (Peromyscus eremicus) is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae. It is a species of the genus Peromyscus, a closely related group of New World mice often called "deermice". They are native to desert areas of western North America.
Cactus mice are small cricetid rodents, with large eyes and ears, a pointed snout, and a long monocolor tail. Average dimensions for P. eremicus are as follows: total length, 160 to 211 mm (6.3 to 8.3 in); length of body, 72 to 100 mm (2.8 to 3.9 in); length of tail, 84 to 120 mm (3.3 to 4.7 in); length of hind foot, 18 to 22 mm (0.71 to 0.87 in); length of ear, 13.4 to 20 mm (0.53 to 0.79 in); greatest length of skull, 22.7 to 25.9 mm (0.89 to 1.02 in) and zygomatic breadth, 11.2 to 13.5 mm (0.44 to 0.53 in). Adults weigh between 18 and 40 grams (0.63 and 1.41 oz). Females weigh slightly more than males and are significantly larger in body length, ear length, length of mandible, and bullar width of skull.
Cactus mice can be identified by having naked soles on their hind feet and almost naked flesh-colored tails (as opposed to the furry bicolored tail common in most Peromyscus species), which are... Wikipedia →
Closest Relatives at Saguaro National Park
Arizona Cotton Rat
Sigmodon arizonae
White-throated Woodrat
Neotoma albigula
Yellow-nosed Cotton Rat
Sigmodon ochrognathus
Rock Squirrel
Otospermophilus variegatus
Round-tailed Ground Squirrel
Xerospermophilus tereticaudus
Harris' Antelope Squirrel
Ammospermophilus harrisii
Cliff Chipmunk
Tamias dorsalis
Desert Pocket Mouse
Chaetodipus penicillatus
Merriam's Kangaroo Rat
Dipodomys merriami
Abert's Squirrel
Sciurus aberti
Arizona Gray Squirrel
Sciurus arizonensis
Bailey's Pocket Mouse
Chaetodipus baileyi
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Saguaro National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
More parks will be added in future updates.
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Cactus Mouse in Saguaro National Park?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Cactus Mouse sighting in Saguaro National Park, based on 5 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Cactus Mouse in Saguaro National Park?
August has the highest sighting rate for Cactus Mouse in Saguaro National Park in our monthly data.