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Salt marsh harvest mouse

April 28, 2024

The salt-marsh harvest mouse (Reithrodontomys raviventris), also known as the red-bellied harvest mouse, is an endangered rodent endemic to the San Francisco Bay Area salt marshes in California.[4]

Salt-marsh harvest mouse
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Family: Cricetidae
Subfamily: Neotominae
Genus: Reithrodontomys
Species:
R. raviventris
Binomial name
Reithrodontomys raviventris
Dixon, 1908
Subspecies
  • R. r. raviventris
  • R. r. halicoetes

Taxonomy edit

The two distinct subspecies are both endangered and listed together on federal and state endangered-species lists. The northern subspecies (R. r. halicoetes) is lighter in color and inhabits the northern marshes of the bay, and the southern subspecies (R. r. raviventris) lives in the East and South Bay marshes. They are both quite similar in appearance to their congener species, the western harvest mouse (R. megalotis), to which they are not closely related. Genetic studies of the northern subspecies have revealed that the salt-marsh harvest mouse is most closely related to the plains harvest mouse (R. montanus),[5] which occurs in the Midwest. The endangered designation of the salt-marsh harvest mouse is due to its limited range, historic decline in population and continuing threat of habitat loss due to development encroachment on the perimeter of the San Francisco Bay.

Description edit

The southern population of the salt-marsh harvest mouse tends to have dark brown fur above and a pinkish cinnamon or tawny belly; moreover, the tail is likewise bicolored. An adult's length is 5–7 centimetres (2.0–2.8 in) and a tail length of 6–10 centimetres (2.4–3.9 in). Its height is between 1.5 and 2.1 centimetres (0.59 and 0.83 in). The weight of a mature mouse is about 10–20 grams (0.35–0.71 oz). The northern subspecies is also dorsally brown or reddish brown, but the venters tend to be white or cream, and rarely with a hint of reddish; tail length is usually about 120% of the body length.[6] The upper incisors are grooved. As a member of the Neotominae subfamily, the dental formula of R. raviventris is 1.0.0.31.0.0.3 × 2 = 16.[7]

This species is nocturnal, with particularly noted activity on moonlit nights. This mouse is particularly resourceful, making use of ground runways of other rodents; moreover, it also exhibits climbing agility. It occupies marsh habitats where pickleweed and marsh plants abound. Its many predators include hawk, snake and owl species, as well as shorebirds and larger mammals. Predation by domestic cats is an issue due to encroachment of the limited habitat by humans at the perimeter of the San Francisco Bay.

Similar species edit

Similar species are the plains harvest mouse (Reithrodontomys montanus) and the fulvous harvest mouse (R. fulvescens), which has a longer tail. The species co-occurs with the similar western harvest mouse (R. megalotis), which tends to have dorsal fur that is more gray than R. raviventris and with ventral fur that is white to grayish; and the house mouse (Mus musculus), which is gray, has a scaly tail, and incisors without grooves, unlike those of the salt-marsh harvest mouse.In the summer, when salinity of water and vegetation increases, the mice have a notable advantage due to their ability to drink and survive purely on salt water. This adaptation to solely survive on salt water is unknown to many researchers and cannot be investigated due to their endangerment. It is thought that the salt marsh harvest mouse has special kidney function that allows this phenomenon.[citation needed] The northern species can survive purely on salt water, but prefers fresh to salt water. The southern species can survive on either, and does not display a preference.[8] Another way to differentiate these species is based on aggression and docility. Often, the salt-marsh harvest mouse is quite docile and less easily agitated than its sister species, the western harvest mouse.[9]

Breeding edit

Survey data from Suisun Marsh found that the salt-marsh harvest mouse can live up to 18 months and possibly longer. Females commonly have two litters per year. The home range and habitat use of this species differ temporally across age and sex. Juveniles exhibit home ranges of 600–700 square metres (6,500–7,500 sq ft), whereas adults exhibit home ranges of 1,300–1,500 square metres (14,000–16,000 sq ft).[10] Males and females also differ in the structural complexity of their occupied habitat during fall and summer (breeding season), but occupy the same habitat during winter and spring. While the cause is still unknown, this seasonal disparity in habitat use may be related to a reduced risk of predation and intraspecific competition in more structurally complex habitats.[11] Furthermore, movement of R. raviventris individuals within their home ranges varies seasonally, with mean distance traveled highest in June and lowest in November.[12]

Distribution and habitat edit

 
The salt-marsh harvest mouse is an endangered species endemic to the San Francisco Bay. Its salt marsh habitat could be highly impacted by sea-level rise.

This organism is known to be found in these specific locales:

Diet edit

The mice depend heavily on vegetation cover, particularly pickleweed and tules (Schoenoplectus spp.). Pickleweed (Salicornia virginica) is their primary and preferred habitat, as well their main food source, but R. raviventris is found in a variety of marsh habitats, including diked and tidal wetlands.[14][8] In a 2019 study on the food preferences of the salt-marsh harvest mouse, it was concluded that the species has a much more flexible diet than assumed years prior. They prefer pickleweed only at specific seasonal times, showcased a strong liking for different plants that aren't native to the area, and typical foods enjoyed by waterfowl.[15]

Conservation edit

The salt-marsh harvest mouse has lost much of its habitat to extensive development and clearing of bayside marshland, pollution, boat activity, and commercial salt harvesting. It has been on the endangered lists since the 1970s, and has protected habitat within numerous Bay Area wildlife refuges. Individual political jurisdictions have conducted research and established habitat protection strategies to protect the salt marsh harvest mouse. For example, the city of San Rafael, California, has established a shoreline setback standard to prevent any land development within 50 feet of the shoreline; this measure has been applied to several specific land developments along the San Francisco Bay shoreline.[16] Researchers, such as Katherine Smith of California Department of Fish and Wildlife, are at the forefront of research helping to identify how threats like climate change impact the species, while increasing the understanding of its biology, ecology, and behavior.[17][18] NatureServe considers the species Critically Imperiled.[19]

Reference in 2009 economic stimulus debate edit

The preservation of the salt-marsh harvest mouse habitat was a subject of discussion in 2009 economic stimulus package. The mouse was mentioned numerous times in Congress by Republicans such as Rep. Mike Pence and Rep. Dan Lungren to highlight the wasteful spending of the bill.[20] It was claimed that $30M of the 2009 economic stimulus would be spent on habitat restoration to protect the mouse. The rumor was apparently started by Michael Steel, press secretary for John Boehner.[21][22] This was disputed in a San Francisco Chronicle article by Democratic Rep. Jackie Speier.[23]

References edit

  1. ^ Whitaker Jr, J.O.; NatureServe (2018). "Reithrodontomys raviventris". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T19401A22385344. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-1.RLTS.T19401A22385344.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. ^ 35 FR 16047
  3. ^ "Salt-marsh Harvest Mouse". U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
  4. ^ Musser, G. G. and M. D. Carleton. 2005. Superfamily Muroidea. Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, D. E. Wilson and D. M. Reeder eds. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0.
  5. ^ Presentation by Sarah Brown: Conservation genetics of salt marsh harvest mice (Reithrodontomys raviventris). Presented at College of Science and Math Symposium, California State University, San Luis Obispo. 5/01
  6. ^ Sustaita, Diego; Quickert, Patty Finfrock; Patterson, Laura; Barthman-Thompson, Laureen; Estrella, Sarah (2011). Kuenzi, Amy J. (ed.). "Salt marsh harvest mouse demography and habitat use in the Suisun Marsh, California". The Journal of Wildlife Management. 75 (6): 1498–1507. doi:10.1002/jwmg.187. S2CID 84461021.
  7. ^ Wilson, Don E.; Reeder, DeeAnn M. (2005). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference. JHU Press. ISBN 9780801882210.
  8. ^ a b Golovanova, Galina. . Geography 316-Biogeography. San Francisco State University. Archived from the original on 16 January 2010.
  9. ^ "About the Salt Marsh Harvest Mouse". Salt Marsh Harvest Mouse. Retrieved 22 October 2022.
  10. ^ Geissel, W.; Shellhammer, H.; Harvey, H. T. (29 November 1988). "The Ecology of the Salt-Marsh Harvest Mouse (Reithrodontomys raviventris) in a Diked Salt Marsh". Journal of Mammalogy. 69 (4): 696–703. doi:10.2307/1381624. ISSN 0022-2372. JSTOR 1381624.
  11. ^ Bias, Michael A.; Morrison, Michael L. (1 June 2006). "Habitat Selection of the Salt Marsh Harvest Mouse and Sympatric Rodent Species". Journal of Wildlife Management. 70 (3): 732–742. doi:10.2193/0022-541X(2006)70[732:HSOTSM]2.0.CO;2. ISSN 0022-541X. S2CID 86233156.
  12. ^ Bias, Michael A.; Morrison, Michael L. (1999). "Movements and Home Range of Salt Marsh Harvest Mice". The Southwestern Naturalist. 44 (3): 348–353. JSTOR 30055230.
  13. ^ "Threatened & Endangered Animal Species of Point Reyes" (PDF). National Park Service. Retrieved 25 September 2016.
  14. ^ Sustaita, Diego; Quickert, Patty Finfrock; Patterson, Laura; Barthman-Thompson, Laureen; Estrella, Sarah (1 August 2011). "Salt marsh harvest mouse demography and habitat use in the Suisun Marsh, California". The Journal of Wildlife Management. 75 (6): 1498–1507. doi:10.1002/jwmg.187. ISSN 1937-2817. S2CID 84461021.
  15. ^ Smith, Katherine R.; Kelt, Douglas A. (November 2019). "Waterfowl management and diet of the salt marsh harvest mouse". The Journal of Wildlife Management. 83 (8): 1687–1699. doi:10.1002/jwmg.21752. ISSN 0022-541X.
  16. ^ Hogan, C. Michael et al. (1989). Spinnaker-on-the-Bay Expanded Initial Study, Earth Metrics Inc., prepared for the city of San Rafael, California
  17. ^ "Researchers seek secrets of Suisun salt marsh harvest mouse". Daily Republic. 24 June 2011. Retrieved 20 April 2017.
  18. ^ "Salt-Water Science up Close". UC Davis. 14 April 2014. Retrieved 20 April 2017.
  19. ^ "Reithrodontomys raviventris.NatureServe Explorer 2.0". explorer.natureserve.org. Retrieved 27 April 2023.
  20. ^ . Metavid.org. Archived from the original on 20 August 2010.
  21. ^ Paul Rogers; Bay Area News Group (13 February 2009). "Bay Area mouse spurs national debate over stimulus bill". The Mercury News. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
  22. ^ Erbe, Bonnie (13 February 2009). "Republicans Flop On Pelosi Mouse Lie, Haven't Learned Environmental Lesson". CBS News. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
  23. ^ Speier, Jackie (14 February 2009). "The myth of the 'San Francisco mouse'". sfgate.com. Retrieved 15 February 2023.

Further reading edit

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Reithrodontomys raviventris.
 
Wikispecies has information related to Reithrodontomys raviventris.
  • Salt Marsh Harvest Mouse Working Group Website
  • Why a Mouse Matters - Bay Nature Magazine
  • National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Mammals, ed. by John O. Whitaker Jr., Chanticleer Press (1997) ISBN 0-679-44631-1
  • Whitaker Jr, J.O.; NatureServe (2018). "Reithrodontomys raviventris". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T19401A22385344. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-1.RLTS.T19401A22385344.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021. Database entry includes a brief justification of why this species is vulnerable and the criteria used
  • Shellhammer, Howard. "A marsh is a marsh is a marsh . . . but not always to a salt marsh harvest mouse" (PDF). Retrieved 7 September 2016.
  • Smith, Katherine. (2014) "Effects of Natural and Anthropogenic Change on Habitat Use and Movement of Endangered Salt Marsh Harvest Mice"
  • UC Davis "Salt-water science up close"

External links edit

April 28, 2024
salt, marsh, harvest, mouse, salt, marsh, harvest, mouse, reithrodontomys, raviventris, also, known, bellied, harvest, mouse, endangered, rodent, endemic, francisco, area, salt, marshes, california, salt, marsh, harvest, mouse, conservation, status, endangered. The salt marsh harvest mouse Reithrodontomys raviventris also known as the red bellied harvest mouse is an endangered rodent endemic to the San Francisco Bay Area salt marshes in California 4 Salt marsh harvest mouse Conservation status Endangered IUCN 3 1 1 Endangered ESA 2 3 Scientific classification Domain Eukaryota Kingdom Animalia Phylum Chordata Class Mammalia Order Rodentia Family Cricetidae Subfamily Neotominae Genus Reithrodontomys Species R raviventris Binomial name Reithrodontomys raviventrisDixon 1908 Subspecies R r raviventris R r halicoetes Contents 1 Taxonomy 2 Description 2 1 Similar species 3 Breeding 4 Distribution and habitat 5 Diet 6 Conservation 7 Reference in 2009 economic stimulus debate 8 References 9 Further reading 10 External linksTaxonomy editThe two distinct subspecies are both endangered and listed together on federal and state endangered species lists The northern subspecies R r halicoetes is lighter in color and inhabits the northern marshes of the bay and the southern subspecies R r raviventris lives in the East and South Bay marshes They are both quite similar in appearance to their congener species the western harvest mouse R megalotis to which they are not closely related Genetic studies of the northern subspecies have revealed that the salt marsh harvest mouse is most closely related to the plains harvest mouse R montanus 5 which occurs in the Midwest The endangered designation of the salt marsh harvest mouse is due to its limited range historic decline in population and continuing threat of habitat loss due to development encroachment on the perimeter of the San Francisco Bay Description editThe southern population of the salt marsh harvest mouse tends to have dark brown fur above and a pinkish cinnamon or tawny belly moreover the tail is likewise bicolored An adult s length is 5 7 centimetres 2 0 2 8 in and a tail length of 6 10 centimetres 2 4 3 9 in Its height is between 1 5 and 2 1 centimetres 0 59 and 0 83 in The weight of a mature mouse is about 10 20 grams 0 35 0 71 oz The northern subspecies is also dorsally brown or reddish brown but the venters tend to be white or cream and rarely with a hint of reddish tail length is usually about 120 of the body length 6 The upper incisors are grooved As a member of the Neotominae subfamily the dental formula of R raviventris is 1 0 0 3 1 0 0 3 2 16 7 This species is nocturnal with particularly noted activity on moonlit nights This mouse is particularly resourceful making use of ground runways of other rodents moreover it also exhibits climbing agility It occupies marsh habitats where pickleweed and marsh plants abound Its many predators include hawk snake and owl species as well as shorebirds and larger mammals Predation by domestic cats is an issue due to encroachment of the limited habitat by humans at the perimeter of the San Francisco Bay Similar species edit Similar species are the plains harvest mouse Reithrodontomys montanus and the fulvous harvest mouse R fulvescens which has a longer tail The species co occurs with the similar western harvest mouse R megalotis which tends to have dorsal fur that is more gray than R raviventris and with ventral fur that is white to grayish and the house mouse Mus musculus which is gray has a scaly tail and incisors without grooves unlike those of the salt marsh harvest mouse In the summer when salinity of water and vegetation increases the mice have a notable advantage due to their ability to drink and survive purely on salt water This adaptation to solely survive on salt water is unknown to many researchers and cannot be investigated due to their endangerment It is thought that the salt marsh harvest mouse has special kidney function that allows this phenomenon citation needed The northern species can survive purely on salt water but prefers fresh to salt water The southern species can survive on either and does not display a preference 8 Another way to differentiate these species is based on aggression and docility Often the salt marsh harvest mouse is quite docile and less easily agitated than its sister species the western harvest mouse 9 Breeding editSurvey data from Suisun Marsh found that the salt marsh harvest mouse can live up to 18 months and possibly longer Females commonly have two litters per year The home range and habitat use of this species differ temporally across age and sex Juveniles exhibit home ranges of 600 700 square metres 6 500 7 500 sq ft whereas adults exhibit home ranges of 1 300 1 500 square metres 14 000 16 000 sq ft 10 Males and females also differ in the structural complexity of their occupied habitat during fall and summer breeding season but occupy the same habitat during winter and spring While the cause is still unknown this seasonal disparity in habitat use may be related to a reduced risk of predation and intraspecific competition in more structurally complex habitats 11 Furthermore movement of R raviventris individuals within their home ranges varies seasonally with mean distance traveled highest in June and lowest in November 12 Distribution and habitat edit nbsp The salt marsh harvest mouse is an endangered species endemic to the San Francisco Bay Its salt marsh habitat could be highly impacted by sea level rise This organism is known to be found in these specific locales Sonoma Creek discharge area known as the Napa Sonoma Marsh Suisun Marsh Solano County Alman Marsh adjacent to Shollenberger Park Petaluma Sausalito baylands San Rafael baylands Arrowhead Marsh in Oakland San Francisco Bay sloughs in Alviso Palo Alto baylands Bair Island Point Reyes National Seashore 13 Diet editThe mice depend heavily on vegetation cover particularly pickleweed and tules Schoenoplectus spp Pickleweed Salicornia virginica is their primary and preferred habitat as well their main food source but R raviventris is found in a variety of marsh habitats including diked and tidal wetlands 14 8 In a 2019 study on the food preferences of the salt marsh harvest mouse it was concluded that the species has a much more flexible diet than assumed years prior They prefer pickleweed only at specific seasonal times showcased a strong liking for different plants that aren t native to the area and typical foods enjoyed by waterfowl 15 Conservation editThe salt marsh harvest mouse has lost much of its habitat to extensive development and clearing of bayside marshland pollution boat activity and commercial salt harvesting It has been on the endangered lists since the 1970s and has protected habitat within numerous Bay Area wildlife refuges Individual political jurisdictions have conducted research and established habitat protection strategies to protect the salt marsh harvest mouse For example the city of San Rafael California has established a shoreline setback standard to prevent any land development within 50 feet of the shoreline this measure has been applied to several specific land developments along the San Francisco Bay shoreline 16 Researchers such as Katherine Smith of California Department of Fish and Wildlife are at the forefront of research helping to identify how threats like climate change impact the species while increasing the understanding of its biology ecology and behavior 17 18 NatureServe considers the species Critically Imperiled 19 Reference in 2009 economic stimulus debate editThe preservation of the salt marsh harvest mouse habitat was a subject of discussion in 2009 economic stimulus package The mouse was mentioned numerous times in Congress by Republicans such as Rep Mike Pence and Rep Dan Lungren to highlight the wasteful spending of the bill 20 It was claimed that 30M of the 2009 economic stimulus would be spent on habitat restoration to protect the mouse The rumor was apparently started by Michael Steel press secretary for John Boehner 21 22 This was disputed in a San Francisco Chronicle article by Democratic Rep Jackie Speier 23 References edit Whitaker Jr J O NatureServe 2018 Reithrodontomys raviventris IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018 e T19401A22385344 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2018 1 RLTS T19401A22385344 en Retrieved 12 November 2021 35 FR 16047 Salt marsh Harvest Mouse U S Fish amp Wildlife Service Retrieved 15 February 2023 Musser G G and M D Carleton 2005 Superfamily Muroidea Mammal Species of the World A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference D E Wilson and D M Reeder eds Baltimore Johns Hopkins University Press ISBN 978 0 8018 8221 0 Presentation by Sarah Brown Conservation genetics of salt marsh harvest mice Reithrodontomys raviventris Presented at College of Science and Math Symposium California State University San Luis Obispo 5 01 Sustaita Diego Quickert Patty Finfrock Patterson Laura Barthman Thompson Laureen Estrella Sarah 2011 Kuenzi Amy J ed Salt marsh harvest mouse demography and habitat use in the Suisun Marsh California The Journal of Wildlife Management 75 6 1498 1507 doi 10 1002 jwmg 187 S2CID 84461021 Wilson Don E Reeder DeeAnn M 2005 Mammal Species of the World A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference JHU Press ISBN 9780801882210 a b Golovanova Galina The Biogeography of the Salt Marsh Harvest Mouse Reithrodonomys raviventris Geography 316 Biogeography San Francisco State University Archived from the original on 16 January 2010 About the Salt Marsh Harvest Mouse Salt Marsh Harvest Mouse Retrieved 22 October 2022 Geissel W Shellhammer H Harvey H T 29 November 1988 The Ecology of the Salt Marsh Harvest Mouse Reithrodontomys raviventris in a Diked Salt Marsh Journal of Mammalogy 69 4 696 703 doi 10 2307 1381624 ISSN 0022 2372 JSTOR 1381624 Bias Michael A Morrison Michael L 1 June 2006 Habitat Selection of the Salt Marsh Harvest Mouse and Sympatric Rodent Species Journal of Wildlife Management 70 3 732 742 doi 10 2193 0022 541X 2006 70 732 HSOTSM 2 0 CO 2 ISSN 0022 541X S2CID 86233156 Bias Michael A Morrison Michael L 1999 Movements and Home Range of Salt Marsh Harvest Mice The Southwestern Naturalist 44 3 348 353 JSTOR 30055230 Threatened amp Endangered Animal Species of Point Reyes PDF National Park Service Retrieved 25 September 2016 Sustaita Diego Quickert Patty Finfrock Patterson Laura Barthman Thompson Laureen Estrella Sarah 1 August 2011 Salt marsh harvest mouse demography and habitat use in the Suisun Marsh California The Journal of Wildlife Management 75 6 1498 1507 doi 10 1002 jwmg 187 ISSN 1937 2817 S2CID 84461021 Smith Katherine R Kelt Douglas A November 2019 Waterfowl management and diet of the salt marsh harvest mouse The Journal of Wildlife Management 83 8 1687 1699 doi 10 1002 jwmg 21752 ISSN 0022 541X Hogan C Michael et al 1989 Spinnaker on the Bay Expanded Initial Study Earth Metrics Inc prepared for the city of San Rafael California Researchers seek secrets of Suisun salt marsh harvest mouse Daily Republic 24 June 2011 Retrieved 20 April 2017 Salt Water Science up Close UC Davis 14 April 2014 Retrieved 20 April 2017 Reithrodontomys raviventris NatureServe Explorer 2 0 explorer natureserve org Retrieved 27 April 2023 Category Salt Marsh Harvest Mouse Metavid org Archived from the original on 20 August 2010 Paul Rogers Bay Area News Group 13 February 2009 Bay Area mouse spurs national debate over stimulus bill The Mercury News Retrieved 15 February 2023 Erbe Bonnie 13 February 2009 Republicans Flop On Pelosi Mouse Lie Haven t Learned Environmental Lesson CBS News Retrieved 15 February 2023 Speier Jackie 14 February 2009 The myth of the San Francisco mouse sfgate com Retrieved 15 February 2023 Further reading edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Reithrodontomys raviventris nbsp Wikispecies has information related to Reithrodontomys raviventris Salt Marsh Harvest Mouse Working Group Website Why a Mouse Matters Bay Nature Magazine National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Mammals ed by John O Whitaker Jr Chanticleer Press 1997 ISBN 0 679 44631 1 Whitaker Jr J O NatureServe 2018 Reithrodontomys raviventris IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018 e T19401A22385344 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2018 1 RLTS T19401A22385344 en Retrieved 12 November 2021 Database entry includes a brief justification of why this species is vulnerable and the criteria used Shellhammer Howard A marsh is a marsh is a marsh but not always to a salt marsh harvest mouse PDF Retrieved 7 September 2016 Smith Katherine 2014 Effects of Natural and Anthropogenic Change on Habitat Use and Movement of Endangered Salt Marsh Harvest Mice UC Davis Salt water science up close External links edit Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Salt marsh harvest mouse amp oldid 1179295492, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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