Perognathus longimembris pacificus Mearns, 1898:299
Pacific pocket mouse
Taxonomy & Nomenclature
Synonym/s: Perognathus pacificus Mearns, 1898:299; Perognathus longimembris cantwelli (according to Huey, 1939)
Conservation Status
Rediscovered in: 1993
Distribution & Habitat
shore of Pacific Ocean, San Diego County, California, USA
Biology & Ecology
Hypodigm
Type Locality: "Mexican boundary monument No. 258, shore of Pacific Ocean, San Diego Co., California" (Williams, 1986:24).
Media
References
Original scientific description:
Mearns, E. A. (1898). Descriptions of three new forms of pocket mice from the Mexican border of the United States. Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist. 10: 299-320.
Other references:
Bailey, V. (1939). The solitary lives of two little pocket mice. J. Mamm. 20: 325-328.
Bratt, Abby E., Brehme, Cheryl S., Fisher, Robert N., Bertoia, Aaron J. and Mackenzie, Darryl I. (2026). Unraveling abundance from occurrence: Modeling an endangered rodent population with low capture probability. Ecological Applications 36: e70179. https://doi.org/10.1002/eap.70179
Brehme, C. S., D. T. Adsit-Morris, T. K. Edgarian, and R. N. Fisher. 2019. “Marine Corps Base, Camp Pendleton Pacific Pocket Mouse Monitoring Results for 2018 with Trend Analysis from 2012 to 2018.” Restricted-File Federal Interagency Report Prepared by the U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey, San Diego Field Station USGS Western Ecological Research Center, San Diego, CA for use by the Assistant Chief of Staff, Environmental Security, U.S. Marine Corps Base, Camp Pendleton, Camp Pendleton, California.
Brehme, C. S., S. K. Thomsen, D. Adsit-Morris, and R. N. Fisher. 2023. “Interactions among Rainfall, Fire, Forbs and Non-Native Grasses Predict Occupancy Dynamics for the Endangered Pacific Pocket Mouse (Perognathus longimembris pacificus) in a Mediterranean-Type Ecosystem.” Global Ecology and Conservation 47: e02640.
Brehme, C. S., T. A. Matsuda, D. T. Adsit-Morris, D. R. Clark, M. A. T. Burlaza, J. B. Sebes, and R. N. Fisher. 2019. Track Tube Construction and Field Protocol for Small Mammal Surveys with Emphasis on the Endangered Pacific Pocket Mouse (Perognathus longimembris pacificus). U.S. Geological Survey Techniques and Methods, 18 pp.
Godfrey, Sarah. (2018). Spatial Distribution of the Endangered Pacific Pocket Mouse (Perognathus longimembrus ssp. pacificus) Within Coastal Sage Scrub Habitat at Dana Point Headlands Conservation Area. Thesis, University of Southern California. xi + 79 pp.
Grinnell, J. (1933). Review of the Recent mammal fauna of California. Univ. California Publ. Zool., 40: 71-284.
Huey, L. M. (1939). The silky pocket mice of southern California and northern Lower California, Mexico, with the description of a new race. Trans. San Diego Sac. Nat. Hist. 11: 47-54.
King, Shauna N. D., Greggor, Alison L. and Shier, Debra M. (2026). Effects of forage-based enrichment on the ex-situ nightly activity budget of the endangered Pacific pocket mouse, Perognathus longimembris pacificus. Applied Animal Behaviour Science. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2026.106938
M'Closkey, R.T. 1972. Temporal Changes in populations and species diversity in a California rodent community. J. Mamm. 53: 657-676.
Meserve, P. L. (1976). Food relationships of a rodent fauna in a California coastal sage community. J. Mamm. 57: 300-319.
Patton, J. L., and R. N. Fisher. 2023. “Taxonomic Reassessment of the Little Pocket Mouse, Perognathus longimembris (Rodentia, Heteromyidae) of Southern California and Northern Baja California.” Therya 14: 131.
von Bloeker, J.C., Jr. 1930. Extension of range of Perognathus pacificus. J. Mamm., 11: 431-432.
von Bloeker, J.C., Jr. 1931. Perognathus pacificus from the type locality. J. Mamm., 12:369-372.
von Bloeker, J. C., Jr. (1932). [P. pacificus recombined as P. l. pacificus]. Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, 45:128.
Williams, Daniel F. (1986). Mammalian Species of Special Concern in California. Prepared for the state of California, the Resources Agency, Department of Fish and Game, Sacramento, CA 95814. vi + 100 pp.
http://mynewsla.com/orange-county/2016/06/07/save-the-mice-endangered-once-thought-to-be-extinct-move-to-laguna/
http://www.imperialvalleynews.com/index.php/news/latest-news/12709-pacific-pocket-mouse-program-hits-major-milestone.html
https://timesofsandiego.com/opinion/2017/10/11/tiny-mouse-huge-success-story-endangered-species-act/
https://extinctanimals.proboards.com/thread/6439/pacific-pocket-mouse