Species Profile
Environmental Conservation Online System

Perdido Key Beach mouse (Peromyscus polionotus trissyllepsis)

Kingdom: Animalia
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Family: Muridae

Listing Status:   

Where Listed: WHEREVER FOUND

General Information

The Perdido Key beach mouse has a small body, haired tail, relatively large ears, and protuberant eyes. Its head and body length is 2.7 to 3.3 inches; the tail length is 1.7 to 2.5 inches. The upper parts are colored grayish fawn to wood brown with a very pale yellow hue and an indistinct middorsal stripe. The white of the underparts reaches to the lower border of the eyes and ears, and the tail is white to pale grayish brown with no dorsal stripe. This species is a nocturnal herbivore. Beach mice feed primarily on the seeds of sea oats (Panicum repens) and beach grass (Panicum amarums). When these seeds are scarce, especially in the late winter or early spring, beach mice may consume invertebrates (Ehrhart in Layne, 1978) or fruiting bodies of sea rocket (Cakile) sp. (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1987).

Map of Species occurrence

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Map Image Map of Species occurrence Map of Species occurrence

This map represents our best available information about where a species is currently known to or or is believed to occur; however, it should NOT be used as an official species list for Section 7 Consultation purposes. To obtain an official species list for this purpose, please visit the Information, Planning, and Conservation (IPaC) System (click here: http://ecos.fws.gov/ipac)



This species is listed wherever it is found, but
    • States/US Territories in which the Perdido Key Beach mouse, Entire is known to or is believed to occur:  Alabama , Florida
    • US Counties in which the Perdido Key Beach mouse, Entire is known to or is believed to occur:  View All
Current Listing Status Summary
Status Date Listed Lead Region Where Listed
06/06/1985 Southeast Region (Region 4) Entire

» Federal Register Documents

Most Recent Federal Register Documents (Showing 5 of 12: view all)
Date Citation Page Title
10/12/2006 71 FR 60238 60370 Designation of Critical Habitat for the Perdido Key Beach Mouse, Choctawhatchee Beach Mouse, and St. Andrew Beach Mouse; Final Rule
09/27/2006 71 FR 56545 56547 Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; 5-Year Review of 37 Southeastern Species
06/16/2006 71 FR 35048 35084 Designation of Critical Habitat for the Perdido Key Beach Mouse, Choctawhatchee Beach Mouse, and St. Andrew Beach Mouse reopening of comment period, notice of availability of draft economic analysis, and notice of public hearings.
12/15/2005 70 FR 74426 74549 Critical Habitat for the Perdido Key Beach Mouse, Choctawhatchee Beach Mouse, and St. Andrew Beach Mouse; Proposed Rule
09/26/2000 65 FR 57800 57802 Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; 12-Month Finding for a Petition To Revise Critical Habitat for Alabama Beach Mouse, Perdido Key Beach Mouse, and Choctawhatchee Beach Mouse

» Action Plans

Action Plans (Showing 1 of 1)
Date Title
Perdido Key beach mouse Spotlight Species Action Plan

» Recovery

Recovery Plan Information Search
Current Recovery Plan(s)
Date Title Plan Action Status Plan Status
08/12/1987 Beach Mice (3 spp.) View Implementation Progress Final
Other Recovery Documents (Showing 1 of 1)
Date Citation Page Title Document Type
09/27/2006 71 FR 56545 56547 Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; 5-Year Review of 37 Southeastern Species
  • Notice 5-year Review, Initiation
    • Five Year Review
    Date Title
    09/04/2007 Perdido Key Beach Mouse 5-Year Review

    » Critical Habitat

    Current Critical Habitat Documents (Showing 4 of 4)
    Date Citation Page Title Document Type Status
    10/12/2006 71 FR 60238 60370 Designation of Critical Habitat for the Perdido Key Beach Mouse, Choctawhatchee Beach Mouse, and St. Andrew Beach Mouse; Final Rule Final Rule Final designated
    12/15/2005 70 FR 74426 74549 Critical Habitat for the Perdido Key Beach Mouse, Choctawhatchee Beach Mouse, and St. Andrew Beach Mouse; Proposed Rule Proposed Rule Not Required
    06/06/1985 50 FR 23872 23889 Determination of End. Status & Crit. Hab. for 3 Beach Mice; 50 FR 23872- 23889 Final Rule Not Required
    06/07/1984 49 FR 23794 23804 End. Status & Crit. Hab for Alabama Beach Mouse, Perdido Key Beach Mouse, & Choctawhatchee Beach Mouse; 49 FR 23794-23804 Proposed Rule Not Required

    To learn more about critical habitat please see http://criticalhabitat.fws.gov

    » Conservation Plans

    Habitat Conservation Plans (HCP) (learn more) (Showing 5 of 11: view all)
    HCP Plan Summaries
    Bond, Norton, Residence (PKBM)
    Fel-Kran Plumbing
    Island Club Condo (PKBM)
    Lorelei Condominium (PKBM)
    Marquesa Condominium (PKBM)

    » Petitions

    Most Recent Petition Findings (Showing 5 of 5)
    Date Citation Page Title Finding
    09/26/2000 65 FR 57800 57802 Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; 12-Month Finding for a Petition To Revise Critical Habitat for Alabama Beach Mouse, Perdido Key Beach Mouse, and Choctawhatchee Beach Mouse
  • Notice 12 month petition finding, Warranted
  • Notice Critical Habitat
    • 11/18/1999 64 FR 63004 63005 ETWP; 90-Day Finding for a Petition To Revise Critical Habitat for Alabama Beach Mouse, Perdido Key Beach Mouse, and Choctawhatchee Beach Mouse
  • Notice 90-day Petition Finding, Substantial
  • Notice Critical Habitat
    • 06/18/1993 58 FR 33606 33607 ETWP; 12-Month Finding on Petition to Revise Critical Habitat for Perdido Key Beach Mouse
  • Notice 12 month petition finding, Warranted but precluded
    • 11/24/1992 57 FR 55219 55220 ETWP; 90-Day Finding on Petition to Revise Critical Habitat for Perdido Key Beach Mouse; 57 FR 55219 55220
  • Notice 90-day Petition Finding, Substantial
    • 01/20/1984 49 FR 2485 2488 Findings on Pending Petitions & Description of Progress on Listing Actions; 49 FR 2485-2488
  • Notice 12 month petition finding, Warranted but precluded

    • » Life History

    No Life History information has been entered into this system for this species.

    » Other Resources

    NatureServe Explorer Species Reports -- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

    ITIS Reports -- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.

    Last updated: June 19, 2013