| Abstract |
The old field mouse (Peromyscus polionotus) is distributed throughout northeastern Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and Florida. Certain subspecies occur on beaches and dunes of the Atlantic coast of Florida and the Gulf Coast of Alabama and Florida, and are collectively known as beach mice. These dune dwellings beach mice are distinctly paler than inland representatives of the species, and have been classified into eight subspecies based on minor morphological differences. Three of these subspecies occur along the Atlantic coast of Florida from Jacksonville to Hollywood Beach, and five occur on the Gulf coast from Mobile Bay, Alabama, to Cape San Blas, Florida (Hall, 1981). This recovery plan pertains to three of the Gulf coast subspecies of beach mice, all of which were listed as endangered pursuant to the Endangered Specie Act of 1973 on June 6, 1985 (50 FR 23872): the Alabama beach mouse (Peromyscus polionotus trissyllepsis), and the Choctawhatchee beach mouse (Peromyscus polionotus allophrys). The needs of these three subspecies are collectively addressed in a single recovery plan because: (1) they are closely related systematically, morphologically similar, and have essentially identical habits and life histories; (2) they occur in close proximity to each other; (3) they face nearly identical threats to their continued survival; and (4) recovery efforts for all three will essentially involve the same measures. |
