Taiwan field mouse

The Taiwan field mouse, also called Formosan wood mouse (Apodemus semotus), is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found only in Taiwan.^[1][2]

Taiwan field mouse
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Rodentia
Family:	Muridae
Genus:	Apodemus
Species:	A. semotus
Binomial name
Apodemus semotus Thomas, 1908

The Taiwan field mouse is primarily distributed in the montane region between 1,400 and 3,000 m.^[3] They inhabit various habitat types, such as natural or planted forests, grasslands, farms, and campsites, and are omnivorous feeding on plants, insects and fungi.^[4]

Based on morphological measurements, it has been suggested that the Taiwan field mouse is not different from the South China field mouse (Apodemus draco), and should not be considered as a separate species.^[5]

The Taiwan field mouse is sexually dimorphic, with male generally larger than females (male: 25.6 ± 0.5 g; female: 23.8 ± 0.5 g^[6]). Mark-capture-recapture data suggest that their life span may be less than 1 year in the wild.^[7]

References

1. Smith, A.T. (2016). "Apodemus semotus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T1902A22424228. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T1902A22424228.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
2. Musser, G. G.; Carleton, M. D. (2005). "Superfamily Muroidea". In Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M. (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 894–1531. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.
3. Yu, H. T. (1994). "Distribution and abundance of small mammals along a subtropical elevational gradient in central Taiwan". Journal of Zoology. 234 (4): 577–600. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7998.1994.tb04866.x.
4. Lin, L. K.; Shiraishi, S. (1992). "Demography of the Formosan wood mouse Apodemus semotus". Journal of the Faculty of Agriculture, Kyushu University. 36 (3/4): 245–266. doi:10.5109/23988.
5. Kaneko, Y. (2011). "Taxonomic status of Apodemus semotus in Taiwan by morphometrical comparison with A. draco, A. peninsulae and A. latronum in China, Korea and Myanmar". Mammal Study. 36: 11–22. doi:10.3106/041.036.0102. S2CID 86147955.
6. Lin, J. W.; Lo, H. Y.; Wang, H. C.; Shaner, P. J. L. (2014). "The effects of mite parasitism on the reproduction and survival of the Taiwan field mice (Apodemus semotus)". Zoological Studies. 53: 79. doi:10.1186/s40555-014-0079-2.
7. Shaner, P. L.; Wu, S. H.; Ke, L.; Kao, S. J. (2013). "Trophic divergence reduces survival in an omnivorous rodent". Evolutionary Ecology Research. 15: 1–14.