Robert L. Packard

“ From Baiomys musculus grisescens (paratypes, from Comayabuela, to the south, B. m. handleyi differs in: buff-colored hairs in dorsal and ventral region lacking; fore- and hind-feet white, not flesh-colored with gray overtones; tail bicolored, not unicolored; face paler, lacking buff-brown coloration; anterior tips of nasals squared rather than flaring; tail and upper molar tooth-row significantly longer (see Table 1) ; hind foot, ear from notch, and rostrum longer; braincase averaging broader (see Table 2) . ”

“ Remarks.—B. m. pullus is the darkest dorsally of any subspecies of this species. Dalquest (1953:156) pointed out that preserved specimens of one of the subspecies of the northern pygmy mouse, Baiomys taylori taylori, tended to fade considerably over a period of four years. Post-mortem changes in color also are apparent in the southern species musculus. For example, the series of specimens from 8 mi. ”

“ NNW Esteli, Nicaragua, have faded from near Chaetura Black to the present Fuscous-Black in a period of two years. The most notable change in color came after the first six months of preservation. Allowing for this fading, the [Pg 402] several color differences between pullus, nigrescens and grisescens are, nevertheless, distinctive.
Table 1.—Analysis of Variation in Adults of Four Subspecies of Baiomys Musculus (measurements in millimeters)
Geographically, pullus is partly isolated by the Cerros De Villaguaire and the Cerros El Zapotillo to the west and the Cerros De Azaculapa to the north. ”