Distribution and Habitat
Because of the physical similarities between the White-ankled mouse and other mice species, the White-ankled mouse is often misidentified. In New Mexico, for example, many of the distribution ranges of the White-ankled mouse were based on misidentified museum specimens. Upon both further review of these specimens and an experiment involving live traps, the actual distribution of the White-ankled mouse in New Mexico was expanded by 225 km north-northwest (Geluso 2004).
When studying the microhabitats of these coexisting mice, it was discovered that the Texas mouse utilizes trees and the White-ankled mouse does not (Etheredge 1989). In an experiment that removed the Texas mice from these cohabitated microhabitats, the White-ankled mice still did not use the trees. These findings suggest the microhabitats on the White-ankled mouse are inherently selected rather than a result of interspecific competition (Mullican 1990).
The White-ankled mouse is partial to rocky and bushy terrains within a variety of habitats: deserts, grasslands and woodlands(Kilpatrick 1971 ).
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