Abstract
We examined geographic variation in length of tail, as well as length of body, ear, and hindfoot, in white-footed mice ( Peromyscus leucopus ) in Kansas. Lengths of body and ear exhibited no pattern of geographic variation, whereas clinal change was observed for lengths of hindfoot and tail. Length of hindfoot decreased from eastern to western Kansas; however, this pattern disappeared when length of hindfoot was standardized for length of body. Length of tail increased from east to west and south to north, with length of tail 15% greater in northwestern than southeastern Kansas. In contrast to length of hindfoot, the pattern in length of tail was not related to size of body and was, in fact, strengthened when length of tail was standardized for length of body. This geographic pattern in length of tail suggests that P. leucopus becomes more arboreal, rather than more terrestrial, from east to west and south to north across Kansas.
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