Peromyscus Polionotus Research Articles

Responses of small rodents to habitat restoration and management for the imperiled Florida Scrub-Jay

Debate about the relative merits of single-species management versus more comprehensive approaches has intensified in recent years. In east-central Florida, USA, land managers use prescribed burns and mechanical cutting to manage and restore scrub habitat to benefit the imperiled Florida Scrub-Jay ( Aphelocoma coerulescens). However, these land-management techniques may affect non-target taxa, especially the threatened southeastern beach mouse ( Peromyscus polionotus niveiventris). We evaluated the collateral effects of single-species land management by trapping P. p. niveiventris and other small rodents in eighteen land-management compartments at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida during 2004–2005. Compartments were managed using either prescribed burns ( N = 5), mechanical cutting ( N = 6), checkerboarding (cut and uncut lanes alternating and overlapping, followed by a prescribed burn, N = 4) or left unburned and uncut for >50 year ( N = 3). P. p. niveiventris was significantly more abundant in compartments managed with prescribed burns (mean ± SE: 4.2 ± 0.7 individuals/transect) than those managed with cutting alone (1.0 ± 0.3) or not managed for >50 y (0.2 ± 0.1 individuals/transect). In contrast, the cotton mouse ( Peromyscus gossypinus) tended to be more abundant in compartments managed with mechanical cutting alone (2.6 ± 0.4 individuals/transect) compared to the other three management strategies (prescribed burns; 1.5 ± 0.4; checkerboarding, 1.1 ± 0.3; not managed, 1.6 ± 0.4 individuals/transect) but these differences were not statistically significant. Abundances of P. p. niveiventris and Florida Scrub-Jay breeding groups were positively correlated ( r = 0.655), suggesting that both listed species benefit from similar management techniques. Thus, the mosaic of burned and cut patches used to improve habitat for the Florida Scrub-Jay also benefits an endemic, non-target species. Single-species management may benefit multiple species when restoration improves their shared habitat, which in this case is an endangered, fire-dependent ecosystem: Florida scrub.

Adaptive genetic variation, stress and glucose regulation

SUMMARY. Elevated glucose levels in the presence of insulin are indicative of type 2 diabetes and the more inclusive metabolic syndrome. Alleles conferring susceptibility to these and other common conditions may be adaptations to past environments. It is possible that other mammals exhibiting environmental diversity harbor similar variants; therefore, we assessed glucose regulation in two species of deer mice (Peromyscus), a diverse endemic North American group. The prairie deer mouse, P. maniculatus bairdii (BW), and the Oldfield mouse, P. polionotus subgriseus (PO) differ in sexual dimorphism, behavior and habitat. PO animals exhibit better regulatory ability than BW animals, particularly among males, although both species display equivalent insulin levels/responses and non-fasted glucose levels. Hybrid males exhibit a PO glucose challenge response and subsequent analysis of consomic animals implicates Y chromosome variation as the genetic cause. Two pieces of evidence indicate that the male glucose regulatory differences are mediated by stress response: (1) fasting and handling alone account for most of the variation; (2) an inhibitor of glucocorticoid (GC) stress hormone synthesis eliminates these differences. PO males have GC levels that are twice those of BW males, indicating the presence of alleles that attenuate the GC response. We hypothesize that the interspecific physiological and behavioral differences are interrelated and that similar human variants exist.

Adaptive genetic variation, stress and glucose regulation

Elevated glucose levels in the presence of insulin are indicative of type 2 diabetes and the more inclusive metabolic syndrome. Alleles conferring susceptibility to these and other common conditions may be adaptations to past environments. It is possible that other mammals exhibiting environmental diversity harbor similar variants; therefore, we assessed glucose regulation in two species of deer mice (Peromyscus), a diverse endemic North American group. The prairie deer mouse, P. maniculatus bairdii (BW), and the Oldfield mouse, P. polionotus subgriseus (PO) differ in sexual dimorphism, behavior and habitat. PO animals exhibit better regulatory ability than BW animals, particularly among males, although both species display equivalent insulin levels/responses and non-fasted glucose levels. Hybrid males exhibit a PO glucose challenge response and subsequent analysis of consomic animals implicates Y chromosome variation as the genetic cause. Two pieces of evidence indicate that the male glucose regulatory differences are mediated by stress response: (1) fasting and handling alone account for most of the variation; (2) an inhibitor of glucocorticoid (GC) stress hormone synthesis eliminates these differences. PO males have GC levels that are twice those of BW males, indicating the presence of alleles that attenuate the GC response. We hypothesize that the interspecific physiological and behavioral differences are interrelated and that similar human variants exist.

The Genetic Basis of Phenotypic Convergence in Beach Mice: Similar Pigment Patterns but Different Genes

Convergent evolution is a widespread phenomenon seen in diverse organisms inhabiting similar selective environments. However, it is unclear if similar phenotypes are produced by the same or different genes and mutations. Here we analyze the molecular mechanisms underlying convergent pigment pattern among subspecies of the beach mouse (Peromyscus polionotus) inhabiting the Gulf and Atlantic coasts of Florida. In these two geographic regions, separated by more than 300 km, "beach mice" have lighter colored coats than do their mainland counterparts, produced by natural selection for camouflage against the pale coastal sand dunes. We measured color pattern in eight beach mouse subspecies and showed that three of the Gulf Coast subspecies are more phenotypically similar to an Atlantic coast subspecies than to their Gulf Coast neighbors. However, light-colored beach mice do not form a monophyletic group. Previous results implicated a single derived amino acid change in the melanocortin-1 receptor (Mc1r) as a major contributor to pigment pattern in the Gulf Coast beach mice; despite phenotypic similarities, the derived Mc1r allele was not found in the Atlantic coast beach mouse populations. Here we show that Atlantic coast beach mice have high levels of Mc1r polymorphism but they lack unique alleles. Functional assays revealed that single amino acid mutations segregating in Atlantic coast beach mice do not cause any change in Mc1r activity compared with the activity of Mc1r from dark-colored mice. These joint results show that convergent pigment patterns in recently diverged beach mouse subspecies--whose developmental constraints are presumably similar--have evolved through a diversity of genetic mechanisms.

Prion Protein Amino Acid Determinants of Differential Susceptibility and Molecular Feature of Prion Strains in Mice and Voles

The bank vole is a rodent susceptible to different prion strains from humans and various animal species. We analyzed the transmission features of different prions in a panel of seven rodent species which showed various degrees of phylogenetic affinity and specific prion protein (PrP) sequence divergences in order to investigate the basis of vole susceptibility in comparison to other rodent models. At first, we found a differential susceptibility of bank and field voles compared to C57Bl/6 and wood mice. Voles showed high susceptibility to sheep scrapie but were resistant to bovine spongiform encephalopathy, whereas C57Bl/6 and wood mice displayed opposite features. Infection with mouse-adapted scrapie 139A was faster in voles than in C57Bl/6 and wood mice. Moreover, a glycoprofile change was observed in voles, which was reverted upon back passage to mice. All strains replicated much faster in voles than in mice after adapting to the new species. PrP sequence comparison indicated a correlation between the transmission patterns and amino acids at positions 154 and 169 (Y and S in mice, N and N in voles). This correlation was confirmed when inoculating three additional rodent species: gerbils, spiny mice and oldfield mice with sheep scrapie and 139A. These rodents were chosen because oldfield mice do have the 154N and 169N substitutions, whereas gerbil and spiny mice do not have them. Our results suggest that PrP residues 154 and 169 drive the susceptibility, molecular phenotype and replication rate of prion strains in rodents. This might have implications for the assessment of host range and molecular traceability of prion strains, as well as for the development of improved animal models for prion diseases.

NATURAL SELECTION ALONG AN ENVIRONMENTAL GRADIENT: A CLASSIC CLINE IN MOUSE PIGMENTATION

We revisited a classic study of morphological variation in the oldfield mouse (Peromyscus polionotus) to estimate the strength of selection acting on pigmentation patterns and to identify the underlying genes. We measured 215 specimens collected by Francis Sumner in the 1920s from eight populations across a 155-km, environmentally variable transect from the white sands of Florida's Gulf coast to the dark, loamy soil of southeastern Alabama. Like Sumner, we found significant variation among populations: mice inhabiting coastal sand dunes had larger feet, longer tails, and lighter pigmentation than inland populations. Most striking, all seven pigmentation traits examined showed a sharp decrease in reflectance about 55 km from the coast, with most of the phenotypic change occurring over less than 10 km. The largest change in soil reflectance occurred just south of this break in pigmentation. Geographic analysis of microsatellite markers shows little interpopulation differentiation, so the abrupt change in pigmentation is not associated with recent secondary contact or reduced gene flow between adjacent populations. Using these genetic data, we estimated that the strength of selection needed to maintain the observed distribution of pigment traits ranged from 0.0004 to 21%, depending on the trait and model used. We also examined changes in allele frequency of SNPs in two pigmentation genes, Mc1r and Agouti, and show that mutations in the cis-regulatory region of Agouti may contribute to this cline in pigmentation. The concordance between environmental variation and pigmentation in the face of high levels of interpopulation gene flow strongly implies that natural selection is maintaining a steep cline in pigmentation and the genes underlying it.

The Evolution of Gene Regulation Underlies a Morphological Difference between Two Drosophila Sister Species

Understanding the mechanisms underlying the morphological divergence of species is one of the central goals of evolutionary biology. Here, we analyze the genetic and molecular bases of the divergence of body pigmentation patterns between Drosophila yakuba and its sister species Drosophila santomea. We found that loss of pigmentation in D. santomea involved the selective loss of expression of the tan and yellow pigmentation genes. We demonstrate that tan gene expression was eliminated through the mutational inactivation of one specific tan cis-regulatory element (CRE) whereas the Tan protein sequence remained unchanged. Surprisingly, we identify three independent loss-of-function alleles of the tan CRE in the young D. santomea lineage. We submit that there is sufficient empirical evidence to support the general prediction that functional evolutionary changes at pleiotropic loci will most often involve mutations in their discrete, modular cis-regulatory elements.

Correction: Adaptive Variation in Beach Mice Produced by Two Interacting Pigmentation Genes

Correction for: Steiner CC, Weber JN, Hoekstra HE (2007) Adaptive variation in beach mice produced by two interacting pigmentation genes. PLoS Biol 5(9): e219. doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.0050219 Figure S2 was erroneously labeled. The caption should read: Figure S2. Genomic Structure of the Agouti Gene Including the Known Cis-Regulatory and Coding Regions (Based on Comparisons of Mammalian BAC Sequences: Mouse, Dog, Human) In addition, there was an omission in the acknowledgments. The following sentence should be included: T. Glenn, N. Schable, and C. Hagen produced microsatellite libraries and provided PmBW clone sequences that were funded by National Institutes of Health grant R01Gm069601 (to M. Dewey and T. Glenn).

Parasitic and Phoretic Arthropods of the Oldfield Mouse (Peromyscus polionotus) from Burned Habitats with Additional Ectoparasite Records from the Eastern Harvest Mouse (Reithrodontomys humulis) and Southern Short-Tailed Shrew (Blarina carolinensis)

We recorded 12 species of parasitic or phoretic arthropods from 112 live-trapped oldfield mice (Peromyscus polionotus) in southeastern Georgia, U.S.A.: 1 species of sucking louse (Hoplopleura hesperomydis), 1 flea (Peromyscopsylla scotti*), 1 bot (Cuterebra fontinella*), 2 ticks (Dermacentor variabilis and Ixodes scapularis), 3 mesostigmatid mites (Androlaelaps fahrenholzi, Haemogamasus liponyssoides,* and Haemogamasus longitarsus*), 2 fur mites (Glycyphagus hypudaei, Radfordia subuliger*), and 2 chiggers (Euschoengastia peromysci* and Leptotrombidium peromysci*) including the first records (asterisked names) for 7 species from this host. We recorded 4 species of arthropods, all of them mites, from 1 eastern harvest mouse (Reithrodontomys humulis): A. fahrenholzi, R. subuliger, E. peromysci,* and L. peromysci,* including 2 new records (asterisked) from this host. We also recorded 6 species of mites from 5 southern short-tailed shrews (Blarina carolinensis): the mesostigmatids Echinonyssus blarinae and H. liponyssoides; the fur mites Asiochirus blarina,* Blarinobia simplex,* and Protomyobia blarinae;* and the chigger Comatacarus americanus,* including 4 new Georgia state records (asterisked) from this host.

Estimating levels of inbreeding using AFLP markers

In the absence of detailed pedigree records, researchers have attempted to estimate individuals' levels of inbreeding using molecular markers, generally making use of heterozygosity measures based on microsatellite markers. Here we report and validate a method for estimating an individual's inbreeding coefficient, f, using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers. We use simulations to confirm that our measure scales appropriately with f when allele frequencies can be estimated from a subset of outbred individuals. We also present an approach for obtaining satisfactory estimates even in the absence of an independent set of known outbred individuals from which to estimate allele frequencies. We then test our method against empirical data from 179 wild and captive-bred old-field mice, Peromyscus polionotus subgriseus, comprising pedigree-based estimates of f, along with genetic data from 94 AFLP markers and 12 microsatellites. Inbreeding estimates based on both AFLP and microsatellite markers were found to correlate strongly with pedigree-based inbreeding coefficients. Owing to their ease of amplification in any species, AFLP markers may prove to be a valuable new tool for estimating f in natural populations and for examining correlations between heterozygosity and fitness.

Old mice, young islands and competing biogeographical hypotheses

Naturally occurring variation within a small rodent species native to the southeastern USA, Peromyscus polionotus, has interested biologists for nearly a century. This species has contributed significantly to our understanding of geographical variation and has often been presented as an example of adaptive evolution. Much of the interest in this organism has been predicated on assumptions that the species is relatively young (<300 000 bp) and that coastal populations have a very recent history (<10 000 bp). To test these assumptions and the prevailing biogeographical hypothesis (Recurrent Invasion), we examined nucleotide sequence data from the cytochrome b and D-loop mitochondrial regions (2449 bp) for 79 samples of P. polionotus collected across the Gulf Coast region of Florida and Alabama. Samples representing Peromyscus maniculatus bairdii, P. m. sonoriensis, P. m. pallescens, and P. keeni were used as outgroups. The degree of cytochrome b divergence (approximately 4.4%) between P. maniculatus and P. polionotus was higher than expected. Analyses consistently indicated that three distinct groups are represented within P. polionotus from the Gulf Coast region. Among these, coastal populations (beach mice) form a monophyletic group and apparently represent a substantially older group (approximately 200 000 year. separation) than previously recognized. Our results were counter to the core assumptions of the existing biogeographical model but were consistent with an alternative hypothesis (Shore-line Tracking) which provides a more parsimonious explanation for the observed patterns. This research provides new insight into the evolutionary history of P. polionotus and highlights the importance of considering biogeographical history when evaluating extant patterns of natural variation.

Responses of Old-field Mice (Peromyscus Polionotus) to Consecutive Days of Live Trapping

We investigated causes of body mass loss associated with consecutive days of live trapping of old-field mice (Peromyscus polionotus) on four small mammal trapping grids in central Florida USA from Mar. 2003 to Dec. 2004. Body mass of P. polionotus declined when live trapped for two consecutive days. Mean mass losses were recorded in all seasons and were significantly different in spring and summer. Temperatures inside live traps were higher than ambient temperatures. Mean number of sunflower seeds ingested was not different between day one and day two of capture, and the total number of sunflower seeds consumed explained a small amount of the variation in body mass loss. Our results suggest that sunflower seeds are not a good source of water necessary to maintain a constant body mass in P. polionotus live trapped on consecutive days, and mass loss is influenced by a combination of seasonal temperature fluctuations and physiological condition of trapped individuals.

Rapid effects of estradiol on male aggression depend on photoperiod in reproductively non-responsive mice

In three genuses and four species of rodents, housing in winter-like short days (8L:16D) increases male aggressive behavior. In all of these species, males undergo short-day induced regression of the reproductive system. Some studies, however, suggest that the effect of photoperiod on aggression may be independent of reproductive responses. We examined the effects of photoperiod on aggressive behavior in California mice ( Peromyscus californicus), which do not display reproductive responsiveness to short days. As expected, short days had no effect on plasma testosterone. Estrogen receptor alpha and estrogen receptor beta immunostaining did not differ in the lateral septum, medial preoptic area, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, or medial amygdala. However, males housed in short days were significantly more aggressive than males housed in long days. Similar to previous work in beach mice ( Peromyscus polionotus), estradiol rapidly increased aggression when male California mice were housed in short days but not when housed in long days. These data suggest that the effects of photoperiod on aggression and estrogen signaling are independent of reproductive responses. The rapid action of estradiol on aggression in short-day mice also suggests that nongenomic mechanisms mediate the effects of estrogens in short days.

Adaptive Variation in Beach Mice Produced by Two Interacting Pigmentation Genes

Little is known about the genetic basis of ecologically important morphological variation such as the diverse color patterns of mammals. Here we identify genetic changes contributing to an adaptive difference in color pattern between two subspecies of oldfield mice (Peromyscus polionotus). One mainland subspecies has a cryptic dark brown dorsal coat, while a younger beach-dwelling subspecies has a lighter coat produced by natural selection for camouflage on pale coastal sand dunes. Using genome-wide linkage mapping, we identified three chromosomal regions (two of major and one of minor effect) associated with differences in pigmentation traits. Two candidate genes, the melanocortin-1 receptor (Mc1r) and its antagonist, the Agouti signaling protein (Agouti), map to independent regions that together are responsible for most of the difference in pigmentation between subspecies. A derived mutation in the coding region of Mc1r, rather than change in its expression level, contributes to light pigmentation. Conversely, beach mice have a derived increase in Agouti mRNA expression but no changes in protein sequence. These two genes also interact epistatically: the phenotypic effects of Mc1r are visible only in genetic backgrounds containing the derived Agouti allele. These results demonstrate that cryptic coloration can be based largely on a few interacting genes of major effect.

Short Days and Estrogen Make for Short Tempers

The nuclear hormone estrogen is reported to increase aggressive behavior in most birds and domesticated mice but to reduce aggression in Bluebanded gobies, California mice, and humans. Trainor et al . present data showing that in their preferred model, male beach mice, estrogen can produce both effects, depending on the season (or, more precisely, the photoperiod to which the animal is exposed). Short, winterlike days cause testicular regression and aggressive behavior in these mice. In castrated mice (in which constant testosterone concentrations were provided by an implant) exposed to short days (8 hours of light and 16 hours of darkness), activation of estrogen receptors increased aggression (measured as the time elapsed before they attacked a male intruder in their home cage). But when the mice were maintained on long days (16 hours of light and 8 of darkness), estrogen treatment caused a decrease in aggression. Microarray analysis of gene expression in an area of the brain associated with aggression showed that the decrease in aggression produced in animals exposed to long days was associated with increased estrogen-dependent gene expression. The opposite effects of estrogen to increase aggression in animals exposed to short days could be detected within 15 minutes, a time frame likely to be too short for transcriptionally mediated effects. Thus, the authors propose that the increased aggression is influenced by nongenomic actions of estrogens. Together, the findings show that the effects of these nuclear receptors on aggressive behavior are highly dependent on environmental cues. B. C. Trainor, S. Lin, M. S. Finy, M. R. Rowland, R. J. Nelson, Photoperiod reverses the effects of estrogens on male aggression via genomic and nongenomic pathways. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 104 , 9840-9845 (2007). [Abstract] [Full Text]

Genetic Relatedness and Spatial Associations of Jointly Captured Alabama Beach Mice (Peromyscus polionotus ammobates)

Genetic relatedness estimates and capture records were used to examine population ecology of endangered Alabama beach mice (Peromyscus polionotus ammobates). Because of their monogamous mating strategy, biparental natal care, and limited dispersal patterns, we hypothesized that beach mice form gamodemes with family groups representing the core units. Under this hypothesis, we predicted that groups of related individuals would utilize common habitat spaces and that nonrandom age or sex associations could occur. To test these predictions, livetrapping data from an 8-year study were used to examine demography and relatedness of mice involved in joint and single captures (4,683 capture events involving 1,404 individuals, of which 949 were genotyped using microsatellite data). Mice were observed in joint captures nonrandomly with respect to age and sex, implying that there are nonrandom spatial associations among beach mice. Specifically, adult females were captured more often than expected with adult males and subadults were involved in joint captures more often than expected. Subadults captured with adults were the most related cocaptures, which, along with parental assignment, provided evidence of familial clustering. Adult male‐female cocaptures were among the least related pairings, suggesting that inbreeding avoidance may play a role in mate choice.

Population genetics and conservation of the threatened southeastern beach mouse (Peromyscus polionotus niveiventris): subspecies and evolutionary units

We investigated genetic diversity within the southeastern beach mouse (SEBM-Peromyscus polionotus niveiventris) and also tested the hypothesis that the subspecies recognition of P.p. niveiventris, based on size and color differences, is congruent with this taxon representing a discrete evolutionary lineage. We used ten polymorphic microsatellite loci and mitochondrial cytochrome-b gene DNA sequences to investigate genetic diversity and population structure within the SEBM, and to determine the level of divergence between the SEBM and the nearest known inland subspecies of the oldfield mouse (Peromyscus polionotus rhoadsi). Moderate genetic distances were observed between the SEBM and the inland oldfield mouse based on microsatellite data, with F ST values ranging from 0.11 to 0.22 between these taxa. Additionally, mitochondrial DNA haplotypes of the SEBM formed a distinct monophyletic group relative to haplotypes sampled from P. p. rhoadsi. Based on previous estimates of rates of mitochondrial DNA evolution in rodents, we inferred that Pleistocene sea-level fluctuations are likely responsible for the historical isolation of the SEBM lineage from mainland P. polionotus. Our data demonstrate the genetic distinctiveness of the SEBM, justifying the current subspecies designation for the SEBM and its continued protection under the United States Endangered Species Act. We classify the Cape Canaveral and Smyrna Dunes Park populations of SEBM as a single evolutionary significant unit. The two known extant allopatric populations of the SEBM showed some differentiation in microsatellite frequencies and were moderately reciprocally distinguishable based on assignment to distinct genetic clusters by a Bayesian admixture procedure. These results justify the classification of these two extant SEBM populations as distinct management units that should be independent targets of management and conservation attention.

A Single Amino Acid Mutation Contributes to Adaptive Beach Mouse Color Pattern

Natural populations of beach mice exhibit a characteristic color pattern, relative to their mainland conspecifics, driven by natural selection for crypsis. We identified a derived, charge-changing amino acid mutation in the melanocortin-1 receptor (Mc1r) in beach mice, which decreases receptor function. In genetic crosses, allelic variation at Mc1r explains 9.8% to 36.4% of the variation in seven pigmentation traits determining color pattern. The derived Mc1r allele is present in Florida's Gulf Coast beach mice but not in Atlantic coast mice with similar light coloration, suggesting that different molecular mechanisms are responsible for convergent phenotypic evolution. Here, we link a single mutation in the coding region of a pigmentation gene to adaptive quantitative variation in the wild.

(229) Fertility Affects Cutting Production and Quality of Rooted Cuttings of Iva imbricata

Seacost Marshelder (Iva imbricata Walter [Asteraceae]), a dominant Atlantic and Gulf region seashore plant, is a broad-leaved plant with a potential for building and stabilizing foredunes in the South Atlantic coast of the United States, and is recognized as an important food for beach mice. Two experiments were conducted where nursery liners were potted as stock plants and produced at four rates of fertility using Osmocote Plus (15N:9P2O5: 12K2O; 8–9 m formulation) applied as a top dress at 5.5, 11.0, 15.0, and 21.0 g/3.7-L container. The experiment was arranged as a CRD with 12 single-plant replicates of each fertility rate. Stock plant growth, cutting production, and subsequent rooting characteristics (percent rooting, root number, length) were evaluated for cuttings harvested at each of four harvests (30-day interval). Stock plant height increased as fertility rate increased for all harvests. After the first harvest, plant height did not differ among fertility rates above 5.5 g. Growth indices demonstrated that a 21.0-g application of fertilizer was necessary to increase stock plant size. The number of cuttings produced per stock plant increased linearly with increasing rate of fertility for all harvests. Cutting weight of individual cuttings increased linearly with an increase in fertilizer rate for harvests one and two, but cutting weight did not differ thereafter. The rooting response differed depending on the time of harvest. Percent rooting decreased with an increase in fertility rate for harvests two and three. Increased fertility rate did result in a decrease in root number for harvest one, but no further decrease was evident thereafter. Root length did not differ among harvest dates or fertility rates.

Sixty polymorphic microsatellite markers for the oldfield mouse developed in Peromyscus polionotus and Peromyscus maniculatus

AbstractWe isolated and characterized 60 novel microsatellite markers from the closely related oldfield mouse (Peromyscus polionotus) and deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus) for studies of conservation, ecological, quantitative and population genetics. We assessed all 60 markers in a wild population of Peromyscus polionotus rhoadsi (N = 20) from central Florida and found an average of nine alleles per marker and an observed heterozygosity (HO) of 0.66 (range = 0.00–1.00). These polymorphic markers contribute to the growing number of genomic resources for Peromyscus, an emerging model system for ecological and evolutionary research.