Noteworthy Record of the Woodland Jumping Mouse (Napaeozapus Insignis) in Western South Carolina

Abstract

The woodland jumping mouse (Napaeozapus insignis) is a boreal species that resides in high elevation, mesic habitats throughout the Appalachian Mountains. This species can be identified by its defining characteristics such as its enlarged hindlimbs, long white-tipped tail, and lack of a fourth upper premolar. While conducting an inventory survey on the banks of Lake Jocassee, we captured a single woodland jumping mouse specimen at an elevation of 251 m asl. This captured specimen represents the lowest known elevational observation of the species in the southern Appalachian Mountains.