White-footed mouse
A rodent capable of carrying the types of hantavirus that cause HPS (hantavirus pulmonary syndrome) in the US.
The white-footed mouse is hard to distinguish from the deer mouse.
The head and body together are about four inches long.
Its tail is normally shorter than its body (about 2 to 4 inches long).
Topside, its fur ranges from pale brown to reddish brown, while its underside and feet are white.
The white-footed mouse is found through southern New England, the Mid-Atlantic and southern states, the midwestern and western states, and Mexico.
It prefers wooded and brushy areas, although sometimes it will live in more open ground.
Scientific name: Peromyscus leucopus