362.

Eastern Pebble Mouse

Pseudomys patrius

French: Pseudomys de |'Inkerman / German: Queensland-Australienmaus / Spanish: Raton de guijarros oriental

Other common names: Country Mouse, Eastern Pebble-mnound Mouse, Eastern Pebble-mound Pseudomys, Queensland Pebble-mound Mouse

Taxonomy. Mus patrius Thomas & Dollman, 1909,

Mount Inkerman, Queensland, Australia.

Pseudomys patrius was earlier considered a subspecies of P. delicatulus by many authors, including C. H. S. Watts and H.|. Aslin in 1981, but elevated to species rank again by B.J. Fox and D. A. Briscoe in 1980 and J. A. Mahoney and B. J. Richardson in 1988. A molecular phylogeny by F. Ford in 2006 placed it within a poorly supported

clade that included P. calabyi, P. johnsoni, and P. chapmani . Further work is needed in order to confirm the true taxonomic position of this species. Monotypic.

Distribution. E Queensland, Australia.

Descriptive notes. Head—body 54-77 mm,tail 55-85 mm; weight 10-19 g. The Eastern Pebble Mouse is a small Pseudomys with a brown dorsal pelage and white venter. Tail, of similar length to that of head-body, is pink or gray and has few hairs.

Habitat. Hills with rocky and scrubby areas in dry open woodlands of eucalypts and bloodwoods with grass-dominated understory.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. No information.

Activity patterns. The Eastern Pebble Mouse is terrestrial. It builds mounds of pebbles, under which it constructs burrows for shelterand nesting.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. The Eastern Pebble Mouse is present in several protected areas.

Bibliography. Breed, B. & Ford (2007), Breed, W.G. (2000), Ford (2006, 2008b), Fox & Briscoe (1980), Mahoney & Richardson (1988), Watts & Aslin (1981).