Pseudomys desertor (Troughton, 1932)
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publication ID |
https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.6887260 |
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DOI |
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6811244 |
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persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/1E30E275-34A4-FF15-E156-2FEB746F8A30 |
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treatment provided by |
Carolina |
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scientific name |
Pseudomys desertor |
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Desert Mouse
Pseudomys desertor View in CoL
French: Pseudomys déserteur / German: \Wiisten-Australienmaus / Spanish: Raton de desierto
Other common names: Desert Pseudomys
Taxonomy. Gyomys desertor Troughton, 1932 ,
Central Australia, Australia. According to phylogenetic studies of F.
Ford in 2006 and B. Breed and Ford in 2007, P. desertor belongs to a cladethat includes P. shortridge :, but the genus is in need of taxonomic revision. Monotypic.
Distribution. C arid zone and semiarid tropical N & C Queensland, Australia. View Figure
Descriptive notes. Head-body 70-110 mm, tail 80-103 mm, ear 10-15 mm, hindfoot 20-22 mm; weight 11-35 g. The Desert Mouse is characterized by a bright chestnut-brown dorsal pelage with long, dark guard hairs, giving a spiny aspect, and a light gray-brown ventral pelage. Tail is bicolored, equal to or shorter than head-body length. Eyes are large and encircled by a pale orange ring.
Habitat. Found in a wide range of subtropical and arid-zone savanna woodland, shrubland, and grassland vegetation types.
Food and Feeding. The Desert Mouse is folivorous; diet includes grass, seeds, tips of plants, and rhizomes.
Breeding. Gestation lasts 27-28 days, and litteris of 1-4 young. Young are weaned after three weeks and become mature in 2-3 months.
Activity patterns. Desert Mice are terrestrial and partly diurnal.
Movements, Home range and Social organization. The Desert Mouse has a dispersed social organisation.
Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. Despite some population fluctuations, the Desert Mouse still has a rather widespread distribution and is found in protected areas. Population size fluctuates with rainfall, and Desert Mice can be locally abundant during some favorable periods.
Bibliography. Breed & Ford (2007), Ford (2006), Happold (1976b), Kerle et al. (2008), Kutt et al. (2004), Menkhorst (1995), Read et al. (1999), Tate (1951), Watts & Aslin (1981).
No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.
