351.

Desert Mouse

Pseudomys desertor

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.

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).