Australian mice
| Australian mice | ||||||||||||
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| JE Gray , 1832 |
The Australian mice ( Pseudomys ) are a genus of rodents from the subfamily of Old World mice (Murinae). The genus includes 23 species , two of which are extinct.
General
Australian mice are rather unspecialized, mouse-like rodents. They reach a head body length of 6 to 16 centimeters, the tail measures 6 to 18 centimeters and the weight is 12 to 90 grams. Their fur is usually soft, the top is colored in different shades of yellow, brown or gray, the belly is usually whitish-yellow or light gray.
The distribution area of the Australian mice includes all of Australia and southern New Guinea . They inhabit a wide variety of habitats including sandy desert areas , scrublands, swamps, and forests . They are generally nocturnal and spend the day in self-dug burrows. Many species live in small groups in which several animals inhabit a burrow together, but there are also solitary species such as Pseudomys desertor . The diet of these animals consists of seeds, roots and other plant material, to a small extent also from insects.
After a gestation period of around 28 to 40 days, the female usually gives birth to three to five young. After about two weeks, their eyes open and after 22 to 30 days they are weaned.
The colonization of Australia by Europeans has brought about great changes for some species through the destruction of their habitat and the introduction of predators such as cats . Two species have become extinct, some more are on the IUCN as "critically endangered" ( endangered ), "at risk" ( vulnerable ) or "low risk" ( near threatened ) classified (see list below).
Systematics
Within the old world mice, the Australian mice are the namesake of the Pseudomys genus group, a group primarily native to Australia. This includes even the Australian rabbit rat ( Conilurus ), the Australian bunny rats ( Leporillus ), the Australian broad-toothed rat ( Mastacomys ), the Australian tree rats ( Mesembriomys ), the Australian Hüpfmäuse ( Notomys ), the Australian Dick tail rats ( Zyzomys ) and the genus leggadina .
According to genetic studies by Lecompte et al. (2008) the animals of the Pseudomys group are part of a radiation of the old world mice, the hydromyini, which is mainly found in New Guinea and Australia. This radiation also includes the Chrotomys group , the Hydromys group , the Lorentzimys group , the Pogonomys group , the Uromys group and the Xeromys group . However , they are only distantly related to the actual mice ( Mus ).
23 species are recognized:
- Pseudomys albocinereus lives in southwestern Western Australia.
- Pseudomys apodemoides lives in southeastern Australia.
- Pseudomys australis isnative tothe Eyre basin. The species is considered "endangered".
- Pseudomys bolami occurs in southern Australia.
- Pseudomys calabyi lives in a small area in the north of the Northern Territory. It is also "at risk".
- Pseudomys chapmani is native to the Pilbara region in Western Australia.
- Pseudomys delicatulus is found in much of northern Australia.
- Pseudomys desertor inhabits desert areas in the interior of Australia.
- Pseudomys fieldi is extinct on the mainland but still lives on the Bernier and Dorre Islands . That is why it is listed as "at risk".
- Pseudomys fumeus lives in a small area in Victoria and New South Wales . It is considered "critically endangered".
- Pseudomys glaucus is extinct. The species used to be found on the east coast of Australia.
- Pseudomys gouldii is also extinct. It used to be common in southern Australia.
- Pseudomys gracilicaudatus lives on the east coast of Queensland and New South Wales.
- Pseudomys hermannsburgensis lives in sandy regions in western and central Australia.
- Pseudomys higginsi is extinct on the mainland, but isstill commonin Tasmania .
- Pseudomys johnsoni occurs in Western Australia, Queensland and the Northern Territory. The originally independent taxon Pseudomys laborifex (from the northwest coast of Australia) is now considered a synonym of Pseudomys johnsoni .
- Pseudomys nanus is native to northern Western Australia and the northern Northern Territory.
- Pseudomys novaehollandiae occurs on the southeast coast of Australia. It is considered "at risk".
- Pseudomys occidentalis lives in southwestern Western Australia.
- Pseudomys oralis lives in a small area in Queensland and New South Wales. It is also "at risk".
- Pseudomys patrius is native to the Queensland coast.
- Pseudomys pilligaensis is found in only one area in New South Wales. Their degree of risk is unclear.
- Pseudomys shortridgei lives in heathland areas in southern Australia. It is listed as “not at risk”.
literature
- Ronald M. Nowak: Walker's Mammals of the World. 2 volumes. 6th edition. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD et al. 1999, ISBN 0-8018-5789-9 .
- Don E. Wilson , DeeAnn M. Reeder (Eds.): Mammal Species of the World. A taxonomic and geographic Reference. 2 volumes. 3. Edition. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD 2005, ISBN 0-8018-8221-4 .
- Emilie Lecompte, Ken Aplin, Christiane Denys, François Catzeflis, Marion Chades, Pascale Chevret: Phylogeny and biogeography of African Murinae based on mitochondrial and nuclear gene sequences, with a new tribal classification of the subfamily. In: BMC Evolutionary Biology. Vol. 8, 199, 2008, pp. 1-21, doi : 10.1186 / 1471-2148-8-199 .
