Mitchell's bouncy mouse
| Mitchell's bouncy mouse | ||||||||||||
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Mitchell's jumping mouse ( Notomys mitchellii ) |
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Notomys mitchellii | ||||||||||||
| ( Ogilby , 1838) |
Mitchell's bouncy mouse ( Notomys mitchellii ) is a rodent from the genus Australian bouncy mice ( Notomys ). It occurs in Western and South Australia. It was described in 1838 by William Ogilby , who named it in honor of the researcher Thomas Livingstone Mitchell , who collected the holotype in 1836 at the confluence of the Murray Rivers and the Murrumbidgee Rivers in southern New South Wales . Earlier scientists considered Mitchell's jumping mouse to be related to the African and Asian jerboa (Dipodidae). However, further research has shown that Australian jumping mice and jerboa are not closely related and that their similar way of life is an expression of convergent evolution .
features
With a head-to-trunk length of 100 to 125 mm and a tail length of 140 to 155 mm, Mitchell's jumping mouse is the largest still existing species of Australian jumping mice. The weight is 40 to 60 g. The upper side is fawn to dark gray-brown and often gray. The underside is greyish-white. The tail is brown or gray on top and lighter on the underside. The tip of the tail consists of a tuft of dark hair. A wide area of shimmering white hair extends from the throat to the chest in both sexes.
distribution and habitat
Mitchell's bouncy mouse inhabits dry bushland dominated by eucalyptus , a type of vegetation known in Australia as "mallee". The distribution area extends from southern Australia over the coastal region of Western Australia to the Big Desert region in Victoria . In the past the species was widespread up to the Murray River.
Way of life
Like all native species of mice in the arid regions of Australia, Mitchell's jumping mouse is nocturnal and seeks shelter in deep burrows during the day. Occasionally, farmers saw this species clearing the undergrowth during the day. Presumably, the animals are either shooed out of their burrows when they are cleared or the surface nests are used by isolated individuals. The diet consists of seeds, a few insects and green plants. In times of drought, roots not only serve as food, but also cover the need for water. Mitchell's bouncy mouse is more dependent on free water than other Australian bouncy mouse species. This could be a reason it is native to the Mallee bushland and the desert fringes.
Outside the mating season, the animals live in mixed-sex groups with up to four individuals per gait system. Each group uses several burrows that are up to 150 m apart. In human care, the animals can live up to five years. From the wild there is only one record of one specimen that has lived for at least two years. The litter consists of one to five cubs (an average of three or four). The gestation period is 38 to 40 days and the young are weaned after approximately 35 days.
status
The IUCN lists Mitchell's bouncy mouse in the “not endangered” category ( least concern ). Although its range is fragmented, it is common and widespread. There are no major threats and it occurs in many protected areas.
literature
- Peter Menkhorst: A Field Guide to the Mammals of Australia. Illustrated by Frank Knight. Oxford University Press, South Melbourne et al. 2001, ISBN 0-19-550870-X , p. 182
- Ronald Strahan (Ed.): The Mammals of Australia. Revised edition. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington 1995, ISBN 1-56098-673-5 , pp. 579-580
Web links
- Notomys mitchellii inthe IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2014.1. Posted by: Morris, K., Robinson, T., Copley, P. & Burbidge, A., 2008. Retrieved July 5, 2014.