The dusky hopping mouse (''Notomys fuscus''), is a small
rodent
Rodents (from Latin , 'to gnaw') are mammals of the order Rodentia (), which are characterized by a single pair of continuously growing incisors in each of the upper and lower jaws. About 40% of all mammal species are rodents. They are n ...
endemic
Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found else ...
to
Australia, inhabiting
desert regions characterised by
sand dunes. Populations have experienced significant declines since the arrival of Europeans, and continue to be subject to threatening processes. It is currently listed as a
threatened species
Threatened species are any species (including animals, plants and fungi) which are vulnerable to endangerment in the near future. Species that are threatened are sometimes characterised by the population dynamics measure of '' critical depen ...
.
Taxonomy
![Adult Dusky Hopping Mouse (Notomys fuscus)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/69/Adult_Dusky_Hopping_Mouse_%28Notomys_fuscus%29.jpg)
The dusky hopping mouse, or Wilkinti,
is a
mammal in the order
Rodentia
Rodents (from Latin , 'to gnaw') are mammals of the order Rodentia (), which are characterized by a single pair of continuously growing incisors in each of the upper and lower jaws. About 40% of all mammal species are rodents. They are nat ...
, and suborder
Sciurognathi
Sciurognathi is a suborder of rodents that includes squirrels, chipmunks, beavers, and many types of mice. The group is characterized by a specific shape to the lower jaw. In sciurognaths, the angular process of the jaw is in the same plane as ...
. The species is in the family
Muridae and the subfamily
Murinae
The Old World rats and mice, part of the subfamily Murinae in the family Muridae, comprise at least 519 species. Members of this subfamily are called murines. In terms of species richness, this subfamily is larger than all mammal families excep ...
(includes all Australian native rats and mice). The dusky hopping mouse belongs to the genus ''
Notomys
A hopping mouse is any of about ten different Australian native mice in the genus ''Notomys''. They are rodents, not marsupials, and their ancestors are thought to have arrived from Asia about 5 million years ago.
All are brown or fawn, fading ...
'', a group of desert-dwelling rodents.
The species was originally described as ''Ascopharynx fuscus'' (Wood Jones 1925) from a specimen collected in
South Australia
South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...
. Subsequent collections were described as ''Notomys fuscus eyreius'' in 1960. Hopping mice collected in
Queensland
)
, nickname = Sunshine State
, image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, establishe ...
between 1957 to 1959 were described as a new species, ''Notomys filmeri,'' however, later
taxonomic investigation revealed these were ''Notomys fuscus.''
Description
![Dusky Hopping Mouse (Notomys fuscus)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b6/Dusky_Hopping_Mouse_%28Notomys_fuscus%29.jpg)
The dusky hopping mouse has pale orange-brown upper parts, occasionally with grey tinged streaks. The under parts are grey-white.
It grows to 80-115 mm long,
with an average weight of 35 g.
The tail is between 120-155 mm long,
ending in a tuft of dark hairs.
They have a well-developed throat pouch, with an opening surrounded by a fleshy margin with inward pointing, coarse white hairs.
Its ears are large and furless for dissipating heat, and they have prominent dark eyes,
and strong
incisor teeth
Incisors (from Latin ''incidere'', "to cut") are the front teeth present in most mammals. They are located in the premaxilla above and on the mandible below. Humans have a total of eight (two on each side, top and bottom). Opossums have 18, wher ...
.
It has short front legs, and long, elongated hind feet.
with only three pads on the sole.
Male reproductive anatomy is distinctive.
The
glans
The glans (, plural "glandes" ; from the Latin word for "acorn") is a vascular structure located at the tip of the penis in male mammals or a homologous genital structure of the clitoris in female mammals.
Structure
The exterior structure ...
is small and tapered towards the tip. The surface has large dorsally projecting spines, with slightly curved tips. The
testes
A testicle or testis (plural testes) is the male reproductive gland or gonad in all bilaterians, including humans. It is homologous to the female ovary. The functions of the testes are to produce both sperm and androgens, primarily testoste ...
are extremely small compared to other native rodents.
Females have two pairs of inguinal teats.
Distribution
![Sub-adult Dusky Hopping Mouse (Notomys fuscus)1](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1c/Sub-adult_Dusky_Hopping_Mouse_%28Notomys_fuscus%291.jpg)
The species historically inhabited large areas of central
Australia, south-west
Queensland
)
, nickname = Sunshine State
, image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, establishe ...
, and far west
South Australia
South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...
,
and
Western Australia
Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to th ...
.
Sub-fossil specimens were found in far-south
South Australia
South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...
, near the
Flinders Ranges
The Flinders Ranges are the largest mountain range in South Australia, which starts about north of Adelaide. The ranges stretch for over from Port Pirie to Lake Callabonna.
The Adnyamathanha people are the Aboriginal group who have inhabit ...
.
Populations were recorded in the
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory (commonly abbreviated as NT; formally the Northern Territory of Australia) is an Australian territory in the central and central northern regions of Australia. The Northern Territory shares its borders with Western Aust ...
, however have not been observed since 1939.
It is highly likely to have occurred in western
New South Wales
)
, nickname =
, image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, es ...
.
Distribution has shown a marked decline of more than 90% since the arrival of Europeans,
with populations now patchy and highly fragmented.
It is currently thought to be restricted to the Cobblers Sandhills and
Strzelecki Desert
The Strzelecki Desert is located in the Far North Region of South Australia, South West Queensland and western New South Wales. It is positioned in the northeast of the Lake Eyre Basin, and north of the Flinders Ranges. Two other deserts occup ...
in north-east
South Australia
South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...
,
south-west
Queensland
)
, nickname = Sunshine State
, image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, establishe ...
and far north-west
New South Wales
)
, nickname =
, image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, es ...
.
The species was presumed to be extinct in
New South Wales
)
, nickname =
, image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, es ...
, before being re-discovered in
Sturt National Park
The Sturt National Park is a protected national park that is located in the arid far north-western corner of New South Wales, in eastern Australia. The national park is situated approximately northwest of Sydney and the nearest town is , awa ...
in 2003.
Since then, a number of sightings have been recorded near
Broken Hill,
New South Wales
)
, nickname =
, image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, es ...
.
Ecology
Habitat
![Strzelecki Desert](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/44/Strzelecki_Desert.jpg)
The preferred habitat of the dusky hopping mouse is the crests and slopes of stabilised desert
sand dunes and ridges,
with sand required for digging burrows.
Dense populations tend to occur only within the vicinity of major
drainage systems.
It does not appear to favour a particular vegetation type, occurring in
dunes
A dune is a landform composed of wind- or water-driven sand. It typically takes the form of a mound, ridge, or hill. An area with dunes is called a dune system or a dune complex. A large dune complex is called a dune field, while broad, fl ...
well-vegetated by
canegrass (''Zygochloa paradoxa''), as well as degraded ecosystems dominated by
ephemeral
Ephemerality (from the Greek word , meaning 'lasting only one day') is the concept of things being transitory, existing only briefly. Academically, the term ephemeral constitutionally describes a diverse assortment of things and experiences, fr ...
herbaceous species.
It has also been associated with
perennial
A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wid ...
shrub species such as
nitre bush (''Nitraria billardierei'') and ''
Acacia'' species.
Behaviour
The dusky hopping mouse is a
social
Social organisms, including human(s), live collectively in interacting populations. This interaction is considered social whether they are aware of it or not, and whether the exchange is voluntary or not.
Etymology
The word "social" derives from ...
species,
living in colonies of up to five individuals.
They live in burrows consisting of vertical shafts with a series of entrances approximately 3 cm in diameter,
leading to a network of horizontal tunnels and chambers
extending up to 2m deep.
''Notomys'' species dig their burrows from below, resulting in an absence of loose sand surrounding the entrance holes.
This species prefers to forage at night in sheltered microhabitats, rather than open areas, to avoid the risk of
predation
Predation is a biological interaction where one organism, the predator, kills and eats another organism, its prey. It is one of a family of common feeding behaviours that includes parasitism and micropredation (which usually do not kill th ...
.
It is an
opportunistic
Opportunism is the practice of taking advantage of circumstances – with little regard for principles or with what the consequences are for others. Opportunist actions are expedient actions guided primarily by self-interested motives. The term ...
,
omnivorous
An omnivore () is an animal that has the ability to eat and survive on both plant and animal matter. Obtaining energy and nutrients from plant and animal matter, omnivores digest carbohydrates, protein, fat, and fiber, and metabolize the nut ...
feeder, however is considered a
granivore
Seed predation, often referred to as granivory, is a type of plant-animal interaction in which granivores (seed predators) feed on the seeds of plants as a main or exclusive food source,Hulme, P.E. and Benkman, C.W. (2002) "Granivory", pp. 13 ...
(74% of the diet).
Green plant material, insects,
and fruits are also eaten.
It does not need to drink water.
The neck throat pouch is a
glandular
In animals, a gland is a group of cells in an animal's body that synthesizes substances (such as hormones) for release into the bloodstream (endocrine gland) or into cavities inside the body or its outer surface (exocrine gland).
Structure
De ...
area, used for marking territories. Females may scent-mark their young, ensuring they acquire a smell that grants them acceptance within the colony.
![Dusky hopping mouse track](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/19/Dusky_hopping_mouse_track.jpg)
Life cycle and reproduction
In the wild, lifespan has been recorded as being up to 13 months of age.
In
captivity, males and females reach
reproductive maturity
Sexual maturity is the capability of an organism to reproduce. In humans it might be considered synonymous with adulthood, but here puberty is the name for the process of biological sexual maturation, while adulthood is based on cultural definiti ...
at 70 days of age.
This species is likely
monogamous, and females may display selectivity in choosing which males will sire offspring.
Breeding is non-seasonal, occurring year-round, in both wet and dry conditions.
Females are observed to be
polyoestrous, with a
gestation period of 32 to 38 days, and a litter size of one to five offspring. An average of 42 days occurs between litters, and the maximum reproductive life for females is approximately 24 months, and males 36 months.
Subpopulations may persist at low but stable numbers, however others exhibit “boom-and-bust” variation, with numbers increasing and decreasing rapidly in response to rainfall and resource availability.
Dispersal and movement
When travelling slowly, hopping mice move on all fours, however they hop on the hind feet when travelling at speed.
Individuals can disperse over large distances to colonise isolated habitats, crossing areas of hard unsuitable substrate.
Foraging distances are up to 400m per night, extending up to 1.5km over three nights.
Individuals inhabiting degraded habitats with limited vegetation and food resources show lower mobility, whereas those inhabiting highly diverse habitats with a wide variety of resources have wider ranging movement patterns.
Threats
Predation
![Feral cat (Felis catus)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/36/Feral_cat_%28Felis_catus%29.jpg)
Introduced predators such as the
red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and
feral cat (Felis catus) have detrimental impacts on dusky hopping mouse populations.
Where
cat
The cat (''Felis catus'') is a domestic species of small carnivorous mammal. It is the only domesticated species in the family Felidae and is commonly referred to as the domestic cat or house cat to distinguish it from the wild members of ...
and
fox
Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush'').
Twelve sp ...
abundance is high, dusky hopping mouse populations decline.
Cats target smaller prey such as
rodents, which can make up a large proportion of their diet.
Native species, such as the
barn owl (''Tyto alba''), frequently consume this species,
as does the
dingo.
Dingoes
The dingo (''Canis familiaris'', ''Canis familiaris dingo'', ''Canis dingo'', or ''Canis lupus dingo'') is an ancient ( basal) lineage of dog found in Australia. Its taxonomic classification is debated as indicated by the variety of scienti ...
may de-populate localised populations of hopping mice within months,
particularly under
drought
A drought is defined as drier than normal conditions.Douville, H., K. Raghavan, J. Renwick, R.P. Allan, P.A. Arias, M. Barlow, R. Cerezo-Mota, A. Cherchi, T.Y. Gan, J. Gergis, D. Jiang, A. Khan, W. Pokam Mba, D. Rosenfeld, J. Tierney, an ...
conditions.
Crest-tailed mulgara (''Dasycercus cristicauda'') have also been recorded eating this species.
Habitat degradation
Livestock
Livestock are the domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to provide labor and produce diversified products for consumption such as meat, eggs, milk, fur, leather, and wool. The term is sometimes used to refer solely to animal ...
,
kangaroos
Kangaroos are four marsupials from the family Macropodidae (macropods, meaning "large foot"). In common use the term is used to describe the largest species from this family, the red kangaroo, as well as the antilopine kangaroo, eastern gre ...
and
rabbits overgraze vegetation required for shelter and food sources,
leading to scalding, wind and
sheet erosion Sheet erosion or sheet wash is the even erosion of substrate along a wide area. It occurs in a wide range of settings such as coastal plains, hillslopes, floodplains, beaches, savanna plains and semi-arid plains. Water moving fairly uniformly with ...
and a shift from
perennial
A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wid ...
, to less productive
ephemeral
Ephemerality (from the Greek word , meaning 'lasting only one day') is the concept of things being transitory, existing only briefly. Academically, the term ephemeral constitutionally describes a diverse assortment of things and experiences, fr ...
plant species.
Livestock
Livestock are the domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to provide labor and produce diversified products for consumption such as meat, eggs, milk, fur, leather, and wool. The term is sometimes used to refer solely to animal ...
also damage habitats by trampling.
Reduced food availability limits hopping mice abundance, and the availability of suitable habitat limits their distribution.
However, higher annual rainfall and more
productive
Productivity is the efficiency of production of goods or services expressed by some measure. Measurements of productivity are often expressed as a ratio of an aggregate output to a single input or an aggregate input used in a production proces ...
ecosystems may buffer the effects of
livestock
Livestock are the domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to provide labor and produce diversified products for consumption such as meat, eggs, milk, fur, leather, and wool. The term is sometimes used to refer solely to animal ...
, by providing more dependable and abundant resources, allowing mice to proliferate.
![Sub-adult Dusky Hopping Mouse (Notomys fuscus)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c3/Sub-adult_Dusky_Hopping_Mouse_%28Notomys_fuscus%29.jpg)
Competition
Competition for food and habitat occurs with the
house mouse (''Mus musculus''),
which increase in abundance more rapidly under favourable conditions, depleting resources and outcompeting the native mice.
The
rabbit (''Oryctolagus cuniculus)'' also competes with dusky hopping mice for food. Declines in
rabbit abundance, and increased resources, following the release of the
Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease Virus
Rabbit hemorrhagic disease (RHD), also known as viral hemorrhagic disease (VHD), is a highly infectious and lethal form of viral hepatitis that affects European rabbits. Some viral strains also affect hares and cottontail rabbits. Mortality rate ...
(RHDV) in
Australia in 1995, saw the dusky hopping mouse increased their extent of occurrence by 241 to 365% over 14 years.
Climate Change
This species experiences natural population declines during dry periods, when food resources are limited, and increase strongly following rainfall events.
Decreases in rainfall, less frequent rainfall events and more frequent
droughts
A drought is defined as drier than normal conditions.Douville, H., K. Raghavan, J. Renwick, R.P. Allan, P.A. Arias, M. Barlow, R. Cerezo-Mota, A. Cherchi, T.Y. Gan, J. Gergis, D. Jiang, A. Khan, W. Pokam Mba, D. Rosenfeld, J. Tierney, an ...
under
climate change
In common usage, climate change describes global warming—the ongoing increase in global average temperature—and its effects on Earth's climate system. Climate change in a broader sense also includes previous long-term changes to ...
may cause declines or
extinctions.
Predation of hopping mice by
dingoes
The dingo (''Canis familiaris'', ''Canis familiaris dingo'', ''Canis dingo'', or ''Canis lupus dingo'') is an ancient ( basal) lineage of dog found in Australia. Its taxonomic classification is debated as indicated by the variety of scienti ...
intensifies under
drought
A drought is defined as drier than normal conditions.Douville, H., K. Raghavan, J. Renwick, R.P. Allan, P.A. Arias, M. Barlow, R. Cerezo-Mota, A. Cherchi, T.Y. Gan, J. Gergis, D. Jiang, A. Khan, W. Pokam Mba, D. Rosenfeld, J. Tierney, an ...
conditions, which may significantly impact populations.
Conservation status
![Dusky Hopping Mouse](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/52/Dusky_Hopping_Mouse.jpg)
The total remaining population is estimated to be between 2,500 and 10,000 individuals.
* International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List: Vulnerable
* Australia: Vulnerable (Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999)
* New South Wales: Endangered (Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 No 63)
* South Australia: Vulnerable (National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972)
* Queensland: Endangered (Nature Conservation Act 1992)
* Northern Territory: Endangered (Territory Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 2000)
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q146477
Notomys
Rodents of Australia
Mammals described in 1925
Nature Conservation Act endangered biota
Vulnerable fauna of Australia