Forrest's mouse
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The Forrest's mouse (''Leggadina forresti''), or desert short-tailed mouse, is a small species of
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 ...
in the family Muridae. It is a widespread but sparsely distributed species found across arid and semi-arid inland Australia, commonly found in
tussock grassland Tussock grassland is a form of open grassland that is dominated by tussock grasses (also called bunchgrasses). It is common in some temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands ecoregions of the Southern Hemisphere. Tussock grasslands are usually ...
, chenopod shrubland, and mulga or savannah woodlands.


Description

The Forrest's mouse is a small mouse weighing between ,Menkhorst, P., and Knight, F. (2001). ''A field Guide to the Mammals of Australia''. Oxford University Press South Melbourne, p.184 but recorded to . Short, thick tail that is distinctly less than (60-70%) of the combined head and body length.Department of the Environment and Heritage. (2014). ''Forrest's mouse - profile.'' http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/threatenedSpeciesApp/profile.aspx?id=10456. Retrieved October 5, 2014. Body is thickset with a broad, blunt muzzle, and relatively small ears and eyes. Upperparts are a thick, lustrous and short fur of pale yellow brown or greyish fawn, with a pencilling of darker hairs, and small white patches behind the ears. There is a strong demarcation to white under the lower jaw, chin and feet, with the sparsely haired tail grey above and pale grey below, and the ears rounded and pinkish-grey.


Taxonomy

Oldfield Thomas first identified ''Leggadina forresti'' in 1906 from a specimen collected at Alexandria Station 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 ...
.Watts, C. H. S., and Aslin, H. J. (1981). ''The Rodents of Australia.'' Angus and Robertson, Australia, pp. 207-212 The genus ''Leggadina'' contains two species, both found in Australia including ''Leggadina forresti'' and the tropical short-tailed mouse, or
Lakeland Downs mouse The Lakeland Downs mouse (''Leggadina lakedownensis'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found only in Australia. Its natural habitat is dry savanna A savanna or savannah is a mixed woodland- grassland (i.e. grassy woodl ...
''Leggadina lakedownensis'', which is found in moist tussock grassland and tropical savannah of coastal northern Australia. Several synonyms exist for this species: * ''Mus forresti'' (Thomas, 1906) * ''Pseudomys messorius'' (Thomas, 1925) * ''Pseudomys waitei'' (Troughton, 1932) * ''Gyomys berneyi'' (Troughton, 1936)


Distribution

Widespread but sparsely distributed across much of arid and semi-arid inland Australia, from eastern
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 ...
to Rolleston in central
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 ...
, the Barkly Tableland in the Northern Territory to Cockburn,
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 ...
. 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 ...
, has been recorded 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 ...
, Tibooburra, and as sub-fossil remains at
Mutawintji National Park The Mutawintji National Park, formerly the Mootwingee National Park, is a protected national park that is located in the Far West region of New South Wales, in eastern Australia. The national park is situated approximately west of Sydney and ab ...
.


Conservation Status

The species was previously listed as Lower Risk/near threatened in 1996 on the
IUCN Red List The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, also known as the IUCN Red List or Red Data Book, founded in 1964, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biol ...
of Threatened Species, but was reassessed in 2008 as a species of least concern. The Forrest's mouse is not listed under the Australian
Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 The ''Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999'' (Cth) is an Act of the Parliament of Australia that provides a framework for protection of the Australian environment, including its biodiversity and its natural and cult ...
, but is listed as Vulnerable in NSW on Schedule 2 of the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995.


Ecology and Habitat

A nocturnal and
terrestrial animal Terrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g. cats, dogs, ants, spiders), as compared with aquatic animals, which live predominantly or entirely in the water (e.g. fish, lobsters, octopuses), and amphibian ...
, the Forrest's mouse shelters during the day in a grass nest in shallow burrows (possibly at the base of spinifex tussocks), and also in cracks in the soil. Although little is known on the population dynamics and social organisation of the species, it is thought they are a solitary animal, occurring in low densities regardless of habitat suitability. Individuals have been recorded entering a state of
torpor Torpor is a state of decreased physiological activity in an animal, usually marked by a reduced body temperature and metabolic rate. Torpor enables animals to survive periods of reduced food availability. The term "torpor" can refer to the time ...
in both captivity and the wild, and longevity is estimated to be 1.5 to 2 years.NPWS. (2002). ''Forrest's mouse (Leggadina forresti) and Sandy Inland Mouse (Pseudomys hermannsburgensis) Recovery Plan''. NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, Hurstville, NSW. http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/resources/nature/approvedSandyforest.pdf Retrieved October 5, 2014. Habitats are varied and include: riparian Coolabah forest, tussock grassland, stony
saltbush Saltbush is a vernacular plant name that most often refers to '' Atriplex'', a genus of about 250 plants distributed worldwide from subtropical to subarctic regions. ''Atriplex'' species are native to Australia, North and South America, and Eurasia. ...
plains, mulga and savannah woodlands, chenopod shrubland and sandy ridges, and cracking clay pans.


Reproduction

The reproductive rate of Forrest's mouse peaks during winter and spring, with some breeding occurring in autumn, and thought to be related to rainfall. Litter size is usually of three to four young, with a gestation period of 35 days, and a
weaning Weaning is the process of gradually introducing an infant human or another mammal to what will be its adult diet while withdrawing the supply of its mother's milk. The process takes place only in mammals, as only mammals produce milk. The infan ...
period of 28 days, when the young reach around in weight. It is unclear as to the age at which individuals reach sexual maturity.


Diet

The Forrest's mouse has a varied diet, and is considered an omnivore. Food items identified include seeds, green plant stems and leaves, arthropods including beetles and spiders, and fungi. Assessment of stomach contents concluded the major food item was seed (47%), followed by arthropods at 27%, with the remainder consisting of stem and leaf material. It is generally thought that the Forrest's mouse does not rely on standing water for drinking, as it obtains sufficient moisture from its diet in a similar fashion to other well adapted desert rodents.


Predators

The Forrest's mouse is subject to predation by both introduced animals and native predators. Both feral cats ''Felus catus'' and the European red fox ''Vulpes vulpes'' have been recorded as preying on the Forrest's mouse in Queensland, which has been identified as a contributing factor in the decline of native rodents. The barn owl ''Tyto alba'' is known to prey on the species in South Australia, and other birds of prey recorded consuming the Forrest's mouse include the letter-winged kite ''Elanus scriptus'' in the Simpson Desert. In assessing the risk of dingo ''Canis lupus dingo'' predation to threatened vertebrates in western NSW after re-introduction, it was found that the Forrest's mouse faced a high risk of predation from dingoes, based on bodyweight, behaviour and habitat.


Threats

Heavy
grazing In agriculture, grazing is a method of animal husbandry whereby domestic livestock are allowed outdoors to roam around and consume wild vegetations in order to convert the otherwise indigestible (by human gut) cellulose within grass and other ...
and the trampling of habitat by domestic stock, feral goats, rabbits and pigs has been identified as a threat to the Forrest's mouse. Grazing by stock affects native rodents through the removal of shrubs and grasses that provide food and shelter, and powder and compact the topsoil, which makes burrowing difficult or impossible. This can also make the Forrest's mouse more vulnerable to predation, and reduces the ability to move between isolated habitats. Predation by feral cats and foxes is considered a threat to the Forrest's mouse, and exotic species such as the house mouse ''Mus domesticus'' have the ability to sustain the population of predators. The house mouse, along with other introduced herbivores compete with the Forrest's mouse for food resources and habitat. The loss of habitat through inappropriate or altered fire regimes is recognised as a threatening process for native rodents, however it is unclear as to whether the Forrest's mouse is adversely affected by current fire regimes, or what requirements are needed in terms of fire history. The use of 1080 poison(sodium monofluoroacetate) in pest control has the potential to poison the Forrest's mouse through the ingestion of baits, and the use of pesticides for the control of locusts may also represent a threat. The introduction of standing water through farm dams and irrigation schemes has the potential to attract potential predators and competitors of the Forrest's mouse, and serve as focal point for herbivores and the modification of vegetation through grazing. A loss of habitat through the clearing of trees, shrubs and grasses, the removal of ground debris and loss of hollows have also been identified as a threat to the survival of the Forrest's mouse.


References


External links


DECC on the Forrest's Mouse
{{Taxonbar, from=Q306649 Leggadina Mammals of Western Australia Mammals of South Australia Mammals of the Northern Territory Mammals of New South Wales Mammals of Queensland Rodents of Australia Mammals described in 1906 Taxa named by Oldfield Thomas Taxonomy articles created by Polbot