Pseudomys johnsoni Kitchener 1985

357.

Central Pebble Mouse

Pseudomys johnsoni

French: Pseudomys de Johnson / German: Johnson-Australienmaus / Spanish: Raton de guijarros de Australia central

Other common names: Central Pebble-mound Mouse, Central Pebble-mound Pseudomys, Kimberley Mouse

Taxonomy. Pseudomys johnsoni Kitchener, 1985,

Kurinelli Mine, Kurundi Station, Northern Territory, Australia.

Pseudomys johnson: forms a natural group-Ing with other pebble mice that may merit generic distinction from Pseudomys. P. laborifex, described from the Kimberley, north-western Australia, in 1986, was synonymized with johnson: by B. Breed and F. Ford in 2007, and has since been treated as a synonym by all authors. Monotypic.

Distribution. Extends from monsoonal NW Australia through semiarid areas of the mid-Northern Territory to NW Queensland.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 58-76 mm, tail 63-95 mm, ear 11-13 mm, hindfoot 16-18 mm; weight 7-20 g. The Central Pebble Mouse is a small mouse without marked distinctive features in external morphology. It is gray brown above and on sides, with black guard hairs, and white below, including around lowerjaw and chin, and on feet.

Habitat. A range of vegetation types, including low open woodlands, shrublands and hummock grasslands, typically in areas with extensive ground cover of gravel and small stones.

Food and Feeding. No information.

Breeding. The Central Pebble Mouse may have an extended breeding season, with reproduction reported in May, June, and August and in November.

Activity patterns. The Central Pebble Mouse is terrestrial and nocturnal, sheltering during dayin burrow systems. Burrow entrance is surrounded by mound of pebbles covering up to 10 m*. Individuals spend much time in rearranging collections of pebbles, moving pebbles by carrying them in the mouth.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. Densities of 10 mounds/ha have been reported in the Kimberley. The Central Pebble Mouse is a social species, many individuals using the same burrow systems.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern by The IUCN Red List; not listed as threatened under Australian legislation. The Central Pebble Mouse may be threatened by feral cats and extensive fires.

Bibliography. Abbott & Burbidge (1995), Breed & Ford (2007), Ford (2006), Ford & Johnson (2007), Gibson & McKenzie (2012), Jackson & Groves (2015), Kitchener (1985), Kitchener & Humphreys (1986), Start et al. (2012), Van Dyck & Strahan (2008).