Sandy Inland Mouse - profile

Indicative distribution

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Key:

known

predicted

The areas shown in pink and/purple are the sub-regions where the species or community is known or predicted to occur. They may not occur thoughout the sub-region but may be restricted to certain areas. ( click here to see geographic restrictions). The information presented in this map is only indicative and may contain errors and omissions.

Scientific name: Pseudomys hermannsburgensis

Conservation status in NSW: Vulnerable

Commonwealth status: Not listed

Profile last updated: 07 Sep 2017

Description

Superficially similar to the introduced House Mouse but is more slender, has relatively long ears and tail, more prominent eyes and lacks the musty odour of the house mouse. The Sandy Inland Mouse is greyish-brown to sandy-brown above and off-white below. Adults weigh 9-15g, head and body length is 55-80mm and tail length 70-90mm.

Distribution

Widely but very sparsely distributed over the arid and semi-arid zones of inland Australia. NSW occurrences are only in the far north-west where it is known from seven widely-scattered localities including Fowlers Gap, Sturt National Park, Tibooburra, east of Enngonia, Mutawintji National Park (as subfossil remains), just east of Mutawintji National Park and near Kajuligah Nature Reserve (north of Ivanhoe).

Habitat and ecology

Occurs in a very wide range of open vegetation types including coolibah or Acacia woodlands, tall open shrublands (especially Mulga scrub) and hummock grasslands. Mostly on sands (plains and dunes) and sandy loams, but also in areas of cracking earth soils and gibber plains.
Animals spend the day in burrows up to half a metre deep and a metre long, constructed around the base of shrubs or small trees. They congregate into large groups outside the breeding season and groups of four to five when breeding.
Seeds are the dominant food, although grass and other green plant material (including shoots), roots, small tubers and, to a lesser extent, insects are also consumed. Foraging is mostly terrestrial, but some food is obtained underground and animals may also climb up to 1 m above the ground to obtain food.
They do not need access to free standing water as they obtain most of their moisture from their food.

Regional distribution and habitat

Click on a region below to view detailed distribution, habitat and vegetation information.

Threats

Heavy grazing and trampling of habitat by domestic stock, feral goats, rabbits and pigs. This also makes individuals more vulnerable to predation and reduces their ability to move between isolated mallee areas.
Predation by foxes and feral cats.
Poisoning from 1080 baits.
Competition with introduced herbivores (stock, rabbits, goats, house mouse) for food resources and habitat.
Loss of habitat through too frequent fires or altered fire regimes.
Introduction of standing water, which attracts potential predators and competitors.
Loss of habitat through clearing (trees, shrubs and grasses), removal of ground debris and loss of hollows.

Recovery strategies

A Saving Our Species conservation project is currently being developed for this species and will be available soon. For information on how you can contribute to this species' recovery, see the Activities to assist this species section below.

Activities to assist this species

Control of vertebrate pest populations, e.g. foxes, cats and rabbits, which either prey on, or compete against this species for resources.
Use alternatives to 1080 baiting where possible, for pest species control programs.
Instil appropriate fire regime so as to not burn all habitat and food sources within a region at one time, and to promote natural succession.
Reduce stock intensity of, or exclude grazing in, some areas to allow regeneration of vegetation for habitat, food sources or nest sites.
Retention of grasslands, including the full cycle of grass development such a seed set and tussock formation.
Retention of stick and leaf litter for food and shelter.
Retention of understorey shrubs in areas where likely habitat occurs.
Maintain Triodia (spinifex or porcupine grass) in the area.
Limit the number of artificial standing water bodies in areas of concern.
Prevent clearing of habitat such as nesting sites, hollows and food sources.
Monitor and appropriately manage all known populations.

Information sources

Ayers, D., Nash, S. and Baggett, K. (1996) Threatened Species of Western New South Wales. (NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, Sydney)
Breed, W.G. (1995) Sandy Inland Mouse Pseudomys hermannsburgensis. Pp. 604-5 in Strahan, R. (ed) The Mammals of Australia. Reed Books, Chatswood.
Dickman, C.R., Pressey, R.L., Lim, L. and Parnaby, H.E. (1993) Mammals of particular conservation concern in the Western Division of New South Wales. Biological Conservation (65) 219-248.
Ellis, M. (in press) () Rodents of the Western Plains of New South Wales. Wildlife Research.
NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (2002) Forrest's Mouse (Leggandina forresti) and Sandy Inland Mouse (Pseudomys hermannsburgensis) Recovery Plan. NSW NPWS, Hurstville NSW.
Watts, C.H.S. (1972) Handbook of South Australian Rodents and Small Marsupials. Field Naturalists Society of South Australia, Adelaide.
Watts, C.H.S. and Morton, S.R. (1983) Notes on the diets of Mus musculus and Pseudomys hermannsburgensis (Rodentia: Muridae) in western Queensland. Australian Mammalogy (6) 81-82.

IBRA Bioregion	IBRA Subregion	Known or predicted	Geographic restrictions region

Broken Hill Complex	Barrier Range	Known	None
Broken Hill Complex	Barrier Range Outwash	Predicted	None
Broken Hill Complex	Mootwingee Downs	Known	None
Broken Hill Complex	Scopes Range	Predicted	None
Channel Country	Bulloo	Predicted	None
Channel Country	Bulloo Dunefields	Predicted	None
Channel Country	Central Depression	Predicted	None
Channel Country	Core Ranges	Known	None
Channel Country	Sturt Stony Desert	Known	None
Mulga Lands	Cuttaburra-Paroo	Known	None
Mulga Lands	Kerribree Basin	Predicted	None
Mulga Lands	Nebine Plains	Known	None
Mulga Lands	Paroo Overflow	Predicted	None
Mulga Lands	Paroo-Darling Sands	Predicted	None
Mulga Lands	Urisino Sandplains	Predicted	None
Mulga Lands	Warrego Plains	Predicted	None
Mulga Lands	Warrego Sands	Predicted	None
Mulga Lands	West Warrego	Predicted	None
Mulga Lands	White Cliffs Plateau	Known	None
Murray Darling Depression	South Olary Plain	Known	None
Other State	QLD	Known	None
Other State	SA	Known	None
Simpson Strzelecki Dunefields	Strzelecki Desert	Known	None