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Heath mouse
The heath mouse (Pseudomys shortridgei) is a species of mouse in the subfamily Murinae, the Old World rats and mice, found in Australia.
A description of the species, based on material collected by Guy Shortridge at "Woyaline, east of Pinjelly", was published by Oldfield Thomas in 1907.
Shortridge was a South African mammal specialist commissioned to perform fieldwork in Western Australia for the British Museum of Natural History, and was honoured for this by Thomas in the specific epithet of the new taxon.
The species is referred to by the common names heath mouse or heath rat, and by the pre-existing name dayang, derived from the Noongar language. Common names also include blunt-faced rat, Shortridge's native mouse, fausse souris de Shortridge (French), and ratón bastardo crestado (Spanish).
Eastern and western population are not morphologically or phylogenetically distinguishable, although noted for ecological differences that suggests definable groups of the species. The tolerance of the western and southern populations to alterations in fire regimes and frequency may also indicate divergence within the species.
A larger species of the Pseudomys, a genus of Australian rodents, with a body mass in a range from 55 to 90 grams (1.9 to 3.2 oz) for an average weight of 70 grams (2.5 oz). The head and body length of 95 to 120 millimetres (3.7 to 4.7 in) and the tail length of 85 to 100 mm (3.3 to 3.9 in) is always proportionally shorter. The pelage is densely furred and their body is comparatively stocky, the tail is well covered in dark brown hair at the upper side and a whitish colour below. Pseudomys shortridgei have a broad face and short muzzle, and rounded ears that are 14 to 16 mm (0.55 to 0.63 in) from the notch at the head.
The fur colour of Pseudomys shortridgei is warm brown at the upper side, flecked with buff and blackish tones for an overall grey-brown effect. Under-parts of the pelage are distinctly paler, including the marked contrast at lower side of the tail. The regular hair of specimens are a slate colour for most of the length, and tipped with a clay brown tone at the upper quarter of the shaft. Dark guard hairs cover the upper portions of the body and give the heath mouse a fluffy appearance. The hair lengths are 17 mm (0.67 in) for the regular fur, and up to 22 mm (0.87 in) for the guard hairs. The texture of the comparatively long and fine fur, although dense, is soft and loose; the coloration overall has a grizzled or brindled appearance. The colour of the underparts is pale grey, and the upper surface of the feet are covered in long and darker grey hair. This mouse is very similar in appearance to another native mammal, the bush rat Rattus fuscipes, but it can be distinguished from the pink colour of that species feet and tail, which is hairless and scaly, and the elongated shape of a posthallucal pad on the lower surface of the foot.
The face of the heath mouse is blunted in profile, resembling a Roman nose, and possesses bulging eyes, characteristics shared by the majority of the genus Pseudomys. Another common characteristic of Pseudomys, which is also the second morphological character that helps to distinguish the heath mouse from the bush rat, is the hairy tail with distinct bi-colouration; in this species it is dark brown above and light beneath. The muzzle of this species is relatively short. Western and eastern populations show little divergence in characters such as sperm morphology or genetic markers.
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Heath mouse
The heath mouse (Pseudomys shortridgei) is a species of mouse in the subfamily Murinae, the Old World rats and mice, found in Australia.
A description of the species, based on material collected by Guy Shortridge at "Woyaline, east of Pinjelly", was published by Oldfield Thomas in 1907.
Shortridge was a South African mammal specialist commissioned to perform fieldwork in Western Australia for the British Museum of Natural History, and was honoured for this by Thomas in the specific epithet of the new taxon.
The species is referred to by the common names heath mouse or heath rat, and by the pre-existing name dayang, derived from the Noongar language. Common names also include blunt-faced rat, Shortridge's native mouse, fausse souris de Shortridge (French), and ratón bastardo crestado (Spanish).
Eastern and western population are not morphologically or phylogenetically distinguishable, although noted for ecological differences that suggests definable groups of the species. The tolerance of the western and southern populations to alterations in fire regimes and frequency may also indicate divergence within the species.
A larger species of the Pseudomys, a genus of Australian rodents, with a body mass in a range from 55 to 90 grams (1.9 to 3.2 oz) for an average weight of 70 grams (2.5 oz). The head and body length of 95 to 120 millimetres (3.7 to 4.7 in) and the tail length of 85 to 100 mm (3.3 to 3.9 in) is always proportionally shorter. The pelage is densely furred and their body is comparatively stocky, the tail is well covered in dark brown hair at the upper side and a whitish colour below. Pseudomys shortridgei have a broad face and short muzzle, and rounded ears that are 14 to 16 mm (0.55 to 0.63 in) from the notch at the head.
The fur colour of Pseudomys shortridgei is warm brown at the upper side, flecked with buff and blackish tones for an overall grey-brown effect. Under-parts of the pelage are distinctly paler, including the marked contrast at lower side of the tail. The regular hair of specimens are a slate colour for most of the length, and tipped with a clay brown tone at the upper quarter of the shaft. Dark guard hairs cover the upper portions of the body and give the heath mouse a fluffy appearance. The hair lengths are 17 mm (0.67 in) for the regular fur, and up to 22 mm (0.87 in) for the guard hairs. The texture of the comparatively long and fine fur, although dense, is soft and loose; the coloration overall has a grizzled or brindled appearance. The colour of the underparts is pale grey, and the upper surface of the feet are covered in long and darker grey hair. This mouse is very similar in appearance to another native mammal, the bush rat Rattus fuscipes, but it can be distinguished from the pink colour of that species feet and tail, which is hairless and scaly, and the elongated shape of a posthallucal pad on the lower surface of the foot.
The face of the heath mouse is blunted in profile, resembling a Roman nose, and possesses bulging eyes, characteristics shared by the majority of the genus Pseudomys. Another common characteristic of Pseudomys, which is also the second morphological character that helps to distinguish the heath mouse from the bush rat, is the hairy tail with distinct bi-colouration; in this species it is dark brown above and light beneath. The muzzle of this species is relatively short. Western and eastern populations show little divergence in characters such as sperm morphology or genetic markers.
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