A significant south-western range extension for the desert mouse (Pseudomys desertor) in Western Australia
R. J. Ellis A B E , P. B. S. Spencer C , J. S. Doody B D and T. Parkin BA Department of Terrestrial Zoology, Western Australian Museum, 49 Kew Street, Welshpool, WA 6106, Australia.
B Phoenix Environmental Sciences, 1/511 Wanneroo Road, Balcatta, WA 6021, Australia.
C School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Perth, WA 6150, Australia.
D School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia.
E Corresponding author. Email: ryan.ellis@museum.wa.gov.au
Australian Mammalogy 38(1) 120-123 https://doi.org/10.1071/AM14041
Submitted: 13 December 2014 Accepted: 29 July 2015 Published: 4 September 2015
Abstract
The desert mouse (Pseudomys desertor) is one of the most common and widespread native rodent species across arid and semiarid Australia. The species occurs in a variety of habitats and like many arid-zone rodents, its distribution and abundance is known to fluctuate with environmental conditions. Following the capture of a suspected specimen of P. desertor outside the current known range of the species, we used molecular-based methods to confirm the specimen’s identification as P. desertor. This note presents a record of the species north of Dalwallinu, Western Australia, which represents a significant range extension for the species of 324 km from the nearest confirmed record.
Additional keywords: conilurine rodent, distribution, mitochondrial DNA, Muridae, Pseudomys desertor, Western Australia.
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