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Evolutionary, molecular and comparative zoology
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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 56(6)

Biogeographical effects on body mass of native Australian and introduced mice, Pseudomys hermannsburgensis and Mus domesticus: an inquiry into Bergmann’s Rule

Sean Tomlinson A B and Philip C. Withers A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A School of Animal Biology, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia.

B Corresponding author. Email: tomlis01@student.uwa.edu.au

Australian Journal of Zoology 56(6) 423-430 https://doi.org/10.1071/ZO08086
Submitted: 12 November 2008  Accepted: 19 February 2009   Published: 18 March 2009

Abstract

We investigated interactions of body mass with geographical location, and five climatic measures for two Australian rodents, the native Australian sandy inland mouse (Pseudomys hermannsburgensis) and the introduced house mouse (Mus domesticus). Correlation and regression analyses identified interactions of body mass with latitude, longitude, average highest maximum and lowest minimum temperatures, average annual rainfall, rainfall variability, and aridity. There was a significant correlation of body mass with latitude and longitude for Mus domesticus and P. hermannsburgensis. House mice were heavier in the south and east, and sandy inland mice were heavier in the north and east. M. domesticus conforms to Bergmann’s Rule, while P. hermannsburgensis does not. Maximum temperature, aridity and rainfall variability significantly influenced body mass of M. domesticus, which was heavier at cooler maxima, in less arid areas, and in areas of greater rainfall variability. Only aridity significantly influenced body mass of P. hermannsburgensis, which was heavier in more arid areas. Temperature did not interact significantly with body mass. After accounting for climatic variables, there was still a significant relationship between the residuals of body mass with locality for both species, with a negative influence of latitude and a positive influence of longitude in both; the latitudinal interaction for both species was converse to Bergmann’s Rule. We suggest that latitude, ambient temperature and other selection pressures (such as aridity or productivity) can act in opposing directions, and speculate that the influence of other factors, such as food availability or sociality, may be more important than latitude or ambient temperature.


Acknowledgements

We thank the Pest Animal Control CRC and the UWA School of Animal Biology for the funding support that made this project possible, and Jamie O’Shea, Brenton Knott and Shane Maloney for their invaluable advice. We further acknowledge the contributions of numerous people and institutions across Australia in donating morphometric measurements and capture locations. Specifically, these are Ric How (Western Australian Museum) for his help with data, and his additional help with contacts nation-wide, Steve van Dyck and Heather Janetzki (Queensland Museum), Chris Dickman and Mathew Crowther (Sydney University), Jeff Cole (DIPE Northern Territory), Jeff Foulkes (Department of Environment and Heritage, South Australia) and David Stemmer (South Australia Museum), Steve Morton and Julian Reid (CSIRO), Graham Thompson (Edith Cowan University), Mark Cowan (DEC Western Australia), Jason Fraser (UWA), and David Pearson (DEC Western Australia).


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