Pseudomys fieldi
States and territories: Historically Western Australia, South Australia and Northern Territory but currently exist only in Western Australia.
Regions: Extant on Bernier Island, Shark Bay but recently translocated to three locations in the same region: Doole Island, North West Island, Heirisson Prong (Morris et al. 2000), Faure Island and Montebello Island (Breed and Ford 2007).
Habitat: Occurs mainly in coastal dune habitat dominated by beach Spinifex and coastal daisy bush, but also found further inland on islands where Triodia and Acacia spp. occur (Morris et al. 2000).
Habit: Ground-dwelling.
Avg. body weight: 45.5 g (Morris and Robinson 2008).
Activity pattern: Nocturnal.
Diet: Omnivorous: flowers, stems, fungi, insects and spiders.
Breeding: Breeds between May and November on Bernier Island, producing up to five young per litter (Morris et al. 2000).
Description
The Shark Bay mouse is a long-haired mouse that has been previously referred to as Pseudomys praeconis until taxonomic revision placed the two type specimens as the same species. Sub-fossil remains from cave deposits have been used to determine that the former distribution of the Shark Bay mouse covered much of arid and semi-arid Australia west of the Flinders Ranges and north to Uluru (Chapman & Kitchener 1977; Baynes 1990; Morris et al. 2000). Two mainland specimens have been collected: first at Shark Bay in 1858, and then at Alice Springs in 1859. In 1989 an extensive survey of likely habitat in the Shark Bay area failed to detect the presence of the species (Sanders & Harold 1990). Since then, a relatively large population (6000–7000 individuals) has been identified on Bernier Island, and from this source population the species has been re-introduced to Doole Island, North West Island, Faure Island, Montebello Island and Heirisson Prong in Shark Bay, Western Australia (Morris et al. 2000; Breed & Ford 2007), although the attempt at Heirisson Prong appears to have been unsuccessful (Breed & Ford 2007).
The Shark Bay mouse appears to use communal burrows constructed from a variety of surface covers, including beachcast seagrass, and grasses and shrubs on sand dunes (Morris & Robinson 2008). The burrows are only shallow, which may have attributed to the species’ decline in response to predation by introduced cats and foxes (Morris et al. 2000). Furthermore, the burrows tend to be used more frequently during the breeding season between May and November (Morris & Speldewinde 1992).
Survey methods
On the basis of previous surveys mentioned, the following survey techniques are recommended to detect the presence of the Shark Bay mouse in areas up to 5 hectares in size:
-
daytime searches for potentially suitable habitat resources such as coastal dune habitat with spinifex tussocks, coastal daisy bushes and beachcast seaweed, but also in habitats with Triodia and Acacia spp. further inland (description of the survey technique and recommended effort is provided in Section 3.1)
-
daytime searches for signs including burrows, excavated earth, runways, tracks and scats (description of the survey technique and recommended effort is provided in Section 3.2)
-
collection of predator scats, owl casts or remains in predatory bird/mammal nests/dens (description of the survey technique and recommended effort is provided in Section 3.2)
-
Elliott A trapping surveys conducted according to the technique description and recommended effort provided in Section 3.3.9 using a mixture of rolled oats, peanut butter and sultanas for bait.
Hair sampling devices are not recommended because the Shark Bay mouse is not included among those species known to be distinguishable from hair samples (see Table 2, Section 3.3.7). Should this situation change then hair sampling may provide an appropriate alternative detection technique.
Similar species in range
No similar species in range, although this species may be confused with the western mouse Pseudomys occidentalis on mainland sites. If a specimen of the Shark Bay mouse is captured on the mainland, hair or tissue samples should be considered for identification and/or molecular analysis, provided that appropriate permission and licensing has been granted by relevant state or territory government organisations.
References
Baynes, A. 1990. The Mammals of Shark Bay, Western Australia. In Research in Shark Bay: Report of the France-Australe Bicentenary Expedition Committee. (Eds. Berry, P.F., S.D. Bradshaw and B.R. Wilson) (Western Australian Museum, Perth).
Breed, B. and Ford, F. 2007. Native Mice and Rats. CSIRO Publishing, Victoria.
Chapman, A. and Kitchener D.J. 1977. Mammals of Cockleshell Gully Reserve and adjacent areas. Records of the Western Australian Museum 4: 15-35.
Morris, K.D. and Robinson, A.C. 2008. Shark Bay Mouse Pseudomys fieldi. In ‘Mammals of Australia’ (Eds. S. Van Dyck and R. Strahan) pp. 627-628. (Reed New Holland, Sydney).
Morris, K. and P. Speldewinde 1992. "Recovery of the Shark Bay Mouse (Pseudomys fieldi): Progress Report". Unpublished report to the Department of Conservation and Land Management Western Australia.
Morris, K., Speldewinde, P. and Orell, P. 2000. "The Recovery Plan for Djoongari or Shark Bay Mouse (Pseudomys fieldi) 1999-2001". WA Department of Conservation and Land Management, Perth.
Sanders, A. and Harold, G. 1990. "Search for the Shark Bay Mouse Pseudomys praeconis at Shark Bay on the Western Australian mainland". Unpublished report to the World Wildlife Fund and the Department of Conservation and Land Management Western Australia.
Dostları ilə paylaş: |
