Sandy inland mouse

The sandy inland mouse is greyish-brown to sandy-brown with off-white underside. Adults weigh approximately 9 to 15 grams, and measure 55–80 mm from nose to base of tail with a tail between 70 and 90 mm. Physically similar to the several other species including the house mouse it differs in lacking the notched incisors and distinctive musty odour of M. domesticus. The sandy inland mouse can be distinguished from several species including P. chapmani, P. delicatulus and Mus musculus by the pattern of the footpads. Furthermore, it has smaller ears and hind feet than Bolam's mouse, and the tail is shorter and less heavily furred allowing distinction between the two species. == Taxonomy and naming ==

The sandy inland mouse was first described by ham (1896) as Mus hermannsburgensis following the Horn scientific expedition in 1894 during which the natural history of central Australia was studied. Following this it was placed in Pseudomys and Leggadina by various people, but has prevailed in Pseudomys since 1970. Leggadina hermannsburgensis brazenori has been identified as a synonym of Pseudomys hermannsburgensis, and while it has no currently identified subspecies Pseudomys bolami was previously thought of as a subspecies. == Distribution ==

Endemic to Australia, the sandy inland mouse can be found widely yet sparsely throughout arid and semi-arid areas of central southern and western Australia. The sandy inland mouse is present through New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory. The major focus of studies on the species appears to centre on NSW where it has been found in Sturt National Park, Fowlers Gap Station north of Broken Hill, near Kajuligah Nature Reserve north of Ivanhoe, the Enngonia area north-east of Bourke, and at several locations in the Tibooburra area. It is also found on some islands off the coast of Western Australia, including Dirk Hartog, Dixon, Rosemary, and Hope off the Pilbara. Populations in central Australia are thought to be largely sedentary despite observations of individuals covering distances of up to 14 km in NSW and Queensland == Habitat ==

Sandy inland mouse habitat is generally characterised by open vegetation, with a preference for friable soils such as sands and sandy loams on arid plains and dunes. Examples include, hummock grasslands, Mulga flats, alluvial flats and gibber plains, with Coolibah and Acacia woodlands having been observed as popular habitat. with a preference for burnt over unburnt habitat. == Ecology ==

Life cycle Nocturnal in nature, the sandy inland mouse will hide in burrows up to 50 cm underground during the day During non-breeding periods large congregation of individuals in a single burrow are common, while during breeding periods groups are generally smaller, with four or five members. However, they are understood to be able to survive hypothermia. Evidence also exists that it can survive indefinitely on a diet of air dried seed without drinking water. Reproduction Sandy inland mouse does not adhere to a strict seasonal breeding strategy, instead employing a combination of opportunistic and seasonal strategy, breeding following rainfall or when food resources are abundant. in captivity litter size can be up to five or six. Young are naked and weigh roughly 2 g at birth, but mature quickly with independence at 30 days and reproductive maturity at three months. Concomitantly, they exhibit decreased heterozygosity during dry periods and recover healthy levels of genetic diversity following wet periods. Population fluctuations of up to 40 fold have been observed in parts of western Queensland. Fluctuations in population numbers have been primarily linked to food availability which increases following significant rain events. == Threats ==

Habitat modification because of grazing activity presents the greatest threat to the Sandy Inland mouse, while predation by foxes, cats and barn owls, use of 1080 baits, pesticides, and establishment of artificial water points have all been identified as potential threats to populations of the sandy inland mouse. == Conservation ==

Sandy inland mouse is listed as least concern in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Queensland lists the species as Least Concern under the Nature Conservation Act 1992. , the species is not listed in any other state or territory listing, additionally the species is not listed under the Australian Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Act 1995. ==References==