Notomys alexis

Notomys alexis (*)

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Megaclassis: Osteichthyes
Cladus: Sarcopterygii
Cladus: Rhipidistia
Cladus: Tetrapodomorpha
Cladus: Eotetrapodiformes
Cladus: Elpistostegalia
Superclassis: Tetrapoda
Cladus: Reptiliomorpha
Cladus: Amniota
Cladus: Synapsida
Cladus: Eupelycosauria
Cladus: Sphenacodontia
Cladus: Sphenacodontoidea
Cladus: Therapsida
Cladus: Theriodontia
Cladus: Cynodontia
Cladus: Eucynodontia
Cladus: Probainognathia
Cladus: Prozostrodontia
Cladus: Mammaliaformes
Classis: Mammalia
Subclassis: Trechnotheria
Infraclassis: Zatheria
Supercohors: Theria
Cohors: Eutheria
Infraclassis: Placentalia
Cladus: Boreoeutheria
Superordo: Euarchontoglires
Ordo: Rodentiaa
Subordo: Myomorpha
Superfamilia: Muroidea

Familia: Muridae
Subfamilia: Murinae
Tribus: Hydromyini
Genus: Notomys
Species: Notomys alexis
Name

Notomys alexis Thomas, 1922

Type locality: Australia, Northern Territory, 35 miles (56.3 km) SW of Alroy, 800 ft (244 m); see Mahoney and Richardson (1988:166).

Holotype: BMNH 6.3.9.65
Synonyms

Notomys alexis everardensis Finlayson, 1940
Notomys alexis reginae Troughton, 1936

References

Thomas, O. 1922. Two new jerboa-rats (Notomys). Annals and Magazine of Natural History, Series 9, 9: 316.
Finlayson, H. H. 1940. On Central Australian mammals Part 1 The Muridae. Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia, 64: 133 pls 14–15
Troughton, E. le G. 1936. Descriptions of new rats and mice from Queensland. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum, 11: 20.
Notomys alexis in Mammal Species of the World.
Wilson, Don E. & Reeder, DeeAnn M. (Editors) 2005. Mammal Species of the World – A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference. Third edition. ISBN 0-8018-8221-4.
IUCN: Notomys alexis Thomas,1922 (Least Concern)
Notomys alexis Thomas, 1922 – Taxon details on Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS).

Vernacular names
Deutsch: Australische Hüpfmaus
English: Spinifex Hopping Mouse, Spinefex Hopping Mouse

The spinifex hopping mouse (Notomys alexis), also known as the tarkawara or tarrkawarra, occurs throughout the central and western Australian arid zones, occupying both spinifex-covered sand flats and stabilised sand dunes, and loamy mulga and melaleuca flats.

The population fluctuates greatly: in normal years it is sparsely distributed and probably confined to sandy country; after rain the population explodes and spreads to other types of habitat for a time.

They are mostly seen at night, bounding across open ground on their large hind feet, with tails extended and the body almost horizontal.

As semi-fossorial, burrowing surface foragers, the tiny hopping mice spend a great deal of energy not just foraging for food, but also transporting it back to their burrows. In fact, it was found that the total energy spent on transporting food in relation to energy investment on burrows far outweighed any other similar type of species (White, 2006).
Appearance

The appearance is very similar to the northern hopping mouse: slightly larger than a common house mouse at 95 to 115 mm (3.7 to 4.5 in) head-body length and an average weight of 35 g (1.2 oz). As with all hopping mice, the hind legs are greatly elongated, the fore limbs small, and the brush-tipped tail very long—about 140 mm (5.5 in). The fur is chestnut or fawn above, pale below, with a grey wash about the muzzle and between the eye and ear, and longer, coarse black guard hairs on the back. The tail is sparsely furred and pink, darker above than below.

Spinifex hopping mice live in small family groups of up to 10 individuals in deep, humid burrow systems. Typically, there is a large nest chamber lined with small sticks and other plant material about a metre below the surface, from which several vertical shafts lead upwards. Shaft entrances do not have spoil heaps.
Breeding

Breeding can be at any time of year depending on conditions, with spring being favoured. Pregnancy usually takes 38–41 days but can be prolonged significantly if the mother is still suckling the previous brood. Litters of three or four are typical, six being the maximum. The young remain in the nest while the female forages; if they wander both male and female adults retrieve them. They reach sexual maturity in about two and a half months.[citation needed] After mating, a copulatory plug is formed in the female's reproductive tract.[2]

The spinifex hopping mouse is widespread and although the population fluctuates considerably, is not considered at risk.
As pets

Previously, spinifex hopping mice could be kept as pets in Victoria and ACT (Australia), but a Basic Wildlife Licence was required. In 2013, Victorian regulations for the possession, use and trade of wildlife underwent a number of changes and as part of these reforms spinifex hopping mice were moved to Schedule 4B, which allows private ownership without a licence.[3] Commercial breeding still requires a licence to prevent removal of mice from the wild.[citation needed] Pet owners should be aware of the potential parasite and disease risks, including mites[4] and helminths,[5] and in very rare cases even melanoma.[6]

Captive populations of spinifex hopping mice are useful for small scale research, and can be used for developing management tools to assess the health status of those in captivity.[7]
References
Citations

Morris, K., Moseby, K.E., Burbidge, A. & Robinson, T. (2008). Notomys alexis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.3
Breed, W. G. "Copulatory behaviour and coagulum formation in the female reproductive tract of the Australian hopping mouse, Notomys alexis." Journal of Reproduction and Fertility 88.1 (1990): 17-24.
"Wildlife regs 2013" (PDF). Marsupial Society Australia. Retrieved 8 January 2014.
Old JM, Hill NJ, Deane EM (2007). Isolation of the mite Mycoptes musculinus Koch from the Spinifex Hopping-mouse (Notomys Alexis). Laboratory Animals. 41(2), 292-295. DOI: 10.1258/002367707780378186
Hill NJ, Rose K, Deane EM, Old JM (2007). Rodentolepis fraterna: The cause of mortality in a new host, the Spinifex Hopping-mouse (Notomys alexis)? Australian Veterinary Journal. 85(1-2), 62-64. DOI: 10.1111/j.1751-0813.2006.00095.x
Old JM, Price M (2016). A case of melanoma in the spinifex hopping-mouse (Notomys alexis). Australian Mammalogy. 38, 117-119. DOI: 10.1071/AM15010

Old, J. M.; Connelly, L.; Francis, J.; Branch, K.; Fry, G.; Deane, E. M. (December 2005). "Haematology and serum biochemistry of three Australian desert murids: the Plains rat (Pseudomys australis), the Spinifex hopping-mouse (Notomys alexis) and the Central rock-rat (Zyzomys pedunculatus)". Comparative Clinical Pathology. 14 (3): 130–137. doi:10.1007/s00580-005-0586-y. ISSN 1618-5641.

Sources

White, C. R. (2006). Balancing the competing requirements of saltatorial and fossorial specialization: burrowing costs in the spinifex hopping mouse, Notomys alexis. Journal of Experimental Biology, 209(11), 2103–2113, https://jeb.biologists.org/content/jexbio/209/11/2103.full.pdf