Northern hopping mouse
Species of rodent / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The northern hopping mouse (Notomys aquilo) is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found only in coastal northern Australia, from Arnhem Land to the Cobourg Peninsula.
Northern hopping mouse | |
---|---|
N. aquilo at Wurruwarrkbadenumanja, Groote Eylandt | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Rodentia |
Family: | Muridae |
Genus: | Notomys |
Species: | N. aquilo |
Binomial name | |
Notomys aquilo Thomas, 1921 | |
This mouse weighs 25 to 30 grams and is brown above and white below. Its long tail measures 150% of its body length and it has long hind feet up to 4 centimeters long.[2]
This species lives in sandy soils on heathlands and grasslands. It is nocturnal. It consumes seeds and sometimes other plant material and invertebrates.[2] The mouse hops, leaving bipedal tracks.[3] Several individuals live communally in burrows.[2][3]
Threats to this species include habitat alteration, such as changes in the fire regime and the effects of livestock. Feral cats watch the burrows and may consume several individuals in a night.[3]