Gould's Mouse
Encyclopedia
Gould's Mouse lived in eastern inland Australia
, and was named after John Gould
's wife, Elizabeth. It was slightly smaller than a black rat
, and quite social, living in small family groups that sheltered by day in a nest
of soft, dry grass in a burrow
. It usually dug burrows at a depth of 15 cm under bushes. Gould's mouse was common and widespread before European settlement
, but disappeared rapidly after the 1840s, perhaps being exterminated by cat
s. Alternatively, it may have been out-competed by the introduced rat
s and mice
, succumbed to introduced disease
s or been affected by grazing stock and changed fire regimes. The last specimens were collected in 1856-57, and it is presumed to be extinct.
There is some speculation that this species was in fact an eastern of population of the Shark Bay Mouse
(Pseudomys fieldii). Once the Alice Springs Mouse was thought to be extinct but with genetic testing in 1998 scientists confirmed that the Alice Springs Mouse was also the Shark Bay Mouse, and this could also one day happen between Gould's Mouse and the Shark Bay Mouse.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, and was named after John Gould
John Gould
John Gould was an English ornithologist and bird artist. The Gould League in Australia was named after him. His identification of the birds now nicknamed "Darwin's finches" played a role in the inception of Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection...
's wife, Elizabeth. It was slightly smaller than a black rat
Black Rat
The black rat is a common long-tailed rodent of the genus Rattus in the subfamily Murinae . The species originated in tropical Asia and spread through the Near East in Roman times before reaching Europe by the 1st century and spreading with Europeans across the world.-Taxonomy:The black rat was...
, and quite social, living in small family groups that sheltered by day in a nest
Nest
A nest is a place of refuge to hold an animal's eggs or provide a place to live or raise offspring. They are usually made of some organic material such as twigs, grass, and leaves; or may simply be a depression in the ground, or a hole in a tree, rock or building...
of soft, dry grass in a burrow
Burrow
A burrow is a hole or tunnel dug into the ground by an animal to create a space suitable for habitation, temporary refuge, or as a byproduct of locomotion. Burrows provide a form of shelter against predation and exposure to the elements, so the burrowing way of life is quite popular among the...
. It usually dug burrows at a depth of 15 cm under bushes. Gould's mouse was common and widespread before European settlement
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
, but disappeared rapidly after the 1840s, perhaps being exterminated by cat
Cat
The cat , also known as the domestic cat or housecat to distinguish it from other felids and felines, is a small, usually furry, domesticated, carnivorous mammal that is valued by humans for its companionship and for its ability to hunt vermin and household pests...
s. Alternatively, it may have been out-competed by the introduced rat
Rat
Rats are various medium-sized, long-tailed rodents of the superfamily Muroidea. "True rats" are members of the genus Rattus, the most important of which to humans are the black rat, Rattus rattus, and the brown rat, Rattus norvegicus...
s and mice
Mouse
A mouse is a small mammal belonging to the order of rodents. The best known mouse species is the common house mouse . It is also a popular pet. In some places, certain kinds of field mice are also common. This rodent is eaten by large birds such as hawks and eagles...
, succumbed to introduced disease
Disease
A disease is an abnormal condition affecting the body of an organism. It is often construed to be a medical condition associated with specific symptoms and signs. It may be caused by external factors, such as infectious disease, or it may be caused by internal dysfunctions, such as autoimmune...
s or been affected by grazing stock and changed fire regimes. The last specimens were collected in 1856-57, and it is presumed to be extinct.
There is some speculation that this species was in fact an eastern of population of the Shark Bay Mouse
Shark Bay Mouse
The Shark Bay Mouse, Djoongari or Alice Springs Mouse is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found only in Australia, restricted to four islands in the Shark Bay area. It was once found throughout the western two thirds of Australia but it suffered greatly after the arrival of...
(Pseudomys fieldii). Once the Alice Springs Mouse was thought to be extinct but with genetic testing in 1998 scientists confirmed that the Alice Springs Mouse was also the Shark Bay Mouse, and this could also one day happen between Gould's Mouse and the Shark Bay Mouse.