Leggadina lakedownensis

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	MAMMALIA	RODENTIA	MURIDAE

Scientific Name:

Leggadina lakedownensis

Species Authority:

Watts, 1976

Common Name/s:

English

–

Lakeland Downs Mouse, Northern Short-tailed Mouse

Taxonomic Notes:

The Thevenard Island form previously thought to be a distinct species found on islands, but research has shown that this is merely a larger form of the same species. Populations in Queensland, Kimberley, and Pilbara regions should probably be considered separately based on morphological differences (these are probably at least distinct subspecies).

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Least Concern ver 3.1

Year Published:

2008

Assessor/s:

Morris, K., Woinarski, J. & Aplin, K.

Reviewer/s:

Lamoreux, J. (Global Mammal Assessment Team) & Amori, G. (Small Nonvolant Mammal Red List Authority)

Contributor/s:

Justification:
Listed as Least Concern because, although its populations fluctuate, it has a wide distribution, a presumed large population, it lacks major threats, and it is unlikely to be declining at nearly the rate required to qualify for listing in a threatened category. The north Queensland population is very restricted, and if considered separately, might be considered Data Deficient or threatened.

History:

1994	–	Insufficiently Known (Groombridge 1994)
1990	–	Insufficiently Known (IUCN 1990)

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	This species is endemic to northern Australia, where it occurs from Cape York in the east to the Pilbara, in Western Australia, although the distribution is discontinuous (Moro and Kutt 2008). There are populations present on Thevenard Island and Serrurier Island (the latter is a translocated population – intentionally introduced for conservation purposes), both in Western Australia (Lee 1995; Moro and Kutt 2008).
Countries:	Native: Australia
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	The population is rare and scattered on the mainland with large annual fluctuations (Moro and Kutt 2008). It is common on islands (Moro and Kutt 2008). On islands, populations rise and fall in relation to rainfall and climatic conditions, but this may not be true of mainland populations. A study of the species at Kakadu showed that large population fluctuations had little to do with environmental factors (Moro and Kutt 2008).
Population Trend:	Unknown

Population:

The population is rare and scattered on the mainland with large annual fluctuations (Moro and Kutt 2008). It is common on islands (Moro and Kutt 2008). On islands, populations rise and fall in relation to rainfall and climatic conditions, but this may not be true of mainland populations. A study of the species at Kakadu showed that large population fluctuations had little to do with environmental factors (Moro and Kutt 2008).

Population Trend:

Unknown

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	It is a nocturnal species found in areas of open tussock and hummock grassland, acacia shrubland, and savanna woodland, on alluvial clay or sandy soils (Lee 1995; Moro and Kutt 2008). Females give birth to two litters annually. Litters contain up to four young and the gestation period lasts about 30 days (Moro and Kutt 2008).
Systems:	Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	There does not appear to be any major threats to this species. The Thevenard Island form is threatened by possible competition with the House Mouse (Mus musculus or Mus domesticus, there in not total agreement about which represents the House Mouse in Australia (A. Burbidge pers. comm.)) (Lee 1995). A recently constructed oil base has also been constructed, covering about 10% of the island, and it appears to be a threat.

Major Threat(s):

There does not appear to be any major threats to this species. The Thevenard Island form is threatened by possible competition with the House Mouse (Mus musculus or Mus domesticus, there in not total agreement about which represents the House Mouse in Australia (A. Burbidge pers. comm.)) (Lee 1995). A recently constructed oil base has also been constructed, covering about 10% of the island, and it appears to be a threat.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	It is presumably present in a number of protected areas, including the Kadadu National Park and the Thevenard Island Nature Reserve.

Conservation Actions:

It is presumably present in a number of protected areas, including the Kadadu National Park and the Thevenard Island Nature Reserve.

Citation:	Morris, K., Woinarski, J. & Aplin, K. 2008. Leggadina lakedownensis. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 20 June 2013.
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