This is a list of rodents of Australia.[1][2] Australia has a large number of indigenous rodents, all from the family Muridae. The "Old endemics" group are member of tribe Hydromyini, which reached Australasia between 11 - 9 million years ago from Asia, while the "New endemics", members of the tribe Rattini, are presumed to have arrived more recently, between 4 - 3 million years ago, also from Asia.[3] Murid rodents are one of the few placental mammals to have managed to cross the Wallace Line and colonize Australasia (which previously only contained marsupial and monotreme mammals) prior to European settlement, the others being bats and humans who, in turn, introduced the dingo.

The black rat, brown rat, Pacific rat and house mouse were accidentally introduced to Australia with European settlement, as was a small population of the five-lined palm squirrel near Perth. Grey squirrels have, since introduction, been eradicated from Australia.

Old "endemics" *

Muridae

New "endemics" *

Muridae

Introduced

Muridae

Sciuridae

Notes

† Extinct

¤ Introduced

* Several of these species are not actually endemic to Australia, but to the Australasian realm, which includes Papua New Guinea and eastern Indonesia. The headings "Old Endemics" and "New Endemics" are used here in that sense (after Strahan[4]).

See also

References

  1. ↑ Van Dyke, S. and Strahan, R. (eds.) (2008) The Mammals of Australia, Third Edition, New Holland / Queensland Museum, Brisbane ISBN 978-1-877069-25-3
  2. ↑ Menkhorst, P. and Knight, F. (2001) A Field Guide to the Mammals of Australia, Oxford University Press, Melbourne ISBN 0-19-550870-X
  3. ↑ http://www.publish.csiro.au/samples/native%20Mice%20and%20rats%20sample.pdf Bill Breed., Fred Ford.,2007 native Mice and rats, Australian Natural History Series, CSIRO publications] ISBN 978-0-643-09166-5
  4. ↑ Strahan, R. (ed.) (1995) The Mammals of Australia, Revised (second) Edition, Reed New Holland, Sydney ISBN 1-876334-88-6
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