Meet the mouse that builds 110 lb mounds of pebbles

March 30, 2023 11:03 PM

Meet the pebble mound mouse. It creates its own microhabitat by scattering a mound of pebbles around its burrows. The air temperature around the pebbles warms up faster in the morning than the pebbles themselves, causing the formation of small droplets of dew by condensation. The mice carry the pebbles in their mouths to build the mound. The stones can weigh as much as half the mouse's body weight.

The pebble mounds are large, extending over areas of up to 10 square metres (110 sq ft), consisting of some 50 kilograms (110 lb) worth of pebbles. The mounds are estimated to contain thousands of pebbles, and can take several years to build. All that work doesn’t just benefit one mouse – these pebble mounds support entire communities of mice, including several litters of offspring. Scientists have recorded as many as 25 individual mice sharing a single mound.

There are four species:

Western pebble-mound mouse (Pseudomys chapmani);

Central pebble-mound mouse (Pseudomys johnsoni);

Kakadu pebble-mound mouse (Pseudomys calabyi);

and Eastern pebble-mound mouse (Pseudomys patrius).

posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries (18 comments total)

Don’t tell me you ran out of marsupials!
posted by aubilenon at 11:38 PM on March 30, 2023 [1 favorite]

Don’t tell me you ran out of marsupials!

No, still plenty of marsupials left, but I find the pebble mouse's architectural lifestyle charming, ambitious and impressive.

Imagine if a 70 kilogram human built their home by carrying 35kg blocks of limestone without any help..!
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries at 11:53 PM on March 30, 2023 [9 favorites]

Don’t tell me you ran out of marsupials!

I am extremely unlikely to do every single Australian marsupial, but these are the marsupials Australia has:

Tropical antechinus, Antechinus adustus LC
Agile antechinus, Antechinus agilis LC
Fawn antechinus, Antechinus bellus LC
Yellow-footed antechinus, Antechinus flavipes LC
Atherton antechinus, Antechinus godmani NT
Cinnamon antechinus, Antechinus leo LC
Swamp antechinus, Antechinus minimus LC
Brown antechinus, Antechinus stuartii LC
Subtropical antechinus, Antechinus subtropicus LC
Dusky antechinus, Antechinus swainsonii LC
Brush-tailed mulgara, Dasycercus blythi LC
Crest-tailed mulgara, Dasycercus cristicauda LC
Kaluta, Dasykaluta rosamondae LC
Kowari, Dasyuroides byrnei VU
Western quoll, Dasyurus geoffroii NT
Northern quoll, Dasyurus hallucatus EN
Tiger quoll, Dasyurus maculatus NT
Eastern quoll, Dasyurus viverrinus NT
Wongai ningaui, Ningaui ridei LC
Pilbara ningaui, Ningaui timealeyi LC
Mallee ningaui, Ningaui yvonneae LC
Dibbler, Parantechinus apicalis EN
Red-tailed phascogale, Phascogale calura NT
Brush-tailed phascogale, Phascogale tapoatafa NT
Brush-tailed phascogale, Phascogale (tapoatafa) pirata VU
Kultarr, Antechinomys laniger LC
Paucident planigale, Planigale gilesi LC
Long-tailed planigale, Planigale ingrami LC
Common planigale, Planigale maculata LC
Narrow-nosed planigale, Planigale tenuirostris LC
Sandstone false antechinus, Pseudantechinus bilarni NT
Fat-tailed false antechinus, Pseudantechinus macdonnellensis LC
Alexandria false antechinus, Pseudantechinus mimulus EN
Ningbing false antechinus, Pseudantechinus ningbing LC
Rory Cooper's false antechinus, Pseudantechinus roryi LC
Woolley's false antechinus, Pseudantechinus woolleyae LC
Tasmanian devil, Sarcophilus harrisii EN
Fat-tailed dunnart, Sminthopsis crassicaudata LC
Kakadu dunnart, Sminthopsis bindi LC
Carpentarian dunnart, Sminthopsis butleri VU
Julia Creek dunnart, Sminthopsis douglasi NT
Stripe-faced dunnart, Sminthopsis macroura LC
Red-cheeked dunnart, Sminthopsis virginiae LC
White-tailed dunnart, Sminthopsis granulipes LC
Kangaroo Island dunnart, Sminthopsis aitkeni CR
Grey-bellied dunnart, Sminthopsis griseoventer
Boullanger Island dunnart, Sminthopsis boullangerensis
Long-tailed dunnart, Sminthopsis longicaudata LC
Chestnut dunnart, Sminthopsis archeri DD
Little long-tailed dunnart, Sminthopsis dolichura LC
Sooty dunnart, Sminthopsis fuliginosus DD
Gilbert's dunnart, Sminthopsis gilberti LC
White-footed dunnart, Sminthopsis leucopus VU
Slender-tailed dunnart, Sminthopsis murina LC
Hairy-footed dunnart, Sminthopsis hirtipes LC
Ooldea dunnart, Sminthopsis ooldea LC
Sandhill dunnart, Sminthopsis psammophila EN
Lesser hairy-footed dunnart, Sminthopsis youngsoni LC
Numbat, Myrmecobius fasciatus EN
Rufous spiny bandicoot, Echymipera rufescens LC
Golden bandicoot, Isoodon auratus VU
Northern brown bandicoot, Isoodon macrourus LC
Southern brown bandicoot, Isoodon obesulus LC
Western barred bandicoot, Perameles bougainville EN
Eastern barred bandicoot, Perameles gunnii NT
Long-nosed bandicoot, Perameles nasuta LC
Bilby, Macrotis lagotis VU
Lesser bilby, Macrotis leucura
Northern marsupial mole, Notoryctes caurinus DD
Southern marsupial mole, Notoryctes typhlops DD
Northern hairy-nosed wombat, Lasiorhinus krefftii CR
Southern hairy-nosed wombat, Lasiorhinus latifrons LC
Common wombat, Vombatus ursinus LC
Koala, Phascolarctos cinereus
Southern common cuscus, Phalanger mimicus LC
Common spotted cuscus, Spilocuscus maculatus LC
Northern brushtail possum, Trichosurus arnhemensis
Short-eared possum, Trichosurus caninus LC
Mountain brushtail possum, Trichosurus cunninghami LC
Common brushtail possum, Trichosurus vulpecula LC
Coppery brushtail possum, Trichosurus johnstonii
Scaly-tailed possum, Wyulda squamicaudata DD
Mountain pygmy possum, Burramys parvus CR
Long-tailed pygmy possum, Cercartetus caudatus LC
Southwestern pygmy possum, Cercartetus concinnus LC
Tasmanian pygmy possum, Cercartetus lepidus LC
Eastern pygmy possum, Cercartetus nanus LC
Honey possum, Tarsipes rostratus LC
Striped possum, Dactylopsila trivirgata LC
Leadbeater's possum, Gymnobelideus leadbeateri CR
Yellow-bellied glider, Petaurus australis LC
Sugar glider, Petaurus breviceps LC
Mahogany glider, Petaurus gracilis EN
Squirrel glider, Petaurus norfolcensis LC
Lemuroid ringtail possum, Hemibelideus lemuroides NT
Greater glider, Petauroides volans LC
Rock ringtail possum, Petropseudes dahli LC
Common ringtail possum, Pseudocheirus peregrinus LC
Western ringtail possum, Pseudocheirus (peregrinus) occidentalis
Green ringtail possum, Pseudochirops archeri LC
Daintree River ringtail possum, Pseudochirulus cinereus LC
Herbert River ringtail possum, Pseudochirulus herbertensis LC
Feathertail glider, Acrobates pygmaeus LC
Musky rat-kangaroo, Hypsiprymnodon moschatus LC
Rufous bettong, Aepyprymnus rufescens LC
Southern bettong, Bettongia gaimardi NT
Burrowing bettong, Bettongia lesueur NT
Woylie, Bettongia penicillata CR
Northern bettong, Bettongia tropica EN
Gilbert's potoroo, Potorous gilbertii CR
Long-footed potoroo, Potorous longipes EN
Long-nosed potoroo, Potorous tridactylus LC
Bennett's tree-kangaroo, Dendrolagus bennettianus NT
Lumholtz's tree-kangaroo, Dendrolagus lumholtzi LC
Spectacled hare-wallaby, Lagorchestes conspicillatus LC
Mala, Lagorchestes hirsutus VU
Banded hare-wallaby, Lagostrophus fasciatus VU
Western grey kangaroo, Macropus fuliginosus LC
Eastern grey kangaroo, Macropus giganteus LC
Agile wallaby, Notamacropus agilis LC
Black-striped wallaby, Notamacropus dorsalis LC
Tammar wallaby, Notamacropus eugenii LC
Western brush wallaby, Notamacropus irma LC
Parma wallaby, Notamacropus parma NT
Whiptail wallaby, Notamacropus parryi LC
Red-necked wallaby, Notamacropus rufogriseus LC
Bridled nail-tail wallaby, Onychogalea fraenata EN
Northern nail-tail wallaby, Onychogalea unguifera LC
Antilopine kangaroo, Osphranter antilopinus LC
Black wallaroo, Osphranter bernardus NT
Common wallaroo or euro, Osphranter robustus LC
Red kangaroo, Osphranter rufus LC
Allied rock-wallaby, Petrogale assimilis LC
Short-eared rock-wallaby, Petrogale brachyotis LC
Monjon, Petrogale burbidgei NT
Cape York rock-wallaby, Petrogale coenensis NT
Nabarlek, Petrogale concinna DD
Godman's rock-wallaby, Petrogale godmani LC
Herbert's rock-wallaby, Petrogale herberti LC
Unadorned rock-wallaby, Petrogale inornata LC
Black-flanked rock-wallaby, Petrogale lateralis NT
Purple-necked rock-wallaby, Petrogale purpureicollis LC
Mareeba rock-wallaby, Petrogale mareeba LC
Brush-tailed rock-wallaby, Petrogale penicillata NT
Proserpine rock-wallaby, Petrogale persephone EN
Rothschild's rock-wallaby, Petrogale rothschildi LC
Sharman's rock-wallaby, Petrogale sharmani NT
Yellow-footed rock-wallaby, Petrogale xanthopus NT
Quokka, Setonix brachyurus VU
Tasmanian pademelon, Thylogale billardierii LC
Red-legged pademelon, Thylogale stigmatica LC
Red-necked pademelon, Thylogale thetis LC
Swamp wallaby, Wallabia bicolor LC
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries at 12:50 AM on March 31, 2023 [19 favorites]

I feel like they need tiny hard hats and Hi-viz vests.
posted by GenjiandProust at 1:43 AM on March 31, 2023 [6 favorites]

Imagine if a 70 kilogram human built their home by carrying 35kg blocks of limestone without any help..!

when i were a lad pinkie
posted by lalochezia at 3:33 AM on March 31, 2023

these are the marsupials Australia has:

Did you forget Treatius westfalii?
posted by Rumple at 4:24 AM on March 31, 2023 [1 favorite]

> The mice carry the pebbles in their mouths to build the mound.

MOUTH
posted by genpfault at 5:57 AM on March 31, 2023 [3 favorites]

The Mouse that Stored
posted by basalganglia at 6:54 AM on March 31, 2023

The air temperature around the pebbles warms up faster in the morning than the pebbles themselves, causing the formation of small droplets of dew by condensation.

Wow. They're moisture farmers. Very sci-fi little guys.
posted by ignignokt at 6:59 AM on March 31, 2023 [10 favorites]

Actually, do they use the moisture, or is that not actually why they build these mounds? I want to believe.
posted by ignignokt at 7:03 AM on March 31, 2023

They need to go to Toschi Station to get some power converters first
posted by The otter lady at 8:08 AM on March 31, 2023 [2 favorites]

Whether or not they make any other use of the moisture, it would be very effective at keeping their burrows cool.
posted by sjswitzer at 8:28 AM on March 31, 2023 [2 favorites]

I love these little guys! I want videos! And a burrow tour!

But not in a human-interaction/disrupting nature way. Does anyone have the number for a burrow mouse real-estate agent?
posted by BigHeartedGuy at 8:34 AM on March 31, 2023

Whether or not they make any other use of the moisture, it would be very effective at keeping their burrows cool

Yep, cooler during the heat of the day

and also warmer during the cold of a desert or near-desert night
which might be important given a high surface-area-to-body-mass ratio [eg they would get cold easily at cold temperatures]

(stone takes a long time during the day to warm up, and then it gradually sheds warmth overnight)
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries at 9:24 AM on March 31, 2023

Imagine if a 70 kilogram human built their home by carrying 35kg blocks of limestone without any help..!

All that work doesn’t just benefit one mouse – these pebble mounds support entire communities of mice, including several litters of offspring. Scientists have recorded as many as 25 individual mice sharing a single mound.

Ok so now I'm confused and the article didn't clarify. Does one mouse build the mound (and then raise a family) or do a community of mice build it together?

That mouse with a pebble in its mouth is cute.
posted by aniola at 10:25 AM on March 31, 2023

"Here I come to save the day!"

(super cute!)
posted by supermedusa at 10:34 AM on March 31, 2023

Imagine if a 70 kilogram human built their home by carrying 35kg blocks of limestone without any help

my 5'1" mother has spent the last 50 years building the most amazing set of stone stairs and walkways around her cottage in the woods. Some of the rocks are huge! I'll have to send her this article, I think she'd relate.
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 12:14 PM on March 31, 2023 [7 favorites]

(stone takes a long time during the day to warm up, and then it gradually sheds warmth overnight)

Thermal mass and evaporative cooling! Would be interesting to know if the mice select lighter color stones as well. I suspect they do, assuming there’s a choice to be had.
posted by sjswitzer at 12:56 PM on March 31, 2023