Bolam's Mouse

Bolam's mouse is the size of a house mouse although slimmer in appearance with larger eyes, feet and ears with a longer tail. It is also quieter than a house mouse when handled and lacks a musty odour. Other distinguishing features include the absence of notched upper incisors which are characteristic of the house mouse. The weight of males and females is between 9 and 16 grams (0.32 and 0.56 oz). The body length is 50–80 millimetres (2.0–3.1 in) with a tail length of 71–103 mm (2.8–4.1 in). The fur is a dull grey-brown that blends from white at the base to much darker at the tips. It is very similar in appearance to the sandy inland mouse, Pseudomys hermannsburgensis, but with a longer hindfoot (18.4–20.1 mm (0.72–0.79 in)), 4–6 hairs per tail scale and longer ears (15.2–18.6 mm (0.60–0.73 in)).

It has a wide distribution that ranges from south west Western Australia through South Australia to south western New South Wales. The range of the species has declined in recent times with the species no longer found in the Sunset region of South Australia and Victoria. Fossil evidence shows that its range has also contracted in New South Wales where it formerly occupied much of the west of the state including Mutawintji National Park in the north west. The range of Bolam's mouse is generally south of that of the sandy inland mouse with very little overlap in distribution.

Bolam's mouse is an omnivorous rodent that feeds on a mixture of seed, plant material, invertebrates and fungus. Due to the high variability of food resources available to P. bolami its diet is seasonally varied. Generally seeds particularly those of Maireana astrotricha occupy the majority of the diet when conditions are suitable for seed production. Plant material including leaves, floral material, stems and roots generally make up more than 30% of the diet. Invertebrates make up more than 10% of the diet and fungus makes up less than 1%.