NATURAL HISTORY · CATALOGUE RECORD
Silky Pseudomys
Pseudomys apodemoides Finlayson, 1932
Source-backed taxonomic record
Accepted species in Catalogue of Life’s 11 September 2026 base release. This preserves the source classification and available supporting data; it is not a completed species monograph.
Photo of Silky Mouse (Pseudomys) uploaded from iNaturalist.
(c) Donna Belder, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY 4.0 · Image sourceProvider-generated thumbnail requested at 800 pixels; no local editing Local WebP display rendition; resized without cropping.
Open encyclopedia reference
The silky mouse (Pseudomys apodemoides) is a small, nocturnal rodent native to the western and northwestern regions of Victoria, Australia. Weighing 16-22 grams, it has light blue-grey fur flecked with light brown and black guard hairs, and a white underside. Known for its complex burrows, the Silky Mouse favors floristically rich mallee-heath environments, especially areas near Banksia ornata, due to consistent soil moisture and food availability. The silky mouse primarily feeds on seeds, nectar, flowers, and insects. Though threatened by habitat destruction and fires, conservation efforts have led to population recovery.
Wikipedia contributors, Silky mouse; see linked history · CC BY-SA 4.0 . Plain-text lead excerpt, at most 180 words; no infobox or later sections Retrieved 2026-10-05T04:34:13.420714+00:00. This reference remains separate from the taxonomic record.
Identity & source status
- Scientific name
- Pseudomys apodemoides Finlayson, 1932
- Name authority
- Finlayson, 1932
- Common name
- Silky Pseudomys
- Rank
- species
- Accepted status
- accepted
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Mammalia
- Order
- Rodentia
- Family
- Muridae
- Genus
- Pseudomys
- Extinction status
- Recorded extant
Classification family tree
Nested taxonomic groups from the source. This is not a direct-ancestor chain, a dated evolutionary tree or a phylogenetic reconstruction.
- domainEukaryota (Chatton, 1925) Whittaker & Margulis, 1978
- kingdomAnimalia
- phylumChordata
- subphylumVertebrata
- infraphylumGnathostomata
- parvphylumOsteichthyes
- megaclassTetrapoda
- classMammalia Linnaeus, 1758
- subclassTheria Parker & Haswell, 1897
- infraclassEutheria Gill, 1872
- orderRodentia Bowdich, 1821
- suborderMyomorpha Brandt, 1855
- superfamilyMuroidea Illiger, 1811
- familyMuridae Illiger, 1811
- subfamilyMurinae Illiger, 1811
- genusPseudomys Gray, 1832
- speciesPseudomys apodemoides Finlayson, 1932
Close classified relatives
These entries share the source’s genus, Pseudomys. They are not necessarily the closest relatives established by molecular evidence.
| Species | Classification | Source status |
|---|---|---|
| Ash-gray PseudomysPseudomys albocinereus (Gould, 1845) | MuridaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Plains PseudomysPseudomys australis Gray, 1832 | MuridaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Bolam's PseudomysPseudomys bolami Troughton, 1932 | MuridaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Desert PseudomysPseudomys desertor Troughton, 1932 | MuridaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Blue-gray PseudomysPseudomys glaucus Thomas, 1910 | MuridaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Eastern Chestnut PseudomysPseudomys gracilicaudatus (Gould, 1845) | MuridaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Sandy Inland PseudomysPseudomys hermannsburgensis (Waite, 1896) | MuridaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Long-tailed PseudomysPseudomys higginsi (Trouessart, 1897) | MuridaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| New Holland PseudomysPseudomys novaehollandiae (Waterhouse, 1843) | MuridaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Western Chestnut PseudomysPseudomys nanus (Gould, 1858) | MuridaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Eastern Pebble-mound PseudomysPseudomys patrius (Thomas & Dollman, 1909) | MuridaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Kakadu Pebble-mound PseudomysPseudomys calabyi Kitchener & Humphreys, 1987 | MuridaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
Documented distribution
Source distribution statements, not a complete range map. A listed locality is not necessarily a place of origin.
Source literature & publication evidence
References attached to this source record, including nomenclatural citations where supplied. This is a selected bibliography; abbreviated citations remain in the source’s form.
- https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=585486 Source fields: Taxon.tsv dwc:namePublishedIn, Taxon.tsv dcterms:references
Origins, evidence & remaining research
Name authority and publication references document nomenclature where the source supplies it. They do not establish evolutionary origins or the earliest fossil occurrence.
Specimen-level evidence, morphology, ecological research, phylogenetic studies, a comprehensive bibliography and a located literary passage have not yet been compiled for this record.
Dataset citation & attribution
This exact taxon in ChecklistBank · Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11
Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11; dataset 316321; doi:10.48580/dgz5n. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ . Retrieved 5 October 2026.
Stable key: col:4P4HN. Classification follows source parent identifiers. English common names may vary by region.