Rodentolepis fraterna : the cause of mortality in a new host, the spinifex hopping mouse (Notomys alexis)

The Spinifex hopping-mouse (Notomys alexis) is a desert-dwelling species of Australian murid, belonging to the subfamily Hydromyinae. The species is considered common in the wild and has persisted in the arid zones of western and central Australia while other Notomys species have suffered population declines or become extinct. The ability of Spinifex hopping-mice to breed rapidly in response to an abundant food supply is considered to be key to their success in desert habitat and is a reproductive trait that has enabled large populations to be easily bred in captivity. Despite their popularity in Australia as a research model, and their susceptibility to mass mortality events in captive facilities, the endoparasites that infect Spinifex hopping-mice have not been described. This paper is the first report of an endoparasite, Rodentolepis fraternal , in a captive population of Spinifex hopping-mice and of its potential role in an individual mortality.