Xeromys myoides Thomas, 1889 . Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1889:248.

TYPE LOCALITY: Australia, Queensland, Mackay .

DISTRIBUTION: Australia; C and S Queensland, North Stradbroke Island off the coast of SE Queensland (Van Dyck et al., 1979), Northern Territory, and Melville Island off the coast of Northern Territory; probably has a wider range (Watts and Aslin, 1981).

STATUS: CITES - Appendix I; U.S. ESA - Endangered; IUCN - Rare.

COMMENTS: Closely associated with tidal mangrove swamps and still known only by small samples, most of which have been collected since 1970 (Dwyer et al., 1979; Van Dyck et al., 1979; Watts and Aslin, 1981). Morphology of sperm head structure and male reproductive tract studied by Breed (1984, 1986) in context of comparative study among Australian murines. Chromosomal complement similar to that of Hydromys chrysogaster (Baverstock et al., 1977c), as is primitive pattern of cephalic arterial configuration. Mahoney and Richardson (1988: 190) cataloged references to taxonomy and natural history.