No subspecies are recognised for this species.

The Dusky Hopping-mouse has exhibited a historical decrease in abundance and distribution. However, abundance and distributional extent increased from 1995 to at least 2014 due to reduction in numbers of the invasive European Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus and the introduced predators (cat Felis catus and red fox Vulpes vulpes) whose abundance was sustained by high rabbit numbers. Relatively high abundance of Dusky Hopping-mice appears to have persisted until at least 2021. Population size is likely to be substantially higher than 10,000 mature individuals in most years, but population numbers and area of occupancy (AOO) decline severely in drought, and the species may then occur in a limited number of drought refuge areas, before expanding its range again after substantial rainfall. Contraction in range and population decline in drought years may be sufficient to approach Vulnerable B2ac, with an AOO of possibly less than 2,000 km², evidence of severe fragmentation and/or occurrence in less than 10 locations; but the evidence for this is tenuous. Nonetheless, adopting a precautionary approach, this species is assessed as Near Threatened, approaching Vulnerable B2ac(ii).

The Dusky Hopping-mouse occurs in arid South Australia (Watts and Aslin 1981, Moseby and Brandle 1999), south-western Queensland (Dickman et al. 2008a) and north-western New South Wales (Dickman et al. 2008b). There have been no records from the Northern Territory since 1939 (Woinarski et al. 2007). Burbidge et al. (2009), using modern, historical and subfossil data, recorded it in eight IBRA (Interim Bioregionalisation for Australia) bioregions, noting that it was extirpated in five and had declined or seriously declined in the remaining three.

Ardeotis Biological Consultants (2007) extended the known range to the south and west. Recent records are from the Channel Country and Simpson Strzelecki Dunefield Bioregions in Queensland, South Australia and New South Wales. Trapping and track-based surveys in north-eastern South Australia in 2011-12 demonstrated a major reinvasion of the former range of this species in areas to the south and west of the Simpson-Strzelecki Desert Dunefields Bioregion following higher than average rainfall in 2010-12 (Southgate and Moseby 2011, Southgate et al. 2012), the known distribution being extended southward almost to the Barrier Highway and westward to the Flinders Ranges.

A 2007 record from the Beverley mine lease, north of Lake Frome, extended its known range south-westward (Waudby and How 2008). A capture from the Broken Hill Complex Bioregion in an atypical habitat (bluebush shrubland) and new locality ca. 170 km south of the nearest New South Wales record may indicate a significant population eruption and subsequent migration into new areas following the widespread ephemeral and perennial plant production pulse that occurred after widespread heavy rainfall in 2010 (Val et al. 2012).

Recent records from owl pellets at Pilungah Reserve in south-western Queensland were within 10 km of the Northern Territory border, suggesting it may still occur in the jurisdiction (Schoenefuss et al. 2024).

At many sites, abundance varies with rainfall in a ‘boom and bust’ pattern. Watts and Aslin (1981) reported observations by Sturt suggesting that it was common near the Flinders Ranges in 1847. Moseby et al. (1999) inferred a total population of more than 10,000 individuals, but fewer than 2,500 individuals during drought. In 2011, trapping at Wooltana recorded the highest density of Dusky Hopping-mice (10 individuals/hectare) since trapping records began in South Australia in 1993; however, capture rate dropped to 0-0.5% when the sites were re-trapped in 2012 as the species began to contract under drier conditions. Track imprints were detected on 70% of 60 track-based monitoring plots sampled in 2011 and 43% of plots re-sampled in 2012 (Southgate et al. 2012). Across much of its range it is - at least in some seasons - abundant and one of the main prey items detected in predator samples (e.g., Lee et al. 2021, Sheldon et al. 2023). Abundance (along with distributional extent) increased substantially over the period 1995-2014 due to management that reduced rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) abundance (Pedler et al. 2016), with this high abundance persisting until at least 2021 (Indigo et al. 2021).

The Dusky Hopping-mouse is found primarily on longitudinal and irregular stabilised dune fields where perennial plant species such as Nitre Bush (Nitraria billardierei) and Sandhill Canegrass (Zygochloa paradoxa) persist. Moseby et al. (2006) studied the species at Pelican Waterhole, south-western Queensland, and Montecollina Bore in north east South Australia over an eight-year period. Whilst the population at Montecollina Bore exhibited large fluctuations in size, captures at Pelican Waterhole were lower but more consistent. Recaptures between sessions at Montecollina Bore peaked at 60% but no individuals were recaptured at Pelican Waterhole. 

The Dusky Hopping-mouse digs burrow systems on the stable crests and slopes of dunes and within sand hummocks, the depth varying with habitat but commonly being ca. 1 m deep with some up to 2 m deep. Animals live in groups of up to five individuals. At night they forage over a wide area, commonly 400 m per night and up to 1.5 km over three nights (Owens et al. 2008).

Monitoring has shown that some subpopulations persist with low, yet stable numbers, while others vary in a boom-bust cycle in response to varying rainfall and resource availability (Owens et al. 2008).

At at least some sites and in some seasons, the Dusky Hopping-mouse is one of the most frequent dietary items taken by cats (Feit et al. 2019). Letnic et al. (2009) showed that the Dusky Hopping-mouse was more abundant where Dingoes occurred and found that that generalised linear modelling showed that Dusky Hopping-mouse abundance was associated positively with Dingo activity and long-term annual rainfall, and negatively with Red Fox activity.

Surveys in north-eastern South Australia in 2011 and 2012 found Dusky Hopping-mice to be occupying a wide range of landform types (rocky ranges, gibber plains, sand dunes, sand plains) but nearly always in association with at least small sandy areas. Sandy habitat is needed for the Dusky Hopping-mouse to build the burrow systems it requires to live communally and breed. Isolated sand dunes or rises were inhabited despite being separated by several kilometres of hard substrate indicating Dusky Hopping-mice are capable of dispersing over considerable distances and colonising small patches of suitable habitat (Southgate et al. 2012).

Many subpopulations are found in habitats highly degraded by overgrazing by rabbits and livestock (Moseby et al. 1999, Owens et al. 2008). However, abundance and distributional extent of Dusky Hopping-mice increased following the effective control of rabbits using rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus from 1995. 

Litter size is between one and five. Both sexes reach maturity at 70 days (Aslin and Watts 1980). Longevity in the wild has been recorded as up to 13 months (Owens et al. 2008). In captivity other Notomys species live to 5.3 to 6.4 years of age (AnAge 2012). Generation length is here assumed to be 2 years.

The major threats are habitat degradation and resource depletion by livestock and feral herbivores (moderate to severe, entire range): loss of burrowing and feeding habitat in areas degraded by rabbits and stock. However, the species can survive in at least some degraded areas (Owens et al. 2008). Range expansion/re-invasion over the period 1995-2014 occurred following reduced rabbit numbers after the introduction of Rabbit calicivirus (Pedler et al. 2016), with such increase due to reduced competition (food resources) from rabbits, increase in habitat suitability, and decrease in the abundance of predators formerly supported by the high abundance of rabbits.

Predation by feral Domestic Cats (Felis catus; moderate to severe, across the entire range) and Red Foxes (Vulpes vulpes) represents major threats: predation by cats was reported by Vernes et al. (2021a,b) and Feit et al. (2019), and hyper-predation has been linked to decline in rodents in low productivity landscapes (Smith and Quin 1996, TSSC 2008). Letnic et al. (2009) demonstrated that Dusky Hopping-mouse abundance was associated negatively with Red Fox activity, and some studies have demonstrated abundance is higher in areas with dingoes (and hence fewer foxes) than in areas where dingoes have been excluded or where dingo abundance is reduced by management (pastoral areas) (e.g., Letnic and Dworjanyn 2011, Sheldon et al. 2023). Conversely, Allen et al. (2018) found that variation in abundance of Dusky Hopping-mice was associated principally with broad habitat features and rainfall, rather than livestock grazing intensity or abundance of dingoes.

There is likely to be competition from House Mice (Mus musculus; minor to moderate, across the entire range): the House Mouse is very common at times in sites where Dusky Hopping-mouse occurs (Moseby et al. 1999, TSSC 2008); although, the effects are not clear.

Climate change (minor-moderate in short to medium term, entire range) could represent a major threat: if rainfall reduces or high rainfall events become less frequent and droughts more frequent, the species may decline or disappear.

The Dusky Hopping-mouse is not utilized.

The dusky hopping-mouse is listed as Vulnerable under Australian legislation. There is a conservation advice but no recovery plan for this species.

This species is included in a broad-scale monitoring program across Australia's arid zone, with monitoring based on detection of tracks, burrows and other signs. Several hundred monitoring sites occur within its range, sufficient to detect changes in abundance (Indigo et al. 2021, Southwell et al. 2023). Some monitoring is also being carried out at trapping grids in north-eastern South Australia (Southgate et al. 2012).