Fat-tailed False Antechinus
Encyclopedia
The Fat-tailed False Antechinus (Pseudantechinus macdonnellensis), also called the Fat-tailed Pseudantechinus and Red-eared Antechinus, is a member of the Dasyuromorphia
order
. It is an inhabitant of western and central Australia.
. It was for a long time included in the genus Antechinus
. The species has formerly included the Alexandria False Antechinus
(P. mimulus), the Ningbing False Antechinus
(P. ningbing), and Woolley's False Antechinus
(P. woolleyae).
The Fat-tailed False Antechinus is a member of the family Dasyuridae
. Its species name, macdonnellensis, refers to the MacDonnell Ranges
near Alice Springs, where it was first discovered.
, including South Australia
, the Northern Territory
and Western Australia
. An outlying population in more coastal areas of Western Australia
has been reclassified as a new species, Rory Cooper's False Antechinus
(P. roryi). The species inhabits rocky slopes and plains.
Dasyuromorphia
The order Dasyuromorphia comprises most of the Australian carnivorous marsupials, including quolls, dunnarts, the numbat, the Tasmanian devil, and the recently extinct thylacine...
order
Order (biology)
In scientific classification used in biology, the order is# a taxonomic rank used in the classification of organisms. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, family, genus, and species, with order fitting in between class and family...
. It is an inhabitant of western and central Australia.
Taxonomy
The Fat-tailed False Antechinus was first described in 1896 by Sir Walter Baldwin Spencer, who placed it in the genus PhascogalePhascogale
The Phascogales , also known as Wambengers, are carnivorous Australian marsupials of the family Dasyuridae. There are two species: the Brush-tailed Phascogale and the Red-tailed Phascogale...
. It was for a long time included in the genus Antechinus
Antechinus
Antechinus is a genus of dasyurid marsupial that is indigenous to Australia and New Guinea. The majority of Antechinus species occur in Australia and only two species have been described in New Guinea...
. The species has formerly included the Alexandria False Antechinus
Alexandria False Antechinus
The Alexandria False Antechinus , also known as the Carpentarian False Antechinus or Carpentarian Pseudantechinus, is a small carnivorous marsupial, found only in a number of small, isolated localities in northern Australia...
(P. mimulus), the Ningbing False Antechinus
Ningbing False Antechinus
The Ningbing False Antechinus , also known as the Ningbing Pseudantechinus, is a small species of carnivorous marsupial found in north-western Australia...
(P. ningbing), and Woolley's False Antechinus
Woolley's False Antechinus
Woolley's False Antechinus , also known as Woolley's Pseudantechinus, is a species of small carnivorous marsupial belonging to the family Dasyuridae...
(P. woolleyae).
The Fat-tailed False Antechinus is a member of the family Dasyuridae
Dasyuridae
Dasyuridae is a family of marsupials native to Australia and New Guinea, including 61 species divided into 15 genera. Many are small and mouse-like, giving them the misnomer marsupial mice, but the group also includes the cat-sized quolls, as well as the Tasmanian Devil...
. Its species name, macdonnellensis, refers to the MacDonnell Ranges
MacDonnell Ranges
The MacDonnell Ranges of the Northern Territory, are a long series of mountain ranges located in the centre of Australia , and consist of parallel ridges running to the east and west of Alice Springs...
near Alice Springs, where it was first discovered.
Description
The Fat-tailed False Antechinus is 9.5-10.5cm long with a 7.5-8.5 cm tail; it weighs 20-45g. It has a carrot-shaped tail swollen with fat which serves as a food reserve. Its fur is grey-brown. It has litters of up to six young, born in July-September (slightly later further west in the range). It is an insectivorous and nocturnal species.Habitat
The Fat-tailed False Antechinus is found throughout much of central AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, including South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
, the Northern Territory
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
and Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
. An outlying population in more coastal areas of Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
has been reclassified as a new species, Rory Cooper's False Antechinus
Rory Cooper's False Antechinus
Rory Cooper's False Antechinus , also known as the Tan False Antechinus and the Tan Pseudantechinus, is a recently named species of small carnivorous marsupial which inhabits rocky outcrops in Western Australia...
(P. roryi). The species inhabits rocky slopes and plains.