Tropical Antechinus
Encyclopedia
The Tropical Antechinus (Antechinus adustus), also known as the Rusty Antechinus, is a species of small marsupial
carnivore, particularly closely related to the Brown Antechinus
(Antechinus stuartii).
It is found in a small area of tropical vine forest from Paluma
(near Townsville) to Mount Spurgeon (near Mossman
) in northeastern Queensland
, Australia
. It differs from the Brown Antechinus
, with which it was previously thought to be conspecific, in its longer and darker fur. It shares the unusual mating behaviour of many of its relatives in that shortly after the breeding season all males die from stress-related disease.
Marsupial
Marsupials are an infraclass of mammals, characterized by giving birth to relatively undeveloped young. Close to 70% of the 334 extant species occur in Australia, New Guinea, and nearby islands, with the remaining 100 found in the Americas, primarily in South America, but with thirteen in Central...
carnivore, particularly closely related to the Brown Antechinus
Brown Antechinus
The Brown Antechinus , also known as Stuart's Antechinus and Macleay's Marsupial Mouse, is a species of small carnivorous marsupial of the family Dasyuridae.-Taxonomy:...
(Antechinus stuartii).
It is found in a small area of tropical vine forest from Paluma
Paluma, Queensland
Paluma is a township of around 25 permanent residents in the Mount Spec ranges of Townsville's heritage-listed Wet Tropics. Paluma developed from a mining and forestry background. The first people to arrive here were tin prospectors in the 1870s after an abundance of tin in the mountains. The area...
(near Townsville) to Mount Spurgeon (near Mossman
Mossman, Queensland
For the collection of Horsedrawn Carriages see Mossman CollectionMossman is a town in Far North Queensland, Australia, on the Mossman River...
) in northeastern Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, Australia
Australia
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...
. It differs from the Brown Antechinus
Brown Antechinus
The Brown Antechinus , also known as Stuart's Antechinus and Macleay's Marsupial Mouse, is a species of small carnivorous marsupial of the family Dasyuridae.-Taxonomy:...
, with which it was previously thought to be conspecific, in its longer and darker fur. It shares the unusual mating behaviour of many of its relatives in that shortly after the breeding season all males die from stress-related disease.