Woolley's False Antechinus
Encyclopedia
Woolley's False Antechinus (Pseudantechinus woolleyae), also known as Woolley's Pseudantechinus, is a species of small carnivorous marsupial
belonging to the family Dasyuridae
. It is found in the Australia
n state of Western Australia
, primarily in the Pilbara, Ashburton and Murchison regions.
es, long believed to be a form of the Fat-tailed False Antechinus
, which it closely resembles. It was not given full species status until 1988. The common and species names honour Dr Patricia Woolley, an Australia
n expert on dasyurid marsupial
s like this species.
and its behaviour is little known. It has a breeding life of two or more years, unlike many of its relatives which live for a very short time. Births occur in September-October and the young are sexually mature at 10 months.
Woolley's False Antechinus is coloured rich brown above and buff below. It has a flattened tail and chestnut patches behind its ears.
scrub or spinifex
grass. It is found in the western area of Western Australia
.
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...
belonging to 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...
. It is found in the 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...
n state 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...
, primarily in the Pilbara, Ashburton and Murchison regions.
Taxonomy
Woolley's False Antechinus was, like most false antechinusFalse antechinus
The genus Pseudantechinus are members of the Dasyuromorphia order. They are often called false antechinuses, although this genus includes the Sandstone Dibbler, which was previously assigned to a different genus....
es, long believed to be a form of the Fat-tailed False Antechinus
Fat-tailed False Antechinus
The Fat-tailed False Antechinus , also called the Fat-tailed Pseudantechinus and Red-eared Antechinus, is a member of the Dasyuromorphia order...
, which it closely resembles. It was not given full species status until 1988. The common and species names honour Dr Patricia Woolley, an 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...
n expert on dasyurid marsupial
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...
s like this species.
Description
Woolley's False Antechinus is the largest false antechinusFalse antechinus
The genus Pseudantechinus are members of the Dasyuromorphia order. They are often called false antechinuses, although this genus includes the Sandstone Dibbler, which was previously assigned to a different genus....
and its behaviour is little known. It has a breeding life of two or more years, unlike many of its relatives which live for a very short time. Births occur in September-October and the young are sexually mature at 10 months.
Woolley's False Antechinus is coloured rich brown above and buff below. It has a flattened tail and chestnut patches behind its ears.
Habitat
Woolley's False Antechinus inhabits rocky hillsides, usually vegetated with acaciaAcacia
Acacia is a genus of shrubs and trees belonging to the subfamily Mimosoideae of the family Fabaceae, first described in Africa by the Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus in 1773. Many non-Australian species tend to be thorny, whereas the majority of Australian acacias are not...
scrub or spinifex
Spinifex
Spinifex may refer to:* Spinifex , a genus of grass which is indigenous to the coastal areas of Australasia and Indonesia* Triodia , a hummock grass of arid Australia, covering twenty percent of the Australian continent ** Spinifex resin* Spinifex people, or Pila Nguru, an Australian...
grass. It is found in the western area 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...
.