Alexandria false antechinus

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Alexandria false antechinus[1]

Near Threatened  (IUCN 3.1)[2]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Infraclass: Marsupialia
Order: Dasyuromorphia
Family: Dasyuridae
Genus: Pseudantechinus
Species:
P. mimulus
Binomial name
Pseudantechinus mimulus
(Thomas 1906)
Alexandria false antechinus range

The Alexandria false antechinus (Pseudantechinus mimulus), 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. It is the smallest and rarest of the false antechinuses.[3]

Taxonomy

The Alexandria false antechinus has had a long history of confusion with the

D.J. Kitchener in 1991. Its scientific name means "little mimic of false-antechinus".[4]

The P. mimulus is classified as an endangered specie due to the decline in habitat quality and extent as a result of fire, introduced predators, and mining.[2]

Description

The Alexandria false antechinus is coloured buff brown above and greyish white below. Its main distinguishing feature from other false antechinuses is its small size.[4] The behaviour of this species has not been described.[3]

Habitat

This species is endemic to Australia, found only in five localities: near

Sir Edward Pellew Group, in the north-east of the territory. In 2009 it was recorded from Pungalina-Seven Emu Sanctuary in the Northern Territory.[5]

. In the 1988 census of the territories the species was found in the Centre and South West Islands, but in the 2003 census it was not located. It is believed that the P. mimulus still resides within that area, but is yet to be confirmed.

spinifex grass.[3][2]

Conservation status

The Alexandria false antechinus has a very limited distribution, which has resulted in its classification by the

IUCN as endangered. On the offshore islands it inhabits, it is fairly common; however, it is rare and, in 1995, had not been seen on the mainland since 1905, when it was discovered.[4]

Diet

While a lot of details about the species diet is unknown, it is believed that they eat mostly invertebrates as well as some small vertebrates.[6]

References

  1. OCLC 62265494
    .
  2. ^
    doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T18447A21945496.en
    . Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  3. ^ a b c Menkhorst, Peter (2001). A Field Guide to the Mammals of Australia. Oxford University Press. p. 60.
  4. ^ a b c Johnson, K.A.; Langford, D.G. (1995). "Carpentarian Pseudantechinus". In Strahan, Ronald (ed.). The Mammals of Australia. Reed Books. pp. 77–78.
  5. ^ Anon (2009). "Pungalina-Seven Emu" (PDF). Wildlife Matters (Spring 2009): 6–10. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-25.
  6. ^ a b "Pseudantechinus mimulus — Carpentarian Antechinus".

External links

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