Swamp Antechinus

]
status = LC
status_system = iucn3.1
trend = decreasing
status_ref = [ IUCN2008|assessors=van Weenen, J. & Menkhorst, P.|year=2008|id=40525|title=Antechinus minimus|downloaded=09 October 2008]
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Mammalia
ordo = Dasyuromorphia
familia = Dasyuridae
tribus = Phascogalini
genus = "Antechinus"
species = "A. minimus"
binomial = "Antechinus minimus"
binomial_authority = (É. Geoffroy, 1803)The Swamp Antechinus ("Antechinus minimus"), also known as the Little Tasmanian Marsupial Mouse, is a species of shrew-like marsupial of the Dasyuridae family and as such is related to dunnarts, quolls and the Tasmanian Devil.

Taxonomy

The Swamp Antechinus was first described in 1803 (the first of all the antechinuses) by Étienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, who placed it in the genus "Dasyurus" (quolls), hence its species name "minimus", which means "smallest".Citation|last1=Wainer|first1=J.W.|last2=Wilson|first2=B.A.|contribution=Yellow-footed Antechinus|title=The Mammals of Australia|year=1995|publisher=Reed Books|pages=86-88|editor-first=Ronald|editor-last=Strahan|isbn=0-7301-0484-2]

There are two recognised subspecies of the Swamp Antechinus:
*"A. m. minimus", found in Tasmania and Bass Strait;
*"A. m. maritimus", found on the mainland; this subspecies is declining and is classed as near threatened.

Habitat and distribution

The area inhabited by the subspecies "A. m. maritimus" is in the south of the central highlands, wimmera and Alpine areas of Victoria and the extreme south of South Australia around Mount Gambier. For the nominate subspecies "A. m. minimus", the range is Tasmania, including Sunday Island King Island and Flinders Island.

The habitat for all subspecies is closed heath, wet dense heath, open forest, open heath, swampy draiages and tussock grassland with bracken and sedge growth.

Breeding and social habits

The species is nocturnal and partly diurnal or active at night and daytime, whether it is crepuscular is not known. The species breeds during May-July and gives birth in July-August after 28-32 days gestation to 6-8 joeys. In the inland areas, mating occurs one month earlier, but the reason is not known. Few females survive a second year and all males don't live long past the mating period (Wilson etal. 1986.).cite book|first=Peter|last=Menkhorst|year=2001|title=A Field Guide to the Mammals of Australia|publisher=Oxford University Press|pages=56|isbn=0-19-440870-X]

Diet

The Swamp Antechinus is an insectivorous forager in soil habitats similar to the Dusky Antechinus.cite book|last=Menkhorst|first=Peter|year=1996|title=Mammals of Victoria|publisher=Oxford University Press|pages=44-45|isbn=0-19-553733-5]

References

External links

* [http://www.deh.gov.au/cgi-bin/abrs/fauna/details.pl?pstrVol=MARSUPIALIA;pstrTaxa=622;pstrChecklistMode=1 Australian Biological Resources Study]
* [http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/wildlife/mammals/santech.html Parks and Wildlife services Tasmania]
* [http://www.dpiwe.tas.gov.au/inter.nsf/WebPages/BHAN-5374PT?open Primary Industries, Water and Environment Tasmania]