Kangaroo Island Dunnart

Taxobox
name = Kangaroo Island Dunnart
status = CR
status_system = iucn3.1
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Mammalia
infraclassis = Marsupialia
ordo = Dasyuromorphia
familia = Dasyuridae
genus = "Sminthopsis"
species = ""'S. aitkeni"
binomial = "Sminthopsis aitkeni"
binomial_authority = Kitchener, Stoddart and Henry 1984

The Kangaroo Island Dunnart "(Sminthopsis aitkeni)" is a dark sooty grey coloured dunnart species, with paler underparts of its body. It has an average body length of 170mm-198mm, a snout to anus length of 80-93 mm, a tail measurement of 90-105 mm, a hind foot of 17.5mm, ear length of 18mm and a weight which varies between 20-25 grams. The thin tail has the same colouring as described above.

Distribution and habitat

This dasyurid is found only on the western half of Kangaroo Island in South Australia, the island's only endemic mammal. The species inhabits mallee heath on laterite soils.

ocial organisation and breeding

Little is known of the behavior of the Kangaroo Island Dunnart, but the mating season is thought to be from September to January with more than one birth recorded.

References

*
*cite book|last=Menkhorst|first=P.|coauthors=Knight, F.|title=A field Guide to the Mammals of Australia|publisher=Oxford Press|year=2001|id=ISBN 0-19-550870-X|pages=68
*MSW3 Groves|pages=34

External links

* [http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/biodiversity/kidunnart.html Threatened Species]
* [http://www.australianfauna.com/kangarooislanddunnart.php Australian fauna .com]
* [http://www.asdd.sa.gov.au/asdd/ANZSA1000000055.html Dataset description]
* [http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/biodiversity/pdfs/ki_dunnart_recovery_plan.pdf#search='Kangaroo%20Island%20Dunnart' The Distribution and Ecology]