Gray-bellied Dunnart

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Gray-bellied Dunnart

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Subclass:	Marsupialia
Order:	Dasyuromorphia
Family:	Dasyuridae
Genus:	Sminthopsis
Species:	*S. griseventor*

Binomial name

Sminthopsis griseventor
(Kitchener, Stoddart and Henry 1984)

The Gray-bellied Dunnart (Sminthopsis griseventor) was described by the same people Kitchener, Stoddart and Henry along with the Kangaroo Island Dunnart, Gilbert's Dunnart and Little-tailed Dunnart in 1984. They also described the Mallee Ningaui in 1983. The average body length of a specimen can vary between 130-192 mm with a tail of 65-98 mm and body to anus of 65-95 mm. The olive grey ear's with a length of between 17-18 mm. The hind feet have an average length of between 16-17 mm. Its weight varies between 15-25 grams.

1 Distribution and habitat
2 Social organisation and breeding
3 Diet
4 References
5 External links

[edit] Distribution and habitat

Found in Western Australia on the coastal south west fringes and associated ranges. From north to south then to east, Gairdner Ranges to Cape Arid NP, its habitat rarely stretches 100km inland from the coast. Also inhabits Boulenger Island. A population was recently discovered in December 2003 in South Australia during a Department for Environment and Heritage Biological Survey on Eyre Peninsula in Hincks and Bascombe Well conservation parks. Habitat includes heathy forests, woodland, melaleuca swamplands dense mature heathland. No subspecies is identified.

[edit] Social organisation and breeding

Nocturnal species that inhabits leaf litter and burrows. Breeding is done in a nest below ground a few centimeters, with 8 born in august for Boulenger Island and october of other areas. Only 1 litter is born.

[edit] Diet

This dunnart is a nocturnal omnivorous marsupial that eats insects, small mammals, reptiles an amphibians as well as soft fruit.

[edit] References

Australasian Marsupial & Monotreme Specialist Group (1996). Sminthopsis crassicaudata. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 12 May 2006.
Groves, Colin (16 November 2005). in Wilson, D. E., and Reeder, D. M. (eds): Mammal Species of the World, 3rd edition, Johns Hopkins University Press, 34. ISBN 0-801-88221-4.
Menkhorst, Peter W. (1995). Mammals of Victoria. Oxford Press. ISBN 0-19-553733-5.