Tropical Antechinus

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Tropical Antechinus[1]
Conservation status
Not evaluated (IUCN 2.3)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Infraclass: Marsupialia
Order: Dasyuromorphia
Family: Dasyuridae
Genus: Antechinus
Species: A. adustus
Binomial name
Antechinus adustus
(Thomas 1923)

The Tropical Antechinus (Antechinus adustus), also known as the Rusty Antechinus, is a species of small marsupial carnivore, particularly closely related to the Brown Antechinus (Antechinus stuartii).

It is found in a small area of tropical vine forest from Paluma (near Townsville) to Mt Spurgeon (near Mossman) in northeastern Queensland, Australia. It differs from the Brown Antechinus, with which it was previously thought to be conspecific, in its longer and darker fur. It shares the unusual mating behaviour of many of its relatives in that shortly after the breeding season all males die from stress-related disease.[2]

[edit] Resources

  1. ^ 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, 28-29. ISBN 0-801-88221-4. 
  2. ^ Menkhorst, Peter (2001). A Field Guide to the Mammals of Australia. Oxford University Press, 252.