| Fat-tailed False Antechinus[1] | |
|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Infraclass: | Marsupialia |
| Order: | Dasyuromorphia |
| Family: | Dasyuridae |
| Genus: | Pseudantechinus |
| Species: | P. macdonnellensis |
| Binomial name | |
| Pseudantechinus macdonnellensis (Spencer, 1896) |
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| Fat-tailed False Antechinus range | |
The Fat-tailed False Antechinus (Pseudantechinus macdonnellensis), also called the Fat-tailed Pseudantechinus and Red-eared Antechinus, is a member of the Dasyuromorphia order. It is an inhabitant of western and central Australia.
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The Fat-tailed False Antechinus was first described in 1896 by Sir Walter Baldwin Spencer, who placed it in the genus Phascogale. It was for a long time included in the genus Antechinus.[3] The species has formerly included the Alexandria False Antechinus (P. mimulus), the Ningbing False Antechinus (P. ningbing), and Woolley's False Antechinus (P. woolleyae).
The Fat-tailed False Antechinus is a member of the family Dasyuridae. Its species name, macdonnellensis, refers to the MacDonnell Ranges near Alice Springs, where it was first discovered.
The Fat-tailed False Antechinus is 9.5-10.5cm long with a 7.5-8.5 cm tail; it weighs 20-45g. It has a carrot-shaped tail swollen with fat which serves as a food reserve. Its fur is grey-brown. It has litters of up to six young, born in July-September (slightly later further west in the range).[4] It is an insectivorous and nocturnal species.
The Fat-tailed False Antechinus is found throughout much of central Australia, including South Australia, the Northern Territory and Western Australia. An outlying population in more coastal areas of Western Australia has been reclassified as a new species, Rory Cooper's False Antechinus (P. roryi). The species inhabits rocky slopes and plains.