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Tropical antechinus

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Tropical antechinus[1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Infraclass: Marsupialia
Order: Dasyuromorphia
Family: Dasyuridae
Genus: Antechinus
Species:
A. adustus
Binomial name
Antechinus adustus
(Thomas, 1923)
Distribution of the tropical antechinus

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 Mount 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.[3]

References

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  1. ^ Groves, C. P. (2005). Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M. (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 28–29. ISBN 0-801-88221-4. OCLC 62265494.
  2. ^ Burnett, S.; Winter, J. (2016). "Antechinus adustus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T136555A21946505. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T136555A21946505.en.
  3. ^ Menkhorst, Peter (2001). A Field Guide to the Mammals of Australia. Oxford University Press. p. 252.