Bag marten
Bag marten | ||||||||||||
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Systematics | ||||||||||||
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Scientific name | ||||||||||||
Dasyurus | ||||||||||||
É. Geoffroy , 1796 |
The bag marten ( Dasyurus ) are a genus of the family of the predator with six species. They are not closely related to the placental martens . They are the greatest members of their family after the Tasmanian devil . Occasionally, the English term Quoll is used for the genus and its species .
description
The fur is gray or brown, characteristic of all bag marten species are the white spots on the body. The body length (excluding the tail) varies from 25 to 35 centimeters in the smaller species and up to 75 centimeters in the giant bag marten. This species can weigh 2 to 3 kilograms.
Distribution and way of life
Pouch martens can be found all over Australia , as well as in New Guinea , Tasmania and other islands. Like almost all predatory marten, the bag martens are nocturnal. They spend the day in caves, holes in the ground or hollow tree trunks. Although they are mostly ground dwellers, they can climb well. Pouch martens inhabit a variety of habitats, from the arid areas of Central Australia to rocky terrain and forests.
nutrition
The bag martens are principally predators, but sometimes also feed on plant material (for example fruits). When it comes to animal prey, everything from insects to frogs and lizards to small mammals such as wallabies , rodents and rabbits is on their menu. Sometimes they also devour carrion.
Reproduction
Bag martens do not have fully developed pouches, they are often only put on during the gestation period. Mating takes place in the Australian winter, between May and July. The young are born after a gestation period of 16 to 25 days. Often many more young are born than can actually survive. Two to six kittens stay in their mother's pouch for 7 to 15 weeks until they have grown out. With around six months to a year they are self-employed.
threat
Their range has been severely restricted in some places by human settlement, hunting and competition from imported predators. Four of the six species are classified as endangered (vulnerable) by the IUCN .
species
- The mini-sacred marten ( Dasyurus hallucatus ) is one of the smaller species with a length of 24 to 35 centimeters. It lives in forests and mountainous regions in northern Australia (from northern Western Australia to eastern Queensland ). In some regions, such as the Cape York Peninsula , it has become rare, and overall it is listed as endangered.
- The spotted pouch marten ( Dasyurus viverrinus ) belongs to the medium-sized species and differs from the other pouch martens in that it has no big toe. It only lives in Tasmania ; it has not been seen on mainland Australia since 1966 and is considered extinct there.
- The black-tailed marten ( Dasyurus geoffroii ) used to be widespread over large parts of Australia, but now lives only in small, fragmented areas, including in southwestern Australia. With a head body length of 29 to 65 centimeters, it is one of the larger species. This species is listed as Endangered by the IUCN .
- The bronze quoll ( Dasyurus spartacus ) lives in a small savannah area in southwest Papua New Guinea . The species is mainly characterized by its bronze-colored fur.
- The New Guinea marten ( Dasyurus albopunctatus ) is one of the smallest species with a head body length of 24 to 35 centimeters. It inhabits large parts of New Guinea, where it occurs in a number of habitats up to 3500 meters above sea level. The species is considered endangered.
- The giant or spotted-tail sacred marten ( Dasyurus maculatus ) is the largest species with a length of 40 to 75 centimeters and a weight of 2 to 3 kilograms. The tail is the only one of its kind. The species lives in eastern and southeastern Australia and Tasmania. Because of its fragmented distribution area, this species is also considered endangered.
literature
- Ronald M. Nowak: Walker's Mammals of the World. Volume 1. 6th edition. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD et al. 1999, ISBN 0-8018-5789-9 , pp. 61-64.