Black-tailed broad-footed pouch mouse
| Black-tailed broad-footed pouch mouse | ||||||||||||
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Antechinus arktos | ||||||||||||
| Baker, Mutton, Hines & Dyck , 2014 |
Antechinus arktos is a species of marsupial belonging to the genus broad-footed marsupial mice .
It was long considered a local form of Antechinus swainsonii mimetes , but differs from this species in its coat color and larger skull. Antechinus arktos was only described as a separate species in February 2014 .
Antechinus arktos occurs only in the extreme southeast of Queensland and in the northeast of New South Wales in the area of the Tweed Volcano . There it lives in higher areas with high rainfall. The type locality is Springbrook National Park south of Brisbane .
Due to the peculiarities of the pairing, A. arktos and A. argentus are acutely threatened with extinction (as of May 2018)
features
The color of Antechinus arktos changes clearly from gray-brown head to orange-brown rear part. On the upper side of the hind foot the fur is dark brown-gray to black and the tail is covered with dense, short and evenly black fur. The fur is orange-brown on the upper and lower eyelids, on the cheek and in front of the ear.
Instead, Antechinus swainsonii mimetes is uniformly dark brown-black to gray-brown from head to rump, with umbra -brown hairs on the top of the hind foot and tail. The skull of Antechinus arktos is different and significantly larger than the skull of A. s. mimetes and A. s. swainsonii (Tasmania). Genetically, Antechinus arktos and A. s. mimetes clearly (10% for mitochondrial DNA ).
Since Antechinus arktos occurs more in higher regions and is adapted to cooler climates with its long outer hair , the species is possibly endangered by global warming .
literature
- Andrew M. Baker, Thomas Y. Mutton, Harry B. Hines & Steve Van Dyck: The Black-tailed Antechinus, Antechinus arktos sp. nov .: a new species of carnivorous marsupial from montane regions of the Tweed Volcano caldera, eastern Australia . Zootaxa 3765 (2): 100-133 (1), doi: 10.11646 / zootaxa.3765.2.1