Silver-colored broad-footed pouch mouse
| Silver-colored broad-footed pouch mouse | ||||||||||||
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| Antechinus argentus | ||||||||||||
| Baker , Mutton , Hines , 2013 |
The silver-colored Breitfußbeutelmaus ( Antechinus argentus ) is a bag species from the genus of antechinus that only in October 2013 described was just from a plateau to the east of Kroombit Tops National Park in the Australian state of Queensland is known.
description
The silver-colored broad -footed pouch mouse has a silvery-gray fur with a dark, gray-olive rear part and pale-silvery paws and can be easily distinguished from the yellow-footed pouch mouse ( Antechinus flavipes ), which has yellow to orange paws , on the basis of its color and the less coarse fur and probably also occurs in Kroombit Tops National Park. Antechinus argentus differs from Antechinus mysticus , which has a brown-yellow body, a gray-brown head and pale spots over the eyes, in its silvery-gray color and the light, slightly interrupted eye ring. Compared to the yellow-footed pouch mouse, Antechinus argentus has a narrower and smaller skull and smaller molars, compared to Antechinus mysticus a smaller skull, an on average narrower snout and a shorter lower jaw.
The silver-colored broad- foot pouch mouse differs genetically ( mtDNA ) both from the yellow-foot pouch mouse (difference 9–11.2%) and from A. mysticus (difference 7.2–7.5%) and forms both in the investigation of the mitochondrial DNA as well as a combined examination of mitochondrial and cell nucleus DNA a clear clade that differs from all other Antechinus species.
distribution
The silver-colored broad-footed pouch mouse is so far only known from a plateau in the east of the Kroombit Tops National Park in the Australian state of Queensland, making it one of the smallest areas of distribution among all Australian mammals. The species could also occur in similar biotopes outside the national park. The authors of the first description assume that the species is endangered because of its small distribution area.
Acute threat
Due to the peculiarities of the pairing, A. argentus is acutely threatened with extinction alongside A. arktos (status: May 2018)
swell
- Andrew M. Baker, Thomas Y. Mutton, Harry B. Hines: A new dasyurid marsupial from Kroombit Tops, south-east Queensland, Australia: the Silver-headed Antechinus, Antechinus argentus sp. nov. (Marsupialia: Dasyuridae) In: Zootaxa . 3746, No. 2, 2013, pp. 201-239, doi: 10.11646 / zootaxa.3746.2.1 .
- Andrew Baker: Family Dasyuridae (Carnivorous Marsupials). Pages 309-310 in Don E. Wilson , Russell A. Mittermeier : Handbook of the Mammals of the World - Volume 5. Monotremes and Marsupials. Lynx Editions, 2015, ISBN 978-84-96553-99-6