Kangaroo Island dunnart

This article is about the species of dunnart. For other uses, see Kangaroo Island (disambiguation).

Kangaroo Island dunnart
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Infraclass: Marsupialia
Order: Dasyuromorphia
Family: Dasyuridae
Genus: Sminthopsis
Species:
S. aitkeni
Binomial name
Sminthopsis aitkeni
Kitchener, Stoddart and Henry 1984[2]
Kangaroo Island Dunnart range

The Kangaroo Island dunnart (Sminthopsis aitkeni) is a dark sooty-grey coloured dunnart species first described in 1969, with paler underparts of its body. It has an average body length of 170–198 mm, a snout to anus length of 80–93 mm, a tail measurement of 90–105 mm, a hind foot of 17.5 mm, ear length of 18 mm and a weight of 20–25 grams. The thin tail is also gray, but lighter on the bottom. The tail is longer than the body. Kangaroo Island dunnarts are dimorphic, with males larger than females.

The Kangaroo Island dunnart is listed as Critically Endangered by International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The population was believed to be less than 500 before the 2019–2020 Australian bushfires.[3] Following the fires, it is believed that only about 50 individuals exist.[4]

  1. ^ van Weenen, J. (2008). "Sminthopsis aitkeni". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2008. Retrieved 28 December 2008. Database entry includes justification for why this species is listed as critically endangered
  2. ^ Kitchener, D. J.; Stoddart, J.; Henry, J. (1984). "A Taxonomic Revision of the Sminthopsis murina Complex (Marsupialia, Dasyuridae) in Australia, including Descriptions of Four New Species" (PDF). Records of the Western Australian Museum. 11 (3): 201–248. Archived (PDF) from the original on 7 January 2020. Retrieved 7 January 2020. Alt URL
  3. ^ Water (DEW), Department for Environment and (12 June 2019). "Kangaroo Island dunnart". www.naturalresources.sa.gov.au. Archived from the original on 10 January 2020. Retrieved 13 January 2020.
  4. ^ "Kangaroo Island wildlife group 'amazed' at post-fire find". NewsComAu. 16 June 2020. Retrieved 22 June 2020.