Southern ningaui

Southern ningaui
Southern ningaui captured in the Middleback Ranges, South Australia, 2011
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Infraclass: Marsupialia
Order: Dasyuromorphia
Family: Dasyuridae
Genus: Ningaui
Species:
N. yvonneae
Binomial name
Ningaui yvonneae
Kitchener, Stoddart & Henry, 1983[2]
Southern ningaui range

The southern ningaui (Ningaui yvonneae) is a tiny marsupial carnivore belonging to the Dasyuridae family. Similar in appearance to Ningaui ridei, found throughout central Australia, this species occurs in spinifex on semi-arid sandplains across the southern coast of the continent. The fur is a tawny or greyish olive colour, light grey below, and distinguished by shades of cinnamon. The southern ningaui prefers smaller prey, including insects and spiders, but capable of killing and consuming larger animals such as cockroaches and skinks. Their narrow muzzle is used with quick and fierce bites about the head to despatch their meal. The species was first described in 1983, and placed within the genus Ningaui.

  1. ^ Ellis, M.; Menkhorst, P.; van Weenen, J.; Burbidge, A. (2016). "Ningaui yvonneae". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T40531A21943904. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T40531A21943904.en. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Kitchener1983 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).