Overview
Distribution
Range Description
© International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources
Source:
IUCN
Trusted
Geographic Range
Isoodon obesulus inhabits several different geographic ranges. There are populations in eastern New South Wales, southern Victoria, southeastern south Australia, Kangaroo Island, southwestern western Australia, The Recherche Archipelago, Tasmania, and West Sister Island in Bass Strait. (Nowak, 1991)
Biogeographic Regions: australian (Native )
© The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors
Source:
Animal Diversity Web
Trusted
Physical Description
Morphology
Physical Description
Short nosed bandicoots are plain looking animals, similar in size and shape to rats and rabbits. The species obesulus has a shorter snout than other species of bandicoot, but it is still elongated for foraging. They have short rounded ears and sharp claws. The short nosed bandicoot has several colors in its fur. The upper part of the fur is usually blackish brown with hints of orange or yellow, while the underside is lighter brown, grey, or white. The short nosed bandicoot has a pouch that runs along the stomach and opens backwards between the hind legs. (Nowak, 1991)
Range mass: 1.1 to 1.4 kg.
Average basal metabolic rate: 1.238 W.
© The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors
Source:
Animal Diversity Web
Trusted
Ecology
Habitat
Habitat and Ecology
Systems
- Terrestrial
© International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources
Source:
IUCN
Trusted
Habitat
Isoodon obesulus prefer dense ground cover, tall grass and low shrubbery. They live near swamps and rivers as well as in thick scrub in drier areas. They make their nests on the ground and in logs. The nests consist of sticks, leaves, grass, and soil. (Macdonald, 1984; Nowak, 1991)
Terrestrial Biomes: savanna or grassland
© The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors
Source:
Animal Diversity Web
Trusted
Trophic Strategy
Food Habits
Isoodon obesulus are omnivores. They feed on soil invertebrates and insects as well as fruits, seeds, fungi, and some plant fibers. They favor insects and worms. Isoodon obesulus use their sharp claws and pointed noses to dig for food. They use their front legs to repeatedly step on prey that is captured in order to crush it. (Macdonald, 1984; Nowak, 1991)
© The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors
Source:
Animal Diversity Web
Trusted
Life History and Behavior
Life Expectancy
Lifespan/Longevity
Average lifespan
Status: captivity: 6.5 years.
© The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors
Source:
Animal Diversity Web
Trusted
Lifespan, longevity, and ageing
© Joao Pedro de Magalhaes
Source:
AnAge
Trusted
Reproduction
Reproduction
Short nosed Bandicoots have pouches that are characteristic of most marsupials. Females carry their babies in these pouches for about 50 days after they are born. Bandicoots can reach sexual maturity as early as 90 days of age. Bandicoots are polyestrous, which means that they are able to reproduce several times a year. The gestation period in this species is only 12.5 days. This gives Bandicoots the highest reproductive rate of all marsupials. Typically there are 4 babies in the pouch at one time, but up to 5 have been found. (Macdonald, 1984; Nowak; 1991)
Average birth mass: 0.35 g.
Average number of offspring: 2.73.
Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female)
Sex: female: 210 days.
© The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors
Source:
Animal Diversity Web
Trusted
Conservation
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List Assessment
Red List Category
Red List Criteria
Version
Year Assessed
Assessor/s
Reviewer/s
Justification
History
- 1996Lower Risk/least concern(Baillie and Groombridge 1996)
- 1996Lower Risk/least concern(Baillie and Groombridge 1996)
© International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources
Source:
IUCN
Trusted
Conservation Status
Many species of bandicoot have already gone extinct due to habitat loss caused by grazing livestock. Many other species including Isoodon obesulus, are in great danger. In Australia the decline of bandicoots is worse than the decline of any other marsupial. (Macdonald, 1984)
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: least concern
© The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors
Source:
Animal Diversity Web
Trusted
Trends
Population
Population Trend
© International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources
Source:
IUCN
Trusted
Threats
Threats
© International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources
Source:
IUCN
Trusted
Management
Conservation Actions
© International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources
Source:
IUCN
Trusted
Wikipedia
Southern brown bandicoot
The southern brown bandicoot (Isoodon obesulus), also known as the quenda from the local Noongar tongue from South Western Australia, is a short-nosed bandicoot found mostly in southern Australia.[3]
This bandicoot shows some sexual dimorphism, with females being slightly smaller than males. The average male length is 330 mm (13 in), with a tail of 120 mm (4.7 in). Females are about 300 mm (12 in) shorter, with a 10 mm (0.39 in) shorter tail. Males weigh an average of 0.9 kg (2.0 lb), females 0.7 kg (1.5 lb). The fur of this marsupial is coarse and colored a dark greyish to yellowish brown, with the undersides a creamy-white. It has short, round ears.[3]
Reproduction is closely linked to local rainfall pattern, and many brown bandicoots breed all year around. A litter of up to 5 young is born after an 11-day gestation and is weaned at 2 months.[4]
While some authorities list as many as five subspecies (I. o. fusciventer, I. o. obesulus, I. o. peninsulae, I. o. affinus, I. o. nauticus), the most recent edition of Mammal Species of the World only lists I. o. nauticus as a valid subspecies, aside from the nominate; the others are given synonym status.[1]
In many areas of its range, the species is threatened but may be locally common where rainfall is high enough and vegetation cover is thick enough. Despite depredations from the introduced European Red Fox, in some regions it thrives, being reported anecdotally to be living on properties adjoining shopping and population centres such as Stirling in the Adelaide Hills.
References
- ^ a b Groves, Colin P. (16 November 2005). "Order Peramelemorphia (pp. 38-42)". In Wilson, Don E., and Reeder, DeeAnn M., eds. Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2 vols. (2142 pp.). p. 39. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494. http://www.bucknell.edu/msw3/browse.asp?id=10900019.
- ^ Friend, T., Morris, K., van Weenen, J., Winter, J. & Menkhorst, P. (2008). Isoodon obesulus. In: IUCN 2008. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 28 December 2008. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
- ^ a b "Quenda" (PDF). http://www.naturebase.net/pdf/plants_animals/living_with_wildlife/quendas.pdf. Retrieved 2007-07-23.
- ^ Whitfield, Philip (1998). The Simon & Schuster Encyclopedia of Animals. New York: Marshall Editions Development Limited. p. 24.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
.png){kind=small} | This article about a marsupial is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
 | This Western Australia article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
Source:
Wikipedia
Unreviewed
Disclaimer
EOL content is automatically assembled from many different content providers. As a result, from time to time you may find pages on EOL that are confusing.
To request an improvement, please leave a comment on the page. Thank you!
