Carpentarian false antechinus, Carpentarian pseudantechinus
The Alexandria false antechinus (Pseudantechinus mimulus ), also known as the Carpentarian false antechinus or Carpentarian pseudantechinus, is a small carnivorous marsupial, found only in a number of small, isolated localities in northern Australia. It is the smallest and rarest of the false antechinuses.
A carnivore meaning 'meat eater' is an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of a...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
Among animals, viviparity is the development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. The term 'viviparity' and its adjective form 'viviparous'...
Altricial animals are those species whose newly hatched or born young are relatively immobile. They lack hair or down, are not able to obtain food ...
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starts withThe Alexandria false antechinus is coloured buff brown above and greyish white below. Its main distinguishing feature from other false antechinuses is its small size. The behaviour of this species has not been described.
This species is found only in five localities: near Mount Isa in northwestern Queensland; Alexandria Station on the Barkly Tableland in the Northern Territory; and three small islands in the Sir Edward Pellew Group, in the north-east of the territory. In 2009 it was recorded from Pungalina-Seven Emu Sanctuary in the Northern Territory. It inhabits stony hillsides with woodland and spinifex grass.
The P. mimulus is endemic to Australia. More specifically they are restricted to Sir Edward Pellew Group (Northern Territory), Centre and Southwest Islands, and two locations near Queensland. In the 1988 census of the territories the species was found in the Centre and South West Islands, but in the 2003 census it was not located. It is believed that the P. mimulus still resides within that area, but is yet to be confirmed. In addition, the habitat in which the species resides in is a rocky one with scattered trees and wood.
While a lot of details about the species diet is unknown, it is believed that they eat mostly invertebrates as well as some small vertebrates.
The Alexandria false antechinus has a very limited distribution, which has resulted in its classification by the IUCN as endangered. On the offshore islands it inhabits, it is fairly common; however, it is rare and, in 1995, had not been seen on the mainland since 1905, when it was discovered.
