Endemic Animals of Tasmania

The eastern bettong (Bettongia gaimardi ), also known as the Balbo (by the Ngunnawal People who used to keep them as pets), southern bettong and Tasmanian bettong, is a bettong whose natural range includes southeastern Australia and eastern Tasmania. Less

The Tasmanian devil is a carnivorous marsupial of the family Dasyuridae. The size of a small dog, the Tasmanian devil became the largest carnivorous marsupial in the world, following the extinction of the thylacine in 1936. It is related to quolls, and distantly related to thylacine. It is characterized by its stocky and muscular build, black fur, pungent odor, extremely loud and disturbing screech, keen sense of smell, and ferocity when ...
feeding. The Tasmanian devil is so called by the early European settlers due to its overall black coloration, bad temper, and terrifying screeching sounds it emits. And indeed, this marsupial often has aggressive behavior and is commonly known for its spine-chilling calls. Moreover, this animal has extremely strong jaws and teeth, allowing it to totally destroy its meal, including bones and fur. Less

The eastern quoll (Dasyurus viverrinus ), found only in Australia, and formerly known as the eastern native cat, is a medium-sized carnivorous dasyurid marsupial. They are widespread and even locally common in Tasmania. They have been considered extinct on the mainland since the 1960s, however have been reintroduced back into fenced sanctuaries in 2016, and more recently into the wild in March 2018. It is one of six extant species of quolls. Less

The Tasmanian pademelon (Thylogale billardierii ), also known as the rufous-bellied pademelon or red-bellied pademelon, is the sole species of pademelon found in Tasmania, and was formerly found throughout southeastern Australia. This pademelon has developed heavier and bushier fur than its northern relatives, which inhabit northern Australia and Papua New Guinea.The scientific name honours J.J.H. Labillardier, who collected the first specimen ...
on an expedition to what was then Van Diemen's Land in 1792. There are no recognised subspecies. Less

The Tasmanian emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae diemenensis ) is an extinct subspecies of the emu. It was found in Tasmania, where it had become isolated during the Late Pleistocene. As opposed to the other insular emu taxa, the King Island emu and the Kangaroo Island emu, the population on Tasmania was sizable, meaning that there were no marked effects of small population size as in the other two isolates.The Tasmanian emu became extinct around ...
1865 according to the Australian Species Profile and Threats database. Officially this was recorded in 1997 when changes to listings of nationally threatened species saw the Tasmanian sub-species of emu added to the list of species presumed extinct.Information regarding the emu is reliant on 19th century documentary evidence and the limited number of emu specimens in museums. As a consequence one of the biggest challenges in researching the Tasmanian emu is the many names or spellings used to describe the emu. The early colonial accounts spell it ‘emue’, Reverend Robert Knopwood spelt it as ‘emew’. Other early accounts referred to it as a ‘cassowary’ and even an ‘ostrich’. George Augustus Robinson recorded two indigenous words for the Tasmanian emu. The Oyster Bay Indigenous language word for emu is Pun.nune.ner and the Brune Indigenous language word is Gonanner. Less

The Tasmanian wedge-tailed eagle (Aquila audax fleayi ) is an endangered bird of Tasmania. It is a subspecies of the more common wedge-tailed eagle. Less

There are three species of skink named spotted skink: Carinascincus ocellatus, native to Tasmania Flexiseps melanurus, native to Madagascar Eutropis madaraszi, native to Sri Lanka Less

The she-oak skink (Cyclodomorphus casuarinae ) is a large, long-tailed, snake-like skink endemic to Tasmania, Australia. It is viviparous; mating in spring, and giving birth in latest summer. Less

Carinascincus orocryptus, the heath cool-skink, mountain skink or Tasmanian mountain skink, is a skink endemic to Tasmania, Australia. It is viviparous and mainly found in alpine areas, though occurring down to sea-level in the south-west of the state. Less

Neotrigonia margaritacea, common name the pearly brooch-shell, is a species of saltwater clam, a marine bivalve mollusc in the family Trigoniidae. This species is known from sandy substrates in shallow seas in southeastern and southwestern Australia. This species was the first member of the family to be discovered alive; previous to its discovery, trigoniids were only known from fossils. Less

Goniobranchus tasmaniensis is a species of colourful sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Chromodorididae. Less

Astele subcarinata, common name the subcarinate top shell, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Calliostomatidae. Less

Nepotilla microscopica is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Raphitomidae. Less

Chromodoris ambigua is a species of colourful sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Chromodorididae. Less

Goniobranchus multimaculosus is a species of colourful sea slug, a dorid nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Chromodorididae. This species was transferred from Chromodoris to Goniobranchus in 2012. Less

Asperdaphne bela is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Raphitomidae. Less

Alcyna kingensis, common name the King Island kelp shell, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Trochidae, the top snails. Less

Crassispira pseudocarinata is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Pseudomelatomidae. Less

Comitas crenularoides is an extinct species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Pseudomelatomidae, the turrids and allies. Less

Comitas wynyardensis is an extinct species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Pseudomelatomidae, the turrids and allies. Less

Mitromorpha multicostata is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Mitromorphidae. Less

Mitromorpha columnaria is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Mitromorphidae. Less

Asperdaphne esperanza is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Raphitomidae. Less

Diloma zelandicum is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Trochidae, the top snails or top shells. Less