Fat-tailed pseudantechinus, Red-eared antechinus
The fat-tailed false antechinus (Pseudantechinus macdonnellensis ), also called the fat-tailed pseudantechinus and red-eared antechinus, is a member of the order Dasyuromorphia. It is an inhabitant of western and central Australia.
The fat-tailed false antechinus is 9.5-10.5 cm long with a 7.5-8.5 cm tail; it weighs 20-45g. It has a carrot-shaped tail swollen with fat which serves as a food reserve. Its fur is grey-brown. It has litters of up to six young, born in July–September (slightly later further west in the range). It is an insectivorous and nocturnal species.
The P. macdonellensis is commonly found in the rocky environments of Central Australia.In addition it is found throughout South Australia, the Northern Territory and Western Australia. An outlying population in more coastal areas of Western Australia has been reclassified as a new species, Rory Cooper's false antechinus (P. roryi ). The species inhabits rocky slopes and plains.
In the winter most free ranging P. macdonellensis go into a state of torpor after midnight within the confines of rock crevices, and stay there until day breaks. In the morning, while they are still torpid, they move from the rock-crevices to basking sites exposed to the sun. Subsequently, this type of basking continues for the rest of the day. It appears that daily torpor is done in order to reduce the amount of daily expenditure by about 30%, and allows the species to live and reproduce in a challenging environment. It has also been observed that the species goes into a state of torpor in circumstances in which the species finds itself under acute energetic stress.
The P. macdonellensis is generally an insectivore whose diet consists of beetles, grasshoppers, and termites. A characteristic specific to this kind of species is its ability to store fat in its tail when food is plentiful.
Males and females of the subdivision P. macdonellensis reach sexual maturity at about 350 days of age. A single gestation period takes about 43 days in the females, and produces a single litter of about six. The interval in between gestation periods is about 365 days.
