Grey-bellied dunnart

The grey-bellied dunnart (Sminthopsis griseoventer), alternately spelled gray-bellied dunnart, was described by Kitchener, Stoddart and Henry along with the Kangaroo Island dunnart, Gilbert's dunnart and little long-tailed dunnart in 1984.^[2] They also described the Mallee ningaui in 1983.

Grey-bellied dunnart[1]
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[2]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Infraclass:	Marsupialia
Order:	Dasyuromorphia
Family:	Dasyuridae
Genus:	Sminthopsis
Species:	S. griseoventor
Binomial name
Sminthopsis griseoventor (Kitchener, Stoddart & Henry, 1984)
Grey-bellied dunnart range

The average body length of a specimen can vary between 130–192 mm with a tail of 65–98 mm and body to anus of 65–95 mm. The olive grey ears have a length of between 17–18 mm. The hind feet have an average length of between 16–17 mm. Its weight varies between 15-25 grams.^{[citation needed]}

Distribution and habitat

Found in Western Australia on the coastal south west fringes and associated ranges. From north to south then to east, Gairdner Ranges to Cape Arid National Park, its habitat rarely stretches 100 km (62 mi) inland from the coast.^{[citation needed]} A population was discovered in December 2003 in South Australia during a Department for Environment and Heritage Biological Survey on Eyre Peninsula^[3] in the Hincks and Bascombe Well conservation parks.^[4] Habitat includes heathy forests, woodland, melaleuca swamplands dense mature heathland. No subspecies is identified.^{[citation needed]}

Social organisation and breeding

They are nocturnal and inhabit leaf litter and burrows.^[2] Breeding is done in a nest below ground a few centimetres, with 8 born in August for Boulenger Island and October of other areas.^[2] Only 1 litter is born.^[2]

Diet

This dunnart is a nocturnal omnivorous marsupial that eats insects, small mammals, reptiles and amphibians as well as soft fruit.^{[citation needed]}

References

1. Groves, C. P. (2005). Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M. (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 34. ISBN 0-801-88221-4. OCLC 62265494.
2. McKenzie, N.; Kemper, C. (2016). "Sminthopsis griseoventer". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T41510A21948615. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T41510A21948615.en.
3. Kemper, Catherine M.; Cooper, Steven J. B.; Medlin, Graham C.; Adams, Mark; Stemmer, David; Saint, Kathleen M.; McDowell, Matthew C.; Austin, Jeremy J. (23 November 2011). "Cryptic grey-bellied dunnart (Sminthopsis griseoventer) discovered in South Australia: genetic, morphological and subfossil analyses show the value of collecting voucher material". Australian Journal of Zoology. 59 (3): 127–144. doi:10.1071/ZO11037. ISSN 1446-5698.
4. Brandle, R. (2010), "A Biological Survey of the Eyre Peninsula South Australia" (PDF), Biological Survey South Australia, Science Resource Centre Information, Science and Technology Directorate Department for Environment and Heritage

• Menkhorst, Peter W. (1995). Mammals of Victoria. Oxford Press. ISBN 0-19-553733-5.

External links

• Australian Biological Resources Study^{[permanent dead link]}