Dunnart

Dunnarts
Sminthopsis leucopus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Infraclass:	Marsupialia
Order:	Dasyuromorphia
Family:	Dasyuridae
Subfamily:	Sminthopsinae
Tribe:	Sminthopsini
Genus:	Sminthopsis Thomas, 1887
Type species
Phascogale crassicaudata Gould, 1844
Species
21, see text

21, see text

Dunnarts are furry narrow-footed marsupials the size of a mouse, members of the genus Sminthopsis. They are mainly insectivorous. A male dunnart's Y chromosome is the smallest known mammalian Y chromosome.

There are 21 species, all in Australia and some in New Guinea:

The sandhill dunnart can be found in sandy, arid and semi-arid regions with spinifex grass hummocks in Australia. [4] Because of the dunnart’s distinct and limited habitat needs, spinifex hummocks are an essential part of its environment. It takes shelter from extreme temperatures and humidity within the burrows it digs under larger spinifex hummocks, which range from about 12 to 110 centimeters in length and are up to 46 centimeters deep. Females occasionally dig deeper, creating a chamber typically used for raising their young. Males, however, are known to occupy small burrows dug between spinifex clumps, hollow logs and even burrows dug by other animal species. [7]

With the continual decrease of the spinifex hummock, the species’ territory also decreases and is now currently restricted to Eyre Peninsula in South Australia, and Great Victoria Desert covering South and Western Australia. [7] It was first sighted in Northern Territory, but it has not been seen there since the late 19th century. [5]

Although the exact causes of the decline of the sandhill dunnart are not known, it is likely to be under threat from predation by introduced species such as foxes and cats, habitat degradation due to livestock grazing, and inappropriate fire regimes. [7] But despite the great damage done to their habitat by the fire regimes, sandhill dunnarts are able to recolonise burnt areas because of their adaptation to mid-successional complexes of vegetation. However, a single fire can wipe out an entire population. As the remnants become increasingly isolated from one another, the lack of connective bush corridors greatly reduces the likelihood of recolonisation. [3] They are a major threat to this species because of its dependence on large spinifex hummocks. In addition, land clearance for agriculture at the Eyre Peninsula has caused a great reduction in viable habitat for the sandhill dunnart, leaving only 43 percent of the area’s original vegetation remaining. [7]

The sandhill dunnart is listed as “endangered” under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. It is afforded some protection within reserves, such as the Yellabinna Wilderness Protection Area in South Australia and the Queen Victoria Spring Nature Reserve in the Great Victoria Desert. In 2001, a national recovery plan listing several actions to aid in the recovery of the species was published. These actions included preventing further habitat clearance, conducting surveys in areas likely to support the species, implementing monitoring programs for key populations, and conducting research on captive individuals to increase understanding of this species’ reproductive biology. Experimental burns were also recommended to encourage the growth of suitable spinifex habitat. [7]

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