Sminthopsis leucopus
7 White-footed Dunnart at Black Range, NSW
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| Sminthopsis leucopus | AndrewMcCutcheon | 15 May 2020 |
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Significant sighting
User's notes
This White-footed Dunnart was found under a board I lifted not far beyond the end of Black Range Rd, where the road becomes a rough track. It quickly dashed away, but not before I was able to get these images.
5 comments
16 May 2020
Thanks Jackie. Given this small mammal is rarely seen, I fully agree that we should get further expert input for identification. Compared to the Agile Antechinus, the White-footed Dunnart has much larger protruding eyes and bigger ears in proportion to the head size, and the ears are more erect with a narrower space between them. These distinguishing features showed up clearly on motion sensing camera images I got of both species at Providence Ponds in Gippsland, Victoria, while participating in a mammal survey (citizen science project) there. The two species were also captured in cage traps and photographed to enable close examination of their identifying features.
18 May 2020
I have looked through all six images of this dunnart before it bolted, and have found another image which shows the tail more clearly but still not in full focus. Would you like me to send you this one?
I have a number of images of small dasyurids taken by motion sensing cameras on our block. Unfortunately they are too far away from he camera to determine the species. Having already seen this animal, I suspect one or two could be dunnarts.
I have a number of images of small dasyurids taken by motion sensing cameras on our block. Unfortunately they are too far away from he camera to determine the species. Having already seen this animal, I suspect one or two could be dunnarts.
18 May 2020
Hi Jackie, thanks for that. Being new to this website I am still finding my way around. The additional image is now uploaded.
19 May 2020
I have added an image I referred to in an earlier comment above of a White-footed Dunnart (confirmed by experts) taken on my motion sensing camera at Providence Ponds Flora and Fauna Reserve in Gippsland, Victoria. It shows those big eyes when the dunnart looks directly at the camera and other diagnostic features such as the large erect ears, that distinguish this species from the Agile Antechinus that is common in this area.
21 May 2020
Jackie, from my experience with trapping and handling antechinus and dunnart, both raise and lower their ears. When caught and presumably stressed with fear they lower their ears possibly as a defensive posture. Wild and free animals captured on our motion sensing cameras are always found to have their ears up to stay alert for food or danger.
Location information
- Coordinates 149.845450-36.741672
- Places Black Range, NSW
Sighting information
- At least 1 Abundance
- 21 Jan 2016 04:59 AM Recorded on
- AndrewMcCutcheon Recorded by
Collections
- Significant Featured NSW Government Priority Species Mammals Other Small Marsupials Small Marsupials AndrewMcCutcheon South Coast NatureMapr Sminthopsis leucopus
Species information
- Sminthopsis leucopus Scientific name
- White-footed Dunnart Common name
- Not Sensitive
- Vulnerable *
- Non-invasive or negligible
- External link More information
Record quality
Quality score
4 / 7
- Images or audio
- More than one media file
- Verified by an expert moderator
- Description
- Nearby sighting(s) of same species
- GPS evidence of location
- Additional attributes