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| Fat-tailed dunnart | |
|---|---|
| Name | Fat-tailed dunnart |
| Status | LC |
| Status system | IUCN3.1 |
| Genus | Sminthopsis |
| Species | crassicaudata |
| Authority | (Gould, 1844) |
Fat-tailed dunnart The fat-tailed dunnart is a small dasyurid marsupial native to Australia, notable for its distinctive adipose tail used for energy storage and torpor. Described scientifically in the 19th century, it has been the subject of field studies by institutions and researchers across Australia and features in discussions by conservation bodies and museums. The species has cultural and scientific intersections involving explorers, naturalists, universities, and government agencies.
The species was described by John Gould in the mid-19th century, a period marked by parallel work at the British Museum and correspondence with the Royal Society and Natural History Museum, London. Taxonomic treatments have involved comparisons with other dasyurids studied by the Zoological Society of London and published in journals associated with the Linnean Society and the Australian Museum. Nomenclatural decisions have been influenced by type specimens deposited at institutions such as the British Museum (Natural History), the South Australian Museum, and university collections at the University of Melbourne and the University of Sydney. Historical collectors linked to the discovery period included explorers and surveyors who communicated findings to figures in Parliament and to patrons of science like the Royal Institution.
Adult fat-tailed dunnarts are characterized by a compact body, large eyes, and a swollen tail storing fat, features noted in accounts disseminated through lectures at institutions such as the Royal Society and by illustrators associated with the British Museum. Morphological comparisons have been drawn with specimens curated at the Australian National University and the Natural History Museum, and measurements often feature in monographs connected to the Linnean Society and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation. Descriptive work frequently references plates and field notes held by museums and archives in Canberra, Hobart, and Perth.
The species occupies arid and semi-arid regions across the Australian continent, with records maintained by state museums in Adelaide, Brisbane, and Darwin and by national agencies including the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources and Parks Australia. Distribution maps are compiled by herbaria and natural history units at institutions such as the Australian National Herbarium and shared with international bodies like the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Habitats documented in survey reports span areas managed by local councils, state parks, Aboriginal land councils, and national reserves administered under legislation in Western Australia, South Australia, New South Wales, and the Northern Territory.
Studies of activity patterns and thermoregulation have been conducted by researchers affiliated with universities such as the University of Adelaide, University of Western Australia, Monash University, and Charles Darwin University, and disseminated through conferences hosted by the Ecological Society of Australia and international societies. Behavioral ecology investigations reference methods developed in collaboration with museums and government research agencies and are included in theses and reports lodged with municipal libraries and state archives. Patterns of torpor and seasonal fat storage have been contextualized in broader ecological syntheses alongside work by the Australian Wildlife Conservancy and zoological parks involved in captive husbandry.
Field studies and captive observations from institutions such as Taronga Zoo, Perth Zoo, and the Australian Museum report an insectivorous and opportunistic diet, with feeding ecology compared across sites monitored by state conservation agencies and fauna surveys by environmental consultancies. Foraging behavior has been assessed in research programs affiliated with the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, university ecology departments, and regional naturalist societies, and results are cited in technical reports submitted to planning authorities and land management agencies.
Reproductive biology has been examined in captive breeding programs coordinated by zoos, university laboratories, and wildlife rehabilitation groups collaborating with state departments of environment. Life-history data appear in theses deposited at university libraries and in pragmatic guidelines used by conservation NGOs and land councils managing recovery plans. Studies involve comparisons with reproductive strategies discussed in symposia organized by the Australian Mammal Society and published in proceedings associated with the Linnean Society and regional naturalist clubs.
The species is assessed under international and national frameworks, with status evaluations incorporated into lists maintained by the IUCN, state agencies, the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources, and regional conservation councils. Threats documented in management plans prepared by environmental consultancies, land councils, and state parks include habitat modification referenced in planning documents submitted to municipal councils and legislative instruments. Conservation responses have involved partnerships among universities, museums, zoos, the Australian Government, and non-governmental organizations, and are reported in recovery actions coordinated with local Aboriginal ranger programs and national biodiversity strategies.
Category:Dasyuromorphia