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Agile Antechinus (Antechinus agilis) on hand

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Cladus: Craniata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Superclassis: Tetrapoda
Cladus: Reptiliomorpha
Cladus: Amniota
Cladus: Synapsida
Cladus: Eupelycosauria
Cladus: Sphenacodontia
Cladus: Sphenacodontoidea
OrdoTherapsida
Cladus: Theriodontia
Subordo: Cynodontia
Cladus: Mammaliaformes
Classis: Mammalia
Subclassis: Trechnotheria
Infraclassis: Zatheria
Supercohort: Theria
Cohort: Metatheria
Cohort: Marsupialia
Ordo: Dasyuromorphia

Familia: Dasyuridae
Subfamilia: Dasyurinae
Tribus: Phascogalini
Genus: Antechinus
Species: Antechinus agilis
Name

Antechinus agilis Dickman, Parnaby, Crowther & King, 1998

Type locality: Australia, Australian Capital Territory, Brindabella Range, on the south of Warks Road and Blundells Creek Road, near Lees Creek (35°21'45"S, 148°50'17"E), 740 m
References

Dickman, C.R.; Parnaby, H.E.; Crowther, M.S.; King, D.H. 1998: Antechinus agilis (Marsupialia: Dasyuridae), a new species from the A. stuartii complex in south-eastern Australia. Australian journal of zoology, 46(1): 1–26. DOI: 10.1071/ZO97036 Paywall Reference page.
Antechinus agilis in Mammal Species of the World.
Wilson, Don E. & Reeder, DeeAnn M. (Editors) 2005. Mammal Species of the World – A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference. Third edition. ISBN 0-8018-8221-4.
Aust. J. Zool. 46: 5.
Wilson, D.E. & Reeder, D.M. (eds.) 2005. Mammal Species of the World: a taxonomic and geographic reference. 3rd edition. The Johns Hopkins University Press: Baltimore. 2 volumes. 2142 pp. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. Reference page.

Vernacular names
español: Antequino ágil
Ratón marsupial ágil

The agile antechinus (Antechinus agilis) is a species of small carnivorous marsupial of the family Dasyuridae. It is found in Australia.

Taxonomy

The agile antechinus was long considered to be a form of the brown antechinus (Antechinus stuartii), and was only recognised as a distinct species after a study of genetic variation within the brown antechinus in 1980.[3] However, it was not formally described until 1998.
Characteristics

The agile antechinus is nearly indistinguishable from the brown antechinus, but it is slightly smaller and its fur has a more greyish tinge.[4] It feeds mostly on invertebrates, including beetles, spiders and cockroaches, but may also devour small lizards and soft berries. The species has been known to enter torpor in response to shortages of food.[3] Like all antechinuses, the agile antechinus has a short and violent breeding season, after which the males all die.[5] The females give birth after a 27-day gestation.[3] Groups of up to 20 have been known to nest together.[3]
Distribution and habitat

The agile antechinus inhabits wet or moist forest in the southeastern corner of Australia.[4] The species is widely abundant, although it has been reduced in areas due to forest clearing, the instigation of plantations, harvesting, controlled burning and the introduction of the cat and the red fox.[3] Despite these threats, there is no indication that the species is at all threatened.[3]

References

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. 29. ISBN 0-801-88221-4. OCLC 62265494.
Dickman, C.; Lunney, D.; Menkhorst, P. (2016). "Antechinus agilis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T1590A21946586. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T1590A21946586.en. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
Dickman, C. R. (1995). "Agile Antechinus". In Strahan, Ronald (ed.). The Mammals of Australia. Angus & Robertson. pp. 98–99. ISBN 0-7301-0484-2.
Menkhorst, Peter (2001). A Field Guide to the Mammals of Australia. Oxford University Press. p. 56.
Shimmin, Glenn A., David A. Taggart, and Peter D. Temple-Smith. "Mating behaviour in the agile antechinus Antechinus agilis (Marsupialia: Dasyuridae)." Journal of Zoology 258.1 (2002): 39–48.

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