Carpentarian dunnart
The Carpentarian dunnart (Sminthopsis butleri) also known as the Butler's dunnart with a puffy brown or mouse grey colour above and the underside of white, similar to its close relative the Kakadu dunnart. Head to anus length is 75-88mm with a tail of 72-90mm long for a total length of 147-178mm. Weight varies from 10-20g depending on a variety of factors including sex, food abundance, habitat etc.
| Carpentarian dunnart | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Infraclass: | Marsupialia |
| Order: | Dasyuromorphia |
| Family: | Dasyuridae |
| Genus: | Sminthopsis |
| Species: | S. butleri |
| Binomial name | |
| Sminthopsis butleri (Archer, 1979) | |
 | |
| Carpentarian dunnart range | |
Distribution and habitat
Found in the Northern Kimberley's near Kalumburu in Western Australia and Bathurst and Melville Island in the Northern Territory. Habitat consists of eucalyptus and melaleuca forest with sandy soils up to and including 20 km from the coast. Also present on the island of New Guinea. In New Guinea found in grasslands and savannah in west of the island.
Social organisation and breeding
May breed in the dry season but needs more study.
Diet
No information, but most likely insects and small vertebrates.
References
- McKnight, M. (2008). "Sminthopsis butleri". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2008: e.T20295A9183520. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T20295A9183520.en.
- 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.
- Menkhorst, Peter W. (1995). Mammals of Victoria. Oxford Press. ISBN 978-0-19-553733-8.