Until 1981, -S. longicaudata- was only known from a few museum specimens. In June of 1981, nine individuals were captured from the wild, allowing for the study of living specimens to begin. There are still relatively little data available on the natural history of -S. longicaudata-, with most of the research having been conducted on captive animals (Wooley and Valente 1986, Nowak 1999).
Perception Channels: tactile ; chemical
In western Australia there appear to be only three wild populations of -S. longicaudata-, two occuring in national parks and the other in a nature reserve (Burbidge et al 1995).
US Federal List: endangered
CITES: appendix i
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: least concern
The diet of -S. longicaudata- is primarily insectivorous. The bulk of their diet consists of arthropods, spiders, roaches, centipedes, grasshoppers, flies, and various larvae (Burbidge et al. 1995). Occasionally lizards, mice, and other small vertebrates are consumed (Nowak 1999).
The long-tailed dunnart, -Sminthopsis longicaudata-, is native to northwestern Western Australia where it inhabits rugged, rocky outcrops (Burbidge et al. 1995, Nowak 1999).
Biogeographic Regions: australian (Native )
Habitat is restricted to rugged, rocky outcrops of the western arid region of Australia (Burbidge et al 1995).
Terrestrial Biomes: desert or dune
The long-tailed dunnart has an average head and body length of 80-100mm for males and 80-90mm for females. The most distinct characteristic for identification of -Sminthopsis longicaudata- is a tail that is more than twice the length of the body; in males tail length ranges from 200-210mm and in females tail length is between 180-200mm. The tail is mostly scaly with a few short hairs; the end of the tail has longer hairs that form a brush-like tip. The fur on the dorsal part of the body is gray, while the underbelly is pale cream to white in color. The legs and the feet are white; the feet being slender and having striated or granulated pads. The head is somewhat flattened in shape with a long snout (Burbidge et al. 1995, Nowak 1999).
Range mass: 15 to 21 g.
Other Physical Features: endothermic ; bilateral symmetry
There is no information on reproduction in -S. longicaudata- in the wild, but some studies have been performed on captive animals (Wooley and Valente 1986). Females are polyestrus, with estrous periods lasting from August through December (Burbidge et al. 1995, Wooley and Valente 1986). Estrous cycles last from 51 to 30 days, with each cycle shorter than the one previous to it (Wooley and Valente 1986). Parturition occurs between 17 and 19 days after mating, and the young are fully enclosed in the pouch for the first three weeks after parturition. The female's pouch contains six nipples (Wooley and Valente 1986).
The age at which an individual of this species reaches sexual maturity is unknown (Wooley and Valente 1986).
Key Reproductive Features: gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual
The long-tailed dunnart (Sminthopsis longicaudata) is an Australian dunnart that, like the little long-tailed dunnart, has a tail longer than its body. It is also one of the larger dunnarts at a length from snout to tail of 260–306 mm of which head to anus is 80–96 mm and tail 180–210 mm long. Hind foot size is 18 mm, ear length of 21 mm and with a weight of 15-20 g.
In Western Australia it is known from the Pilbara and eastern coast to the NE goldfields and Gibson desert (Young Ranges) south to the Nullarbor Plain, to central Northern Territory and western South Australia. Its habitat includes Acacia, rocky screes with hummock grass and shrubs, and tall open shrubland and woodlands.
A nocturnal species, this marsupial has great agility for jumping. When breeding during October–November, it burrows a hole under logs and makes its nests out of grass. The litter is of up to 6 joeys. It is locally considered to be endangered, but the IUCN Red List indicates that it is of least concern.
It eats invertebrates like ants, beetles and centipedes.
The long-tailed dunnart (Sminthopsis longicaudata) is an Australian dunnart that, like the little long-tailed dunnart, has a tail longer than its body. It is also one of the larger dunnarts at a length from snout to tail of 260–306 mm of which head to anus is 80–96 mm and tail 180–210 mm long. Hind foot size is 18 mm, ear length of 21 mm and with a weight of 15-20 g.
