Long-nosed echymiperas do not make loud vocalizations.
Perception Channels: tactile ; chemical
The IUCN Red List classifies Echymipera rufescens as a species of least concern. Overall, populations of E. rufescens are declining, and they are uncommon. Echymipera rufescens rufescens is threatened by overhunting and habitat destruction. Echymipera rufescens australis is not hunted, and is not currently threatened.
CITES: no special status
There are no known adverse effects of long-nosed echymiperas on humans.
Echymipera rufescens rufescens is hunted by humans for their meat.
Positive Impacts: food
Echymipera rufescens australis may act as a seed disperser for plants such as Pandanus zea and as a fungus disperser because of their diet. Seeds and spores are found in their feces. Long-nosed echymiperas also host parasites, such as fleas (Parastyvalius novaeguineae).
Ecosystem Impact: disperses seeds
Commensal/Parasitic Species:
Long-nosed echymiperas are omnivorous. Echymipera rufescens australis fill the foraging niche of a medium-sized terrestrial mammalian frugivore, which has few Australian representatives. They are more frugivorous than other species of bandicoots. Their diet consists of 27.12% fruit and seeds, 25.56% invertebrates, 18.89% fungi, and 18.19% dicots. Roots, soil, monocots, and vertebrates also make up a minimal part of their diet.
The main species of fruit and seeds consumed are Pandanus zea and Alpinia caerulea. Three genera of fungi primarily consumed are Cortinarius, Glomus, and Hysterangium. The main invertebrates consumed are Coleoptera, but Blattodea and Orthoptera are also eaten. Long-nosed echymiperas also consume plants such as Canarium, Euroschinus falcate, Solanum viridifolium, and Pisonia umbellifera.
Echymipera rufescens australis shows seasonality in diet choice. Fruit consumption is low in the early dry season, fungi consumption is high and invertebrate consumption is low in the late dry season, and fungi consumption is low in the early wet season.
Animal Foods: insects
Plant Foods: leaves; seeds, grains, and nuts; fruit
Other Foods: fungus
Primary Diet: herbivore (Frugivore ); omnivore
Echymipera rufescens, commonly known as the long-nosed echymipera or the long-nosed bandicoot, is native to the Australian biogeographic region. The entire range of E. rufescens includes Papua New Guinea (across the island of New Guinea to the D'Entrecasteaux Islands), eastern Indonesia (the islands of Misool and Yapen, the Aru Islands, and the Kai Islands), and northeastern Australia (Cape York Peninsula of Queensland).
There are two subspecies of long-nosed echymiperas; E.r. rufescens occupies eastern Indonesia and Papua New Guinea and E.r. australis occupies northeastern Australia.
Biogeographic Regions: australian (Native ); oceanic islands (Native )
Long-nosed echymiperas are generally found at elevations of 0 to 2100 m. They are commonly associated with near-coastal regions and large tracts of forest. Echymipera rufescens rufescens is associated with moist lowland tropical forests and grasslands next to closed forests, whereas E.r. australis is associated with semi-evergreen mesophyll vine closed forests, gallery forests, and layered open forests.
Long-nosed echymiperas have also been recorded in heath and grassy woodlands, but these were near closed forests, so the presence of E. rufescens may have been due to association with edge habitat.
Range elevation: 0 to 2100 m.
Habitat Regions: tropical ; terrestrial
Terrestrial Biomes: rainforest
The lifespan of long-nosed echymiperas is unknown, but one captive individual lived for 2 years and 9 months.
Range lifespan
Status: captivity: 2.9 (high) years.
The head and body length of long-nosed echymiperas ranges from 200 to 500 mm, and the tail length ranges from 50 to 125 mm. They weigh between 500 and 2250 g. Males are larger than females, weighing between 700 and 2225 g. Females weigh between 550 to 1200 g.
The fur of long-nosed echymiperas is dark brown above and cream colored below. They have a rufescent coloration on the rump and a black tail. The tail is almost naked, but the body is covered in short spiny hairs that are over 0.5 mm wide. They have short rounded ears and an elongated snout. The genera Echymipera and Rhynchomeles have the longest rostrums of all bandicoots. Members of these two genera have four pairs of upper incisors, unlike other bandicoots which possess five pairs. All members of the family Peramelidae possess three pairs of lower incisors. The first digit of the hind foot of long-nosed echymiperas is longer than that of other bandicoots. The second and third digit of the hind foot are syndactylous.
Range mass: 500 to 2225 g.
Range length: 250 to 625 mm.
Sexual Dimorphism: male larger
Other Physical Features: endothermic ; bilateral symmetry
Natural predators of long-nosed echymipera are currently unknown.
Little is known regarding the mating system of long-nosed echymiperas.
Reproductive information is available for the subspecies Echymipera rufescens australis. The breeding season of E.r. australis is short. Females are ready to breed between November and May, and breeding occurs during the peak rainfall of the northern wet season. Eighty to 100 % of females carry young in their pouch between January and March. Young remain in the pouch for 65 days. Females produce 1 to 2 litters each breeding season, with each litter consisting of 1 to 4 young. Female body mass is positively correlated with litter size. Compared to other species of bandicoots, E.r. australis carry young in their pouch for a longer period of time and have a shorter breeding season. This results in a lower reproductive output than other species.
Breeding interval: Long-nosed bandicoots breed 1 to 2 times during each breeding season.
Breeding season: Long-nosed bandicoots breed between November and May during the peak rainfall of the northern wet season.
Range number of offspring: 1 to 4.
Average number of offspring: 2.8.
Key Reproductive Features: iteroparous ; seasonal breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; viviparous
Young long-nosed bandicoots are born underdeveloped and move to the pouch directly after birth. They remain in their mother's pouch for 65 days.
Parental Investment: pre-fertilization (Provisioning, Protecting: Female); pre-hatching/birth (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Female); pre-weaning/fledging (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Female)
The long-nosed echymipera (Echymipera rufescens), or long-nosed spiny bandicoot, is a species of marsupial in the family Peramelidae. It is found in Australia, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forests.[2]
Vernacular names for E. rufescens in various Aru languages of the Aru Islands in far eastern Indonesia:[3]
The long-nosed echymipera (Echymipera rufescens), or long-nosed spiny bandicoot, is a species of marsupial in the family Peramelidae. It is found in Australia, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forests.
